South Metro Manila Skyway

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NEP-BPD-002-B

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STANDARD METHODOLOGY for LOW-STRAIN PILE

INTEGRITY TESTING USING PIT
(Reference: PIT Manual by Pile Dynamics Inc.)

Introduction
Pile Integrity Testing (PIT) is a Non-Destructive integrity test method for foundation piles. It
is a Low Strain Method (since it requires the impact of only a small hand-held hammer).
The evaluation of PIT records is conducted according to the Pulse-Echo (or Sonic Echo a
time domain analysis) Procedure.

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Description of Method
Low Strain integrity testing may be applied to any concreted pile (e.g. concrete piles, drilled
shafts, augercast piles, concrete filled pipe piles). The test requires the impact of a small hand
held hammer on the shaft top and the measurement of the shaft top motion (acceleration or
velocity). The input compression wave from the hammer is reflected from pile toe (or a
defect) and returns to the pile top at a time related to the speed of travel of the wave in the pile
material.
The pile top velocity is displayed by the PIT as a function of time, with an exponentially
increasing magnitude where high soil friction forces are present, such that the pile toe
reflection is enhanced. Several records with consistent signals should be averaged. The
averaged, amplified velocity is the standard result of the Pulse Echo Method.

Test Equipment
The test shall be performed using a Pile Integrity Tester (Collector Model) manufactured by
Pile Dynamics Inc., USA. Data should be stored such that additional processing or further
wave analysis is possible. The data must be displayed in the field for evaluations of
preliminary data quality and interpretation.

Test Personnel
The field test shall be performed by a Civil Engineer with at least two (2) years experience in
integrity testing. The interpretation of the PIT results, however, shall be made by a Civil
Engineer with at least five (5) years experience in integrity testing.

South Metro Manila Skyway

Stage 2 Project

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Pile Preparation (Responsibility of Piling Contractor)

For cast in place piles, integrity testing shall not be performed until the concrete has cured for
a minimum of seven (7) days unless otherwise approved by the engineer. The pile head shall
be free from water, dirt or other debris. Portions of the concrete at the pile top surface must be
made relatively smooth and level using a concrete grinder, with sufficient space for both
attachment of the PIT accelerometer and hammer impact area.
Prior to testing, the Piling Contractor shall provide the test Engineer the installation records of
all test piles, together with relevant pile details such as the actual pile length at the time of
testing, pile size and concrete strength.

Data Acquisition
An accelerometer shall be attached securely to the pile top using petro-wax bonding material.
Five impact blows from an instrumented hand-held hammer supplied by Pile Dynamics Inc.
are applied, with the acceleration data collected, averaged, integrated and displayed by the
PIT screen as velocities. The test Engineer checks the data quality, ensuring that all records
should appear similar and consistent. If several blows are bad, the data is discarded and the
test repeated for each test pile.

Report
The testing engineer shall present a report within five (5) working days after performing the
field test. As a minimum, the averaged, amplified velocity versus time record for each test
pile shall be included in the report. The test Engineer shall discuss each record together with
the significant findings, interpretation and recommendations.
Only piles with no significant reflections from locations above the pile toe and with a clear
pile toe reflection will be recommended for acceptance. Where no clear toe reflection is
apparent, the test engineer shall state to which shaft depth the test appears to be conclusive.
Where reflections from locations with significant reductions above the pile toe are observed,
the pile may have a serious defect and be recommended for rejection, replace