Table 2-1. Quick Guide to Selection of Pile Driving Equipment

CEMP-E

EI 02G001

01 July 1997

Table 2-1. Quick Guide to Selection of Pile Driving Equipment

(modified from a chart prepared by G. Barber and W. D. Engle of McKiernan-Terry Corp., Dover, NJ)

Open-

Closed-

End

SPT

Wood

Pipe

Sheet

Concrete

Value

Class

Pile

H Pile

Piling

Cohesionless Soils

0-3

Very

I (DA)

V

I (DA)

Loose

or V

4-10

Loose

I (DA)

V

I (DA)

or V

10-30

Medium

I (SA)

I (DA)

V

I (SA)

or V

30-50

Dense

I (SA)

I (DA)

I (SA)

I (DA)

V

I (SA)

or V

50+

Very

I (SA)

I (DA)

I (SA)

Dense

or V

Cohesive Soils

0-2

Very

I (DA)

V

I (DA)

Soft

or V

4-8

Medium

I (DA)

I (SA)

I (DA)

I (SA)

or V

8-15

Stiff

I (SA)

I (DA)

I (SA)

I (DA)

I (SA)

15-30

Very

I (SA)

Stiff

30+

Hard

I (SA)

Key:

I (SA) - Impact Hammer, Single Acting/Free Fall Suggested (Air/Steam, Diesel, or Hydraulic)

I (DA) - Impact Hammer, Double or Differential Acting/Assisted Fall Suggested, Single Acting also

permissible (Air/Steam, Diesel, or Hydraulic)

V - Vibratory Hammers

(2) Impact Hammers.

(a) Wave Equation Analysis for Drivability. The best method to size an impact hammer for a

particular jobsite is to conduct a drivability study using a wave equation analysis. In this way, all of the factors

that influence drivability can be taken into consideration. The documentation provided with the wave equation

program being used will describe this procedure in detail. Wave equation analyses should also be used to

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