Pile Mat Construction
A piling mat is a working platform used for piling rigs to travel around the site in a safe and stable manner.
The ground conditions and the type of rig will determine the design of the Pile Mat. It will also affect the rig loadings ( 5 to 150 tonnes and above). Mats that are too deep will incur pointless costs, as do those that are too shallow. Soft Spots on the surface of just 1 square meter can unbalance a rig.
Typically, a mat will be around 600 mm above the pile cut-off level, and it will extend beyond the outermost pile locations by at least 2 meters. The Edges of the mat and any ramps leading onto it must be clearly indicated.
Most piling mats are constructed of graded natural gravels, crushed concrete, and crushed hard rock. Any rebar and timber removed, graded demolition material can be used. Piling Mats are rolled and compacted using layers.
The mat must be free-draining to stop any build-up of water on the surface. On construction sites with a high water table, a separating membrane may be laid between the mat and the sub-grade. This prevents the upward migration of fine soils into the mat.
Piling mats must be inspected daily to ensure that no excavations, trenches, or holes have formed in the surface; they must be backfilled to ensure they are as stable as the rest of the mat.
Every site with an operational piling rig must have a (WPC) Working Platform Certificate, which states the mat has been correctly designed and installed. The WPC has to be designed by the principal contractor and provided for the piling contractor before piling commences.
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