Construction piling

Abstract

A foundation support apparatus is provided and includes a tubular piling with a rib of material fixed to an exterior or outer surface of the piling. The rib provides improved total resistive force capabilities for the support apparatus, as compared to a bare piling. The rib is positioned and dimensioned as to not impede the installation of the piling. The rib may be circular or helical, continuous or discontinuous, and is disposed coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the piling. The foundation support apparatus may be manufactured on a construction site to readily improve the load capacity of various types of vertical foundational systems, such as driven pilings. The foundation support apparatus may be encased or backfilled with grout materials which harden around the ribs of the apparatus forming an interlocking engagement between the grout and the ribs, thereby increasing load resistance capabilities of the support apparatus.

1 . A foundation support comprising:
 a piling having an elongate cylindrical body; and   a plurality of ribs disposed in spaced arrangement along a portion of the length of said elongate cylindrical body and extending radially outward from an exterior surface of said cylindrical body;   wherein said plurality of ribs are configured to increase the resistive force capability of said piling by improving engagement of the exterior of said cylindrical body within a ground substrate and said plurality of ribs configured to substantially not impede or assist the installation of said piling into the ground substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of ribs is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said elongate cylindrical body and each of said plurality of ribs is substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said elongate cylindrical body. 
     
     
         3 . The foundation support of  claim 2 , wherein each of said plurality of ribs extends either substantially around the entire exterior circumference of said elongate cylindrical body or only partially around the exterior circumference of said elongate cylindrical body. 
     
     
         4 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , wherein said elongate cylindrical body comprises a hollow interior configured to receive a flowable, hardening substance. 
     
     
         5 . The foundation support of  claim 4 , wherein said elongate cylindrical body further comprises a grout fill port disposed through an upper portion of said elongate cylindrical body and configured to receive the grout from a grout dispensing system and to direct the grout into said hollow interior of elongate cylindrical body. 
     
     
         6 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , further comprising another elongate cylindrical body disposed at one end of said piling, said elongate cylindrical body and said another elongate cylindrical body forming an elongate cylindrical assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The foundation support of  claim 6 , wherein said another elongate cylindrical body is disposed at an upper end of said piling and is configured to extend above an upper extent of the ground surface. 
     
     
         8 . The foundation support of  claim 7 , wherein said elongate cylindrical assembly comprises a hollow interior configured to receive a flowable, hardening grout and said another elongate cylindrical body further comprises a grout fill port disposed through an upper portion of said another elongate cylindrical body, said grout fill port configured to receive the grout from a grout dispensing system and to direct the grout into said hollow interior of said elongate cylindrical assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The foundation support of  claim 6 , wherein said another elongate cylindrical body comprises a plurality of ribs disposed in spaced arrangement along a portion of the length of said another elongate cylindrical body and extending radially outward from an exterior surface of said another elongate cylindrical body. 
     
     
         10 . A method of on-site preparation and installation of a foundation piling for improved resistive force capability of the piling, said method comprising:
 selecting an elongated foundation piling on a construction site for installation at a desired location of the site;   fixedly attaching a rib onto a portion of an exterior surface of the foundation piling while the foundation piling is located at the construction site;   installing the foundation piling substantially vertically into a ground surface at the desired location of the construction site; and   directing a flowable, hardening substance around at least the portion the foundation piling having the rib, wherein after the hardening substance has hardened, the rib and the hardening substance cooperate to resist a load applied to the foundation piling.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said fixedly attaching the rib comprises welding the rib on the portion of the exterior surface of the foundation piling. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said fixedly attaching the rib further comprises fixedly attaching a plurality of ribs in spaced arrangement along a portion of the length of the foundation piling wherein each of the plurality of ribs extends radially outward from an exterior surface of the foundation piling. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said fixedly attaching the plurality of ribs comprises orienting each of the plurality of ribs substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling and positioning each of the plurality of ribs substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of ribs extends either substantially around the entire exterior circumference of the foundation piling or only partially around the exterior circumference of the foundation piling. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the rib defines a helical shape having a central axis that is coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling and winding and extending along at least a portion of the exterior surface of the foundation piling. 
     
     
         16 . A method of field improving a foundation piling for improved resistive force capability of the piling, said method comprising:
 determining that a desired location for a foundation piling on a construction site requires a foundation piling having improved resistive force capability to support an intended load based on substrate conditions at the desired location;   selecting an elongated foundation piling for installation at the desired location;   coupling a grout engageable member onto an outer surface of the selected foundation piling at the construction site to form an improved foundation piling, the grout engageable member extending radially outward from the outer surface and is fixedly coupled to the outer surface by mechanical fastening;   installing the improved foundation piling into a ground surface at the desired location of the construction site; and   directing a flowable, hardening grout around at least the portion the improved foundation piling having the grout engageable member, wherein after the grout has hardened, the grout engageable member and the grout cooperate to resist a load applied to the improved foundation piling.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the grout engageable member comprises at least one chosen from a plurality of spaced apart ribs which are each oriented substantially perpendicular and coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling, a helical rib having a central axis that is coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling, and a raised rib formed by depositing material by weld onto the outer surface of the foundation piling. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said coupling the grout engageable member comprises welding the grout engageable member onto the outer surface of the foundation piling. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said directing the grout comprises directing the grout through a hollow interior of the improved foundation piling and discharging at least some of the grout through a hole disposed between the hollow interior and the outer surface of the improved foundation piling, such that the grout discharged through the hole encases at least a portion of the grout engageable member. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said installing the improved foundation piling comprises boring a substantially vertical bore hole into the ground surface to a desired depth, the bore hole having a diameter larger than the maximum diameter of the improved foundation piling, and placing the improved foundation piling into the bore hole.