Foundation piles, systems, assemblies, and methods

Abstract

Foundation pile assemblies disclosed herein can include a first section positioned at a bottom of a foundation pile assembly and a second section coupled to the first section. The first section can include a shell extending along a length of the foundation pile. The shell can have an interior space and an outside surface. A cap can be positioned at an end of the pile assembly. Some embodiments of the foundation pile can have an impact support element positioned within the interior space of the shell to increase the strength of the foundation pile assembly in the vicinity of the impact support element. The initial or, in some instances, full length assembly can be configured on a horizontal or slightly sloped rack on the ground from which the assembly is lofted vertically and installed into the ground.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foundation pile assembly configured to provide foundation pile support to a structure, comprising:
 a first pile section comprising:
 a shell having a first end, a second end, a circumferential wall extending from the first end of the shell to the second end of the shell, and an interior space within the wall; 
 a cap coupled with a second end of the shell, the second end of the shell configured to be a lowermost end of the shell when the first pile section is being driven into the ground; and 
 an impact support element positioned within the interior space of the shell, the impact support element comprising:
 a first portion comprising a plate of a rigid material; and 
 a second portion coupled to the first portion, the second portion comprising a structural member extending in a longitudinal axial direction from a first main surface of the first portion; 
 
 wherein:
 the impact support element is positioned within the interior space of the shell so that the structural member of the second portion extends toward the second end of the shell; 
 the impact support element is biased to remain in a desired position within the interior space of the shell as a first concrete material is added to at least a portion of the interior space within the wall of the shell occupied by the impact support element; 
 the first pile section is configured such that the first concrete material is added to at least the portion of the interior space within the wall of the shell occupied by the impact support element; and 
 the impact support element is configured to be impacted by a mandrel to drive the first pile section into the ground. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first shell comprises a helically corrugated steel pipe, round steel pipe, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the structural member of the second portion of the impact support element is a steel pipe that is coupled with the plate of the first portion of the impact support element and that extends in the longitudinal axial direction from the plate. 
     
     
         4 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the structural member of the second portion of the impact support element is an H beam that is coupled with the plate of the first portion of the impact support element and that extends in the longitudinal axial direction from the plate. 
     
     
         5 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the impact support element is coupled with an inside surface of the wall of the shell in the desired position. 
     
     
         6 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 1 , comprising a second pile section, the second pile section having a shell configured to be coupled with the shell of the first pile section at the first end of the shell of the first pile section. 
     
     
         7 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first pile section is a bottom pile section and the second pile section is a top pile section. 
     
     
         8 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 6 , comprising a plurality of reinforcement straps coupled with an outside surface of the shell of the first pile section and an outside surface of the shell of the second pile section, where the shell of the second pile section couples with the shell of the first pile section so that the plurality of reinforcement straps overlap a joint between the shell of the first pile section and the shell of the second pile section. 
     
     
         9 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein structural member of the impact support element has a length that is 3% to 13% of an overall length of the first pile section. 
     
     
         10 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein structural member of the impact support element has a length that is less than 8% of an overall length of the first pile section. 
     
     
         11 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of reinforcement straps coupled with an outside surface of the shell of the first pile section adjacent to or overlapping a portion of the shell where the impact support element is positioned. 
     
     
         12 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shell has one or more openings in the wall of the shell configured to receive a flowable concrete mix therethrough and one or more covers configured to be coupled with the shell to cover the one or more openings after the concrete mix has been added to the interior space of the shell. 
     
     
         13 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the impact support element is positioned within the interior space of the shell while the shell is in a generally horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         14 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first pile section is configured such that the first concrete material is added to at least the portion of the interior space within the wall of the shell occupied by the impact support element when the shell of the first pile section is in a generally horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         15 . A foundation pile assembly configured to provide foundation pile support to a structure, comprising:
 a first pile section comprising:
 a shell having a first end, a second end, a circumferential wall extending from the first end of the shell to the second end of the shell, and an interior space within the wall; 
 a cap coupled with a second end of the shell, the second end of the shell configured to be a lowermost end of the shell when the first pile section is being driven into the ground; and 
 a reinforced portion comprising an impact support element and a first concrete material positioned within the interior space of the shell in the reinforced portion; 
   wherein:
 the reinforced portion of the first pile section has a higher strength relative to portions of the first pile section adjacent to the reinforced portion; 
 the impact support element comprises a structural member extending in a longitudinal axial direction, wherein the impact support element is positioned within the interior space of the shell so that the structural member extends toward the second end of the shell; 
 the impact support element is positioned completely within the interior space of the shell in the reinforced portion of the first pile section so that no portion of the impact support element extends outside of the shell; and 
 the impact support element is configured to be impacted by a mandrel to drive the first pile section into the ground. 
   
     
     
         16 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the impact support element is positioned within the interior space of the shell in the reinforced portion and the first concrete material is added to the interior space of the shell in the reinforced portion before the first pile section is driven into the ground. 
     
     
         17 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the first shell comprises a helically corrugated steel pipe, round steel pipe, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the structural member of the second portion of the impact support element is a steel pipe that is coupled with a plate of the impact support element and that extends in the longitudinal axial direction from the plate. 
     
     
         19 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the structural member of the second portion of the impact support element is an H beam that is coupled with a plate of the impact support element and that extends in the longitudinal axial direction from the plate. 
     
     
         20 . The foundation pile assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the impact support element is coupled with an inside surface of the wall of the shell in the reinforced portion. 
     
     
         21 . A method for making a foundation pile assembly, comprising:
 providing a first shell of a first pile section, wherein the first shell comprises a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a circumferential wall extending from the first end of the first shell to the second end of the first shell, and an interior space within the wall;   coupling an end cap to the second end of the first shell, the second end of the first shell configured to be a lowermost end of the first shell when the first pile section is being driven into the ground;   positioning an impact support element within the interior space of the first shell; and   adding a first flowable material to at least a portion of the interior space within the first shell occupied by the impact support element while the impact support element remains within the interior space of the first shell;   wherein:
 the impact support element comprises a first portion comprising a plate of a rigid material and a second portion coupled to the first portion, the second portion comprising a structural member coupled with the plate of the first portion; 
 the impact support element is positioned within the interior space of the first shell so that the structural member of the second portion extends toward the second end of the first shell; and 
 the impact support element is configured to be impacted by a mandrel to drive the first pile section into the ground. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the structural member of the second portion of the impact support element is a steel pipe that is coupled with the plate of the first portion of the impact support element and that extends in the longitudinal axial direction from the plate. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the structural member of the second portion of the impact support element is an H beam that is coupled with the plate of the first portion of the impact support element and that extends in the longitudinal axial direction from the plate. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising inserting a driving unit through an interior space of the first shell until the driving unit contacts the impact support element of the first pile section and applying a driving force to the driving unit until the first pile section reaches a desirable depth in the ground.