Machining pile heads more efficiently and precisely with the pile jaw

Reinforced concrete piles are frequently used in new builds to safely transfer the structure’s loads into the ground. Before the piles can be connected to the building structure, the oversized piles must be cut down to the required length. Efficient, precise and, at the same time, gentle machining of the pile head is crucial in this process.

Traditionally, pile heads are first shortened using a small excavator and a hydraulic hammer. The finishing work is then carried out by hand using a hammer drill until the desired target dimension is achieved.

This method presents several challenges:

• when using the hydraulic hammer, the concrete breaks up in an uncontrolled manner, which means that... 
  • (A) the reinforcement becomes deformed, as chunks of concrete break away whilst remaining attached to the reinforcement. 
  • (B) the pile head, upon which the foundation will later be built, may develop cracks, which can cause structural problems or require rework.
• working with a hammer drill is physically demanding and involves significant vibration.
• the time required is also considerable: on average, it takes around three hours to process a single pile.

By combining a pile head cutter and the concrete crusher XMB 2.8 with pile jaw allows pile head machining to be carried out much more efficiently and with greater control.

• First, the oversized pile is shortened using the pile head cutter. In this process, the concrete within the reinforcement cage is milled down to the desired target depth. The pile head cutter can be integrated into the excavator’s machine control system. This enables the operator to set the exact milling depth accurately and efficiently straight away, without the need for an additional assistant. Another advantage of the pile head cutter is that different diameters and milling tool lengths can be used on a single unit. The tool can be changed within 1 to 2 minutes.
• The remaining concrete crown is then precisely removed using the XMB 2.8 concrete crusher and the pile jaw until the entire reinforcement cage is exposed.

This method ensures maximum protection of the reinforcement. At the same time, the pile head is machined with minimal vibration, thereby reducing the risk of uncontrolled cracks in the pile body to a minimum.

The time-saving benefits are particularly evident!

Whilst conventional processing takes an average of around three hours per pile, the processing time can be reduced by around 80 per cent using the pile head cutter and the pile jaw. This offers considerable potential for more efficient working methods, particularly on construction projects involving many piles. Furthermore, the work can be carried out in a more controlled manner and with significantly less physical strain.

A recent construction site project demonstrates how the combination of the pile head cutter and the Egli pile jaw works in practice. In this project, pile heads with a diameter of 1.5 metres were machined.

The combination of precise removal, reduced vibration and significantly shorter processing times makes this method a more efficient alternative to conventional pile head machining.