10.

BORED MICROPILES

10.8.1

Description
This work shall comprise the drilling of a hole, placing of reinforcement unit
and subsequently filling the hole with grout to form micropiles, all in
accordance with this Specification and to the details shown on the Drawings.

10.8.2

Materials

10.8.2.1

Reinforcement Unit
The type of reinforcement unit to be used, the diameter and/or thickness,
grade, yield strength and working stress shall be as specified or as shown on
the Drawings.
The test certificate of the reinforcing element shall be submitted to the SO for
approval prior to the installation of micropiles.
If reinforcing bars are used as the reinforcing unit, the main bars shall be tied
with continuous spiral links and the main bars shall be mechanically spliced.
The continuous spiral link shall be of a minimum of R6 at a pitch of not more
than half a diameter of the micropile. The details of the spiral links and
mechanical splice shall be submitted to the SO for approval.
Spacer or centralisers shall be provided at 1.5m centres for reinforcement bars
and 3.0m centres for casings and pipes.
Pipes or casings (new or used) when used as the reinforcing unit shall be free
from grease or deleterious material that may affect the performance of the
bond at grout pipe interface. The used pipe shall be inspected and approved
by the SO prior to installation.
Jointing of pipe shall be either machined threaded join or welded joint. All
welded joint details shall be subjected to the approval of the SO.

10.8.2.2

Grout
Unless otherwise specified, the grout shall be non-shrink cement grout. The
water-cement ratio by weight shall be between 0.45 to 0.5 with a minimum
acceptable grout strength of 25 MPa. Testing of grout cubes shall be in
accordance with BS 1881 and BS 4550 for grout strength at 7 and 28 days.
The value of the structural strength of grout used in bored micropile design
shall be clearly specified. Minimum cube size for testing shall be 150mm.

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If admixtures are used, details of admixtures shall be submitted to the S.O. for
approval before commencement of works. The use of the admixture shall
fully comply with the manufacturers instructions.

10.8.3

Drilling Operations

10.8.3.1

Diameter of Piles
The diameter of piles shall not be less than the specified/designed diameter at
any level throughout its length.

10.8.3.2

Drilling

10.8.3.2.1

Drilling Equipment
The Contractor shall submit to the S.O. details of drilling equipment and
drilling procedure for approval before commencement of works. Drilling
operations shall be carried out in accordance with the relevant requirements
approved by SO. The method of borehole stabilisation shall be submitted to
the SO for approval.

10.8.3.2.2

Borehole Excavation
The contractor shall ensure that during the course of the work damage which
would impair either the performance or durability does not occur to adjacent
completed piles.
The contractor shall submit to the SO his planned sequence of drilling having
regard to the avoidance of damage to adjacent piles.
Drilling of adjacent piles is only permitted twelve (12) hours after grouting.

10.8.3.2.2

Drilling through Cavities

If cavities are encountered during drilling the cavities shall be treated or span
using permanent casing subject to the approval of the SO.
When permanent casing is used to span across cavities, the piles shall be
checked against buckling.

10.8.4

Grouting Operations

10.8.4.1

Mixing and Placing Grout

The Contractor shall provide details of the method and equipment used in
grout mixing. Further information such as grouting pressure, grouting
procedure, grouting equipment and techniques employed in grouting
underwater shall also be furnished for approval.

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Grout shall be mixed on site using an approved high shearing mixer. Grout
shall be pumped into its final position in one continuous operation as soon as
possible and in no case more than half an hour after mixing. The grouting
operations shall be carried out until the return of fresh grout is noted at the top
of the boreholes.

10.8.5

Tolerances

10.8.5.1

Setting Out
The Contractor shall set out the position and level of each pile from given
reference or baseline and datum level on the site as directed and agreed by the
SO.
Marker pins for the pile positions shall be set out and installed by the
Contractor based on the agreed baseline and datum level. Immediately prior
to installation of the piles, the pile positions shall be checked by the
Contractor.

10.8.5.2

Position
The maximum permitted deviation of the pile centre from the centre-point
shown in the setting-out shall be 75 mm in any direction at commencing
surface level.

10.8.5.3

Vertically
The maximum permitted deviation of the finished pile from the vertical at
commencement level is 1H : 75V.

10.8.5.4

Rake
The maximum permitted deviation of any part of the finished pile from the
specified rake is 1H : 25V for piles raking up to 1H : 6V and 1H : 15V for
piles raking more than 1H : 6V.

10.8.6

Construction of Pile Heads

10.8.6.1

Lengthening of Piles
Where lengthening is required, the pile reinforcement unit shall be connected
on Site to the details shown on the Drawings.
Other means of joining reinforcement shall be subjected to the approval of the
S.O.

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10.8.6.2

Cutting and Preparation of Pile Heads

Pile heads shall be constructed to the details as shown on the Drawings.

10.8.7

Record
The site records shall be verified by the site representative of the SO within 24
hours after completion of the respective construction activities. The format of
the report shall be approved by the SO. Information reported shall include the
following, plus any other data required by the SO.

10.8.8

pile identification No.

date and time drilling started and finished
machine and operator identification
location, level, inclination
depths of holes
borehole logs
diameter
type of reinforcement
overall length installed
length of rock socket
number and details of splice or coupler used
number of centralising spacers
date and time grouting started and finished
detailed of any packers used and length of grouted zone(s)
grout pressure
volume of grout accepted

Load Testing
The design of load test on bored micropile to achieve the objective of design
parameters and performance shall take into consideration of the structural
capacity of the reinforcing element and the geotechnical capacity of the pile.

10.8.8.1

Maintained Load Test

The load test shall be carried out in accordance with the relevant requirements
in Section 10.11 on pile testing.

10.8.8.2

Non Destructive Testing

Dynamic load test shall be subjected to SO approval.
Integrity tests shall be qualitatively assessed and subjected to the SOs
approval.

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10.8.9

Other Requirements

10.8.9.1

Cavity Treatment
The method of cavity treatment shall be submitted to SO for approval. Cavity
treatment shall be classified as variation works.

10.8.9.2

Underpinning
The used of bored micropiles for special application shall be subjected to a
separate specification. The separate specification shall take in consideration
of site constraints, preloading and other relevant requirements.

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