Apparatus and method of assisting pile driving by electro-osmosis

A method of assisting the driving of a hollow pile into soil comprising,

• insulating the pile on the inside with an electrical non-conductor,
• placing water inside of the hollow pile,
• placing an anode of an electrical circuit having an anode, a d-c power source, and a cathode, in the water inside of the hollow pile,
• placing the cathode outside of the hollow pile and in electrical communication with the water in the pile through the bottom of the pile, and
• when the pile is in contact with the soil applying electrical power to the circuit whereby water will be caused to move down the inside of the pile and up the outside of the pile through the soil making the pile easier to drive through the soil.

A method of assisting the driving of a hollow pile into soil below water comprising,

• insulating the pile on the inside with an electrical non-conductor,
• placing water inside of the hollow pile,
• placing an anode of an electrical circuit having an anode, a d-c power source, and a cathode, in the water inside of the hollow pile,
• placing the cathode outside of the hollow pile and in electrical communication with the water above the soil, and
• when the pile is in contact with the soil applying electrical power to the circuit whereby water will be caused to move down the inside of the pile and up the outside of the pile through the soil making the pile easier to drive through the soil.

A method of assisting the driving of a hollow electrically conductive pile into soil comprising,

• insulating the pile on the inside with an electrical non-conductor,
• placing water inside of the hollow pile,
• placing an anode of an electrical circuit having an anode, a d-c power source, and a cathode, in the water inside of the hollow pile,
• placing the cathode outside of the hollow pile and in electrical communication with the outside of the electrically conductive pile whereby an electrical circuit is formed between the anode and cathode through the water in the inside of the pile and through the bottom of the pile, and
• when the pile is in contact with the soil applying electrical power to the circuit whereby water will be caused to move down the inside of the pile and up the outside of the pile through the soil adjacent the pile making the pile easier to drive through the soil.