Installation of Driven Test Piles in Permafrost at Bethel Air Force Station, Alaska

The installation, testing, and analysis of driven test piles installed at Bethel, Alaska, in conjunction with the construction of a radar tower foundation are discussed in detail. Investigations were conducted to obtain further information on driving piles in permafrost, studying effects of auxiliar...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Crory,Frederick E
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
Alaska
Bethel Air Force Station
Cold weather operations
Freezing
Frozen soils
Installation
Permafrost
Pile drivers
Pile structures
Snow, Ice and Permafrost
Soils
Structural Engineering and Building Technology
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Summary:The installation, testing, and analysis of driven test piles installed at Bethel, Alaska, in conjunction with the construction of a radar tower foundation are discussed in detail. Investigations were conducted to obtain further information on driving piles in permafrost, studying effects of auxiliary refrigeration pipes on driving resistance, and verification of design assumptions. Test and production piles, 8- and 10-in. H-beams, were installed to maximum depth (34 ft) using a high-energy diesel hammer. While the size of the pile had little effect, the refrigeration pipes on both sides of the web increased driving resistance significantly. The load test results of a pile driven to a depth of 20 ft were extended to evaluate the capacity of the longer or larger radar tower piling. Recommendations on extending the use of the driving method of installing piles in frozen ground to different soil types and colder temperatures are presented. (Author)