Abstract: A sheet pile wall is formed in the ground by excavating a first well and then excavating a second well spaced at a distance from the first well. The ground panel between the wells is then excavated to form a trench by using an excavating apparatus which is fitted with tubular guiding elements which are guided by the walls of the first and second wells. A prefabricated wall element having an arched center part is placed in the trench. The prefabricated wall element has edges which have meandering side faces. The edges of the wall element are brought into sealing contact with the walls of the trench, after which the first well is filled with concrete with the side face of the edge of the wall element serving as a shuttering to form a supporting nose engaging the side face.

Abstract: The invention relates to a piling apparatus for driving a tube (1) closed at the lower end by a base plate into the ground (6) to form a concrete foundation pile. The apparatus comprises a piling hammer with falling weight (4) and an impact cap (3) acting on the tube (1). The tube (1), at the lower end thereof in the vicinity of the base plate (6), is provided with an inwardly thickened edge (2), while the piling hammer (3,4,5) is provided within the tube (1) and has an impact cap (3) resting in a centered position on both the thickened edge (2) and the bottom plate (6), said piling hammer (3,4,5) comprising a self-centring guide device (9,10,11) acting on the inner surface of the tube (1).

Abstract: A machine to determine the load capacity of foundation piles, containing a guide derrick whose axis can be positioned in line with the foundation pile axis; a drop-weight suspended in said derrick to means which can raise this weight to various heights and hold it there; an anvil at the bottom of the derrick, which anvil can travel vertically in a bottom guide within the guide derrick; a pressure capsule between said anvil and the top of the foundation pile to be tested; a measuring device on the foundation pile, which operates in conjunction with a laser measuring device mounted at a distance; a computer connected to said pressure capsule on the one hand and to said measuring device on the other hand, and itself connected to a printer; and means which in combination with said drop-weight enable the impact of the drop-weight on the pile to be prolonged by absorbing said impact and transmitting it relatively slowly to the pile.

Abstract: The invention relates to an emergency spill basin for collecting flammable and/or environmentally unsound materials issuing from a chemical plant in the event of a major accident. According to the invention, the basin comprises a deep shaft (1) constructed in the ground, which is closed at the bottom (2) and has a diameter smaller than its depth. Arranged in the longitudinal direction of the shaft (1) is a fire-extinguishing gas pipe (4) extending into the vicinity of the bottom (2) of the shaft and comprising outlet openings (5) spaced along its length. Provided on the bottom (2) of the shaft is a layer of nonflammable granules (3) of low specific gravity.

Abstract: A method of constructing a vertical barrier wall in the ground (1,3) wherein two spaced apart, deep wells (2) are excavated in the ground. The walls (2) are interconnected near the bottom thereof by a substantially horizontally extending canal (7). Subsequently, there are provided in the wells (2) and the canal (7) a looped, closed chain (11) carrying excavators (12). The two ends of the chain are interconnected above the ground level. The closed chain loop is then driven in a direction of circulation and moved simultaneously upwards. The soil material 1 present between the wells (2) is thus "sawn through", thereby forming a narrow trench (26),which is filled with a supporting fluid (4).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a slurry trench or wall in the soil, comprising driving a beam section into the ground by pile driving, and simultaneously and entirely filling up the trench formed by soil displacement with a supporting fluid. The beam sectional is subsequently pulled out of the soil with a vibrating movement, which is obtained by delivering blows to the beam at a suitable frequency. During this extraction movement, sufficient supporting fluid is supplied for filling up the volume occupied by the beam. The soil displacement portion at the under-side of the beam, in cross section, has a box section with apertured side walls. The box section is shut off at the under-side by a permanent pile shoe or by hinged flaps, so that during extraction of the beam out of the soil, the interior of the box section communicates with the trench formed underneath the flaps or the pile shoe, said trench being thereby filled with supporting fluid.

Abstract: A method and a hollow body for forming a hole in the ground are disclosed. After the hollow body has been brought to the desired depth in the ground high pressure fluid is jetted through spray nozzles into the hollow body near the lower end thereof. The fluid jets effect a cutting of the ground core in the hollow body whereafter the pressurized fluid displaces the overhead ground core upwardly. The spray nozzles are spaced circumferentially and lie in the same transverse plane so that a very flat horizontal cut in the ground is accomplished by the fluid jets.

Abstract: The invention relates to an expansible drive core, which in its contracted state can be accommodated into a thin-walled tube, which has to be driven into the ground, wherein prior to the action of driving the drive core can be expanded as to be clamped against the inner side of the wall of the thin-walled tube, and after the action of driving the drive core can be contracted for removal from the tube.According to the invention the drive core includes a metal core body and at least one expansion means of elastic material, such as rubber disposed over this core body, and passages are formed in the core body, through which a pressurized medium, such as air or water under pressure, can be supplied from the interior of the core body for expanding the elastic expansion means, while reinforcement means co-operate with the elastic expansion means so as to serve for the transmission of forces between the core body and the thin-walled tube.

Abstract: To the drill pipe connects a head comprising a cylinder-shaped portion and a cone-shaped point. Three spiral ribs are regularly distributed over the head. Each rib has a downwardly-extending rib portion standing on the point and having an outer side making an angle between 0.degree. and 5.degree. with the drill axis and an inner side making with the outer side of the point an angle which is smaller than 90.degree. increased by half the apex of the point, and has a outwardly-extending rib portion standing on the cylinder-shaped head portion and having a top side making an angle between 85.degree. and 95.degree. with the outer side of this head portion. The lowermost edge of the rib portion standing on the point merges into the outermost edge of the other rib portion. The apex of the point lies between 85.degree. and 95.degree..

Abstract: A hydraulic pile driver of the kind having at least one hydraulic cylinder for raising a tup. An arrangement is proposed for allowing the use of oil as the hydraulic fluid. The cylinder has a closed chamber around it, to which oil under pressure is supplied. An apertured cuff around or within the cylinder is moved to bring its apertures periodically into and out of registry with apertures in the cylinder wall to connect the cylinder space alternately with said chamber for supply of fluid to the cylinder and to a discharge line for the discharge of fluid from the cylinder. The volume of the chamber is considerably greater than the volume of the cylinder space. The apertures in the cuff and the cylinder wall that register for discharge of the oil from the cylinder have a total cross-sectional area at least equal to that of the cylinder space to make for fast discharge of the oil, thereby ensuring free fall of the tup.