Method and apparatus for forming piles in place

A method for forming a pile, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a screw pier comprising a shaft having a screw proximate a first end thereof and a first soil displacing member projecting radially outwardly from the shaft at a location spaced toward a second end of the shaft from the screw;
• (b) placing said screw in soil and turning said shaft to draw said screw into the soil thereby causing said screw to pull said first soil displacing member through the soil, thereby clearing soil from a cylindrical region surrounding said shaft;
• (c) either during or after said placing said screw of (b) filling said cylindrical region with a fluid grout;
• and,
• (d) allowing said fluid grout to solidify, thereby encasing said shaft
• wherein said filling said cylindrical region with fluid grout comprises providing a bath of fluid grout around said shaft at a point where said shaft enters the soil and allowing fluid grout from said bath of fluid grout to flow into said cylindrical region as said screw is turned and said first soil displacing member comprises a flange projecting radially outwardly from said shaft.

A method for forming a pile, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a screw pier comprising a shaft having a screw proximate a first end thereof and a first soil displacing member projecting radially outwardly from the shaft at a location spaced toward a second end of the shaft from the screw;
• (b) placing said screw in soil and turning said shaft to draw said screw into the soil thereby causing said screw to pull said first soil displacing member through the soil, thereby clearing soil from a cylindrical region surrounding said shaft;
• (c) either during or after said placing said screw of (b) filling said cylindrical region with a fluid grout;
• and,
• (d) allowing said fluid grout to solidify, thereby encasing said shaft
• further comprising encasing at least a root portion of the screw by:
• (a) after said screw has reached a desired point and before allowing said fluid grout to solidify, removing soil from a volume surrounding at least a root portion of said screw by holding said shaft against longitudinal motion, turning said screw in a first sense and forcing a fluid grout under pressure into said volume;
• and,
• (b) allowing said grout in said volume to harden, thereby encasing surfaces of said screw in a protective layer of solidified grout.

A method for forming a pile, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a screw pier comprising a shaft having a screw proximate a first end thereof and a first soil displacing member projecting radially outwardly from the shaft at a location spaced toward a second end of the shaft from the screw;
• (b) placing said screw in soil and turning said shaft to draw said screw into the soil thereby causing said screw to pull said first soil displacing member through the soil, thereby clearing soil from a cylindrical region surrounding said shaft;
• (c) either during or after said placing said screw of (b) filling said cylindrical region with a fluid grout;
• and,
• (d) allowing said fluid grout to solidify, thereby encasing said shaft
• wherein said screw pier comprises an additional soil displacing member having a diameter larger than a diameter of said first soil displacing member, said additional soil displacing member located on said shaft toward said second end from said first soil displacing member and said placing said screw of (b) comprises drawing said additional soil displacing member through the soil to increase a diameter of said cylindrical region.

A method for forming a pile, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a screw pier comprising a shaft having a screw proximate a first end thereof and a first soil displacing member projecting radially outwardly from the shaft at a location spaced toward a second end of the shaft from the screw;
• (b) placing said screw in soil and turning said shaft to draw said screw into the soil thereby causing said screw to pull said first soil displacing member through the soil, thereby clearing soil from a cylindrical region surrounding said shaft;
• (c) either during or after said placing said screw of (b) filling said cylindrical region with a fluid grout;
• and,
• (d) allowing said fluid grout to solidify, thereby encasing said shaft
• wherein said shaft comprises a driving tool and an inner shaft extending through a bore in the driving tool and said method comprises allowing said driving tool to enter said cylindrical region while said shaft is turned and removing said driving tool from said cylindrical region before said allowing said fluid grout to solidify.

A method for forming a pile, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a screw pier comprising a shaft having a screw proximate a first end thereof and a first soil displacing member projecting radially outwardly from the shaft at a location spaced toward a second end of the shaft from the screw;
• (b) placing said screw in soil and turning said shaft to draw said screw into the soil thereby causing said screw to pull said first soil displacing member through the soil, thereby clearing soil from a cylindrical region surrounding said shaft;
• (c) either during or after said placing said screw of (b) filling said cylindrical region with a fluid grout;
• and,
• (d) allowing said fluid grout to solidify, thereby encasing said shaft
• wherein the providing a screw pier of (a) includes providing a driving tool engageable with a section of the screw pier, the placing said screw of (b) comprises engaging the driving tool with the section of the screw pier, turning the driving tool to cause the screw to turn and allowing the driving tool to extend into the cylindrical region as the screw turns and the method includes withdrawing the driving tool after the placing said screw of (b).

A method for forming a pile, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a screw pier comprising a shaft having a screw at one end thereof;
• (b) placing said screw in the soil and turning said shaft to draw said screw into the soil;
• (c) when said screw has reached a desired point, removing soil from a volume surrounding said screw by holding said shaft against longitudinal motion and turning said screw;
• and,
• (d) forcing a fluid grout under pressure into said volume and allowing said grout in said volume to harden thereby encasing surfaces of said screw in a protective layer of solidified grout.

A method for forming a pile, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a screw pier comprising a shaft, a screw on the shaft and a first soil displacing member coupled to the screw;
• (b) placing the screw in soil;
• (c) causing the screw to move itself through the soil by turning the shaft and thereby causing the screw to propel the first soil displacing member through the soil, the first soil displacing member clearing soil from a cylindrical region surrounding the shaft;
• (d) filling the cylindrical region with a fluid grout either while or after the first soil displacing member clears soil from the cylindrical region;
• and,
• (e) allowing the fluid grout to solidify, thereby encasing the shaft in solidified grout.