The plan shape

this is
of the pile cap should be
achieved
as conservative as
possible and
usually by having overhang of 150 mm. The Federation
an
of
Piling Specialists have issued the following guide table as to suitable pile
cap depths having regard to both design and cost requirements:
Pile diameter (mm) 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 750
23
Depth of cap (mm) 700 800 900 1 000 1 100 1 200 1 400 1800
The main reinforcement is two-directional, formed in bands over the
Underpinning
pile heads to spread the loads and usually take the form of a 'U' shaped
bar suitably bound to give a degree of resistance to surface cracking of the
faces of the pile cap see typical details shown in Fig. III.39.
-

In many piling schemes, especially where capped single piles are used,
the pile caps are tied together with reinforced concrete tie beams. The
beams can be used to carry loadings such as walls to the pile foundations-
see Fig. II. 39.

PILING CONTRACTS
The formation of piled foundations is a The main objective of underpinning is to
specialist's task and as such a piling contractor may be engaged to carry transfer the load carried by an existing fou ndation trom its present bearing
out the work by one of three methods: level to a new level at a lower depth. It can also be used to replace an
existing weak foundation.
1. Nominated subcontractor. Underpinning may be necessary for one or more of the following
2. Direct subcontractor.
reasons:
3. Main contractor under a separate contract.

1. (a) uneven loading;

service of advising,
Piling companies normally supply the complete (b) unequal resistance of the subsoil;
site works including setting out if
designing and carrying out the complete (c) action of tree roots
the builder should have and supply
required. When seeking a piling tender (d) action of subsoil water;
the following information:
(e) cohesive soil settlement.
full details of subsoil investigations,
1. Site investigation report giving 2. To increase the load-bearing capacity of a foundation, which may
of site and any restrictions regarding
adjacent structures, topography be required to enable an extra storey to be added to the existing
limitations.
headroom, noise and vibration structure or it a change ot use would increase the imposed
pile positions and
2. Site drawings indicating levels, proposed
layout loadings.
structural loadings. the adjacent ground level
3. As a preliminary operation to lowering
tender dates, contract period, completion when constructing a basement at a lower level than the existing
3. Contract data regarding
specification and details of any special o r unusual services
dates, a detailed foundations of the adjoining structure or when laying deep
contract clauses. near to or below the existing toundations.
of piling tenders is not aneasy task and the builder
The appraisal SITE SURVEY ANND
account not only costs but also any special conditions
should take into PRELIMINARY WORKS
tender and the acceptance of the local authority
attached to the submitted Betore any underpinning is commenced the
to the proposed scheme and system. work should be carried out:
following surveying and preliminary

227

226
 1. Notice should be
served to the adjoining
the intention to
owners setting out in detail 5. Estimated spanning ability of existing foundation.
proceed with the proposed works and giving ful 6. Subsoil conditions encountered.
details of any proposed temporary supports such as shoring.
2. A detailed
survey of the building to be underpinned should be made The generally specified maximum length for bays used in the
recording any defects, cracks, supplemented by
agreed with the building owner where photographs and underpinning of traditional wall construction is 1.500 m with the proviso
3. Glass possible. that at no time should the sum total of unsupported lengths exceed 25%
slips
or 'tell tales' should be fixed across
any vertical and
lateral cracks of the total wall length.
to give a visual indicator of
any movement taking
place. Bays are excavated and timbered as necessary after which the bottom
4. A series of check levels should be taken of the excavation is prepared to receive the new foundation. To give the
against a reliable datum or new foundation strip continuity, dowel bars are inserted at the end of each
alternatively metal studs can be fixed to the external wall and
their
levels noted. These levels should be bay. Brick underpinning is toothed at each end to enable the bonding to
checked periodically as the work
proceeds to enable any movements to be recorded and the be continuous whereas concrete underpinning usually has splice bars or
necessary
remedial action taken. dowels projecting to provide the continuity. Brickwork would
normally be
in a brick bedded in 1 :3 cement mortar laid in
5. Permission should be
all flues and
obtained, from the adjoining owner, to stop up class'B English bond for
strength. Concrete used in underpinning is usually specified as a 1:2:4/20
fireplaces to
prevent the nuisance and damage which
can be caused by falling soot. mm
aggregate mix using rapid hardening cement. The final pinning mix
6. It should consist of 1 part rapid hardening cement to 3
underpinning required is to counteract
unacceptable settlement of parts of well graded
the existing foundations an fine aggregate from 10 mm down to fine sand with a
investigation of the subsoil should be 0.35. In both methods the projection of the
water/ cement ratio of
carried out to determine the cause and to forecast any future existing foundation is cut
that the underpinning design will be adequate.
back to the external wall line so that the loads are transmitted to the
movement so new
foundation and not partially dissipated through the
7. The loading on the structure should be reduced as much as
possible original
foundation
strip on to the backfill material - see Fig. III.40.
by removing imposed fioor loads and installing any shoring that
may be ne cessary.

WALL UNDERPINNING
PRETEST METHOD OF
Traditional underpinning to walls is carried
out by excavating in stages alongside and underneath the existing
UNDERPINNING
This method is designed to
prevent further
foundation, casting a new foundation, building up to the underside of the settlement of foundations after
foundation in brickwork or concrete and finally pinning between underpinning has been carried out by
existing consolidating the soil under the new foundation before the load from the
the old and new work with a rich dry mortar. underpinning is applied. The perimeter of the wall to be underpinned is
To prevent the dangers of fracture or settlement the underpinning excavated in stages as described for wall
underpinning, the new foundation
Stages or bays should be kept short and formed to a definite sequence strip is laid and a hydraulic jack supporting a short beam is placed in the
This will enable the
pattern so that no two bays are worked consecutively. centre of the bay under the
existing foundation. A dry mortar mix is laid
the void created underneath
existing foundation and wall to arch span between the top of the beam and the existing foundation and before it has
or

and length of the bays will depend finally set the jack is extended to give a predetermined load on the new
prior to underpinning. The number
factors: foundation, thus pretesting the soil beneath.
upon the following
This process is repeated along the entire
1. Total length of wall to be underpinned.
underpinning length until the
whole wall is being supported by the
hydraulic jacks. Underpinning is
2. Width of existing foundation. carried out using brickwork or conerete
walling
between the jacks which
3. General condition of existing substructure. are later removed and replaced with underpinning to complete the
foundation.
4. Superimposed loading of existing operation.

228 g 229
 working trench width
clear to give sufficient
working space 1.000
minimum
JACK OR MIGA PILE
walls
UNDERPINNING
to be This is
underpinned following circumstances:
a method which can be used in the

1.
Depth of suitable
bearing capacity subsoil is
traditional wall underpinning deep to make too
1.200 to 1.500 long 2. Where a system
practical or economic.
working bays or
legs giving no vibration is
required. It is worth noting
that this method is also
3. If
practically noiseless.
a
syste mof flexible depth is required.
Z1LZLA Z The system consists of short
3524 642 53 the ground until a suitable
precast concrete pile lengths jacked into
subsoil is reached see Fig. III.41.
jack pile has reached the required When the
depth the space between the top of the
Typical underpinning schedule
pile and underside of the existing foundation is filled
with a pinned
concrete cap. The
working existing foundation must be in a good condition since in
space the final context it will act as a
beam spanning over the
tion and hence the piles. The condi-
wall
spanning ability of the existing strip foundation will also
to be underpinned- determine the spacing of the piles.
Projection -timbering to
existing foundation removed excavation
as required NEEDLE AND PILES
If the wall be
foundation that is considered unsuitable for underpinned
to has
timbering left in final weak a

pinning spanning over the heads of

1:12 hand placed bay jack piles
an alternative method
backfilled giving the same degree flexibility can be
of
concrete filling used. This method uses
with well pairs of jacks or usually bored piles in
compacted with an in situ reinforced
concrete beam or needle
conjunction
: dowel bars material placed above the
existing foundation. The system works on the same
principle as a dead
shoring arrangement relying on the arching effeet of bonded
Typical section water is encountered when
brickwork. If
using bored piles a pressure pile can be used as
an alternative. The
formation of both types of pile is described in the
following chapter on piling. Typical arrangements to enable the work to be
projection carried out from both sides of the wall or from the external face only are
cut back- shown in
timbering to Fig. III.42.
existing excavation
foundation as required

new brickwork Pynford Stooling Method

toothed at ends final pinning The Pynford method of underpinning
carried out enables walls to be underpinned in continuous runs without the use of
after new wall needles or raking shoring. The
25 mm diameter has settled procedure is to cut
away portions of
brickwork, above the existing foundation, to enable precast concrete
dowel bars- or
new foundation steel stools to be inserted and
pinned. The
intervening brickwork can be
removed, leaving the structure entirely
Typical elevation supported on the stools.
Reinforcing bars are threaded between and around the stools and caged to
Fig. 1.40 Traditional brick underpinning form the ring beam reinforcement. After the
formwork has been placed
230
231
 wall to be
foundation
R.C. needle underpinned
or beam

wall to be pump-
underpinned -

existing
foundation
val

R.C existing
timbering9 needle foundation
to excavation
as required
smal small diameter
diameter bored piles
bored
pressure pipe piles designed to
suit conditions

PLAN TYPICAL SECTION

piston -short lengths
of standard
foundation
cylinder steel joist wall to be underpinned
section and
R.C. cantilever
steel bearing needle or beam
hydraulicN plates to spread
jack -
pressure on T STAIEYIAYI6S
foundation
steel
dowels
grouted in

300 300 precast concrete

sections added one at
a time until sufficient R.C.
needle
penetration resistance
has been achieved existing
all foundatioon

- - first section
small diameter
bored piles

pointed steel toe small designed to

suit conditions
piece cast into diameterr
first section bored
piles

axial steel lined

ALTERNATIVE PLAN TYPICAL SECTION USING CANTILEVER NEEDLES
hole for dowel rods

Fig. 1.42 Needle and pile underpinning

Fig. l.41 Jack or miga pile underpinning
233
232
 St, iinal
mortar mix pinning can be carried
see
strip with Fig. III.43. out
a
reinforced concreteThis method replaces using a well
rammed dry
underpinning can be ring
carried out if beam the
from which existing foundation
other forms of
necessary.. deep
Other forms of
Stressed Steel: This consists beams underpinning
lengths of 600 to 1 500 mm of standard universal beam using
each end which is long with a steel sections in short
wall are removed drilled to take high tensile diaphragm plate welded to
and the steel torque bolts. Short
diaphragm plates are formed sobeam inserted. The joints
that a small
lengths of
between adjacent
tension side to
give space occurs
pinning betweenpredetermined
a on the lower or
Final camber when the bolts
the
completes the operation. top of the stressed steel beam and thetightened.
are

wall
Prestressed concrete: short
precast concrete blocks
existing foundations as the brickwork are inserted
over the
is removed. The blocks are formed
to allow for post
anchored
tensioning stressing tendons to be
inserted, stressed and
to form a
continuous beam. Final
underpinning. pinning completes the
It should be noted that all forms of
beam underpinning can also be used
to form a lintel or
beam, in any part of a wall,
large opening.
to the prior formation of a

FINAL PINNING
Although final pinning is usually carried out
by ramming a stiff dry cement mortar mix into the space between the new
underpinning work and the existing structure, alternative methods are
available such as:
1. Flat jacks circular or rectangular hollow plates of various sizes
-

made from thin sheet metal which can be inflated with high
pressure
water for temporary pinning or, if work is to be permanent, with a
strong cement grout. The increase in thickness of the flat jacks is
approximately 25 mm.
2. Wedge bricks - special bricks of engineering quality of standard face

length but with a one brick width and a depth equal to two courses
The brick is made in two parts, the lower section having a wide
sloping channel in its top bed surface to receive the wedge shaped
and narrower top section. Both parts have a vertical slot through
which the bedding grout passes to key the two sections together,

235
234
 UNDERPINNING COLUMNS
This is a more difficult task than
wall. It can be carried out on brick or stone columns by
pair of precast concrete underpinning a

a reinforced con crete base and theen

or UB's bolted together 25
mm deep chase inserting a series of stools, casting
to form collar -
underpinning by the methods described above.
pair of precast
Structural steel or reinforced c o n c r e t e columns must be relieved of
concrete or UB
be achieved
R.C. column-
needles bolted their before any underpinning can take place. This can
loading
together one basic method. A collar of steel
variations of or precast concrete
by
members is fixed around the perimeter of the column. Steel
collars are
welded to the structural member whereas concrete columns are
usually
chased to a depth of 25 to 50 m m to receive the support collar.
usually
hydraulic jack cross beams or
The column loading is transferred from the collar to
IAYIASATAT needles which in transmits the loads
turn the ground to safe distance
ata
from the proposed underpinning excavations. Cantilever techniques which
jack or concrete bearing transfer the loadings to one side of the structural member are possible
bored pile pad as alternative
to pile bearing providing sufficient kentledge and anchorage can be obtained - see Fig.

be carried
foundation to be
II.44. The underpinning of the column foundation can now out

by the means previously described.

underpinned

kentledge of pig iron

or precast concrete
blocks as counterweight steel
Column-
steel channels with
web stiffeners welded
to column as collar-

pair of UB's bolted

together as needles

hydraulic jack
as fulcrum -

R.C. tie beam or

pile cap

pair of jack
foundation to
or bored piles-
be underpinned

Fig. Il.44 Typical column underpinning arrangements

237
2.36