Mini piling is an excellent choice for any project requiring piles where there is limited space available such as a high water table; close proximity to the existing structure; utility problems; environmental constraints; etc. It also has the advantage of potentially being better than other standard pile-driving methods in that it: does not require much excavation or land disturbance making it ideal when there are grading and surface requirements; uses lower penetration resistance equipment, thus reducing the risk of damaging or disturbing underground utilities; does not require that you bring in heavy equipment.

Advantages Of Mini Piles With their low cost but durable design, easy installation, and flexibility over large areas, mini piles are often the first choice where conditions are restrictive, such as when working near existing services or sensitive structures. In the case of new development, it can cost from £30k to £200k less to install mini piles compared with traditional piling methods. Mini piles have been found in many cases to be suitable for difficult ground conditions encountered during pile driving works. They also provide a quick return on investment and low cost per metre driven.

Mini piling is a technique used in the construction where a steel or concrete pile is fitted into an available hole (normally 1m deep) without any other form of temporary support; additional equipment such as cranes and temporary supports (shoring) may not be necessary depending on requirements and site-specific limitations. Operational Mini piling can be classified in two ways. (1) Manual mini-piling (2) Machine mini-piling

Manual mini piling (also known as “redi-piling”) is normally used on sites where the depth of subsoil strata are unknown. It can also be used to fill up any existing holes or voids under slabs or adjacent structures. The method involves digging a hole with an excavator, fitting the pile into it and then backfilling. This type of installation is not usually suitable for areas that have large open potholes which might need multiple passes with heavy machinery or careful planning to avoid disturbing street furniture or underground services.

Mini piles are installed via the same process as conventional piling, with three main stages: -Site Investigation. Before digging starts there is a requirement to do an investigation of the site conditions. This should follow the same principles as for other types of foundation work, but with extra checks for ground water and stability –

Preparation Works: The area where mini piles will be installed should be excavated down to bedrock or sub-base if there is good quality soil at that depth, depending on local conditions -Installation. The installation process requires two excavators loading their buckets with loads put on by a telescopic handler loaded with driving tubes by one worker

Noise limit values for pile-driving works are 56 dB(A) (L eq ) and 65 dB(A) (L AFmax ) depending on the time of day and location. With pile-driving activities, it is important to keep disturbance of residents to a minimum during night time hours. Pile driving operations, with or without concrete placing in situ, must be carried out between 07:00 and 18:00 hrs from Monday to Saturday -Drilling & Installation.