Method for forming a foundation in the ground

Abstract

A method of forming a foundation in the ground, comprising the steps of—forming a foot ( 11 ) in the ground ( 100 ); —forming a column ( 12 ) made from a load bearing material in the ground ( 100 ) on top of the foot ( 11 ); and —forming a pile ( 13 ) in the material column ( 12 ) such that the pile ( 13 ) extends down to the material foot ( 11 ) or into the material foot ( 11 ).

1 . A method comprising:
 forming a foot in the ground;   forming a material column on top of the material foot; and   forming a pile in the material column such that the pile extends down to the material foot or into the material foot.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the foot includes forming the material foot using a vibrator arrangement. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the vibrator arrangement includes a laterally vibrating vibrator. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein forming the foot includes introducing material into the ground.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the material includes at least one of
 a granular material;   grout; or   concrete.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein forming the foot includes compacting ground material.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein forming the material foot includes:   introducing the vibrator arrangement to a predefined depth into the ground; and   repeatedly lifting and lowering the vibrator arrangement,   wherein material is introduced in a space below the vibrator arrangement when the vibrator arrangement is lifted and the vibrator arrangement penetrates into the introduced material when the vibrator arrangement is lowered.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein introducing the vibrator arrangement into the ground includes predrilling a hole into which the vibrator arrangement is introduced. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein an average diameter of the material foot, and wherein the diameter of the material foot is between 2 times and 5 times the diameter of the vibrator arrangement.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein an average diameter of the material foot is between 0.5 meters and 2 meters.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the pile includes:
 introducing a vibrator arrangement into the material column ( 12 ) and forming the pile ( 13 ) using the vibrator arrangement.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pile includes at least one of concrete, gravel, and grout. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the pile includes:
 ramming with a ramming device a precast pile into the material column.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the pile includes at least one of concrete, steel, and timber.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the pile includes:
 drilling a hole into the material column and filling the hole with concrete.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the pile includes:
 installing a hollow tube in the material column;   filling the tube with concrete; and   removing the tube.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein forming the pile ( 13 ) comprises forming the concrete pile ( 13 ) to include a reinforcement cage ( 14 ).   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the material column includes forming the material column to have a diameter that varies along a length of the material column. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein forming the material column includes repeatedly lifting and lowering the vibrator arrangement at a plurality of different positions in the hole,   wherein material is introduced in a space below the vibrator arrangement when the vibrator arrangement is lifted and the vibrator arrangement penetrates into the introduced material when the vibrator arrangement is lowered.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 ,
 wherein repeatedly lifting and lowering the vibrator arrangement includes:   measuring an operating parameter of the vibrator arrangement when the vibrator arrangement is lowered, and   repeatedly lifting and lowering the vibrator arrangement until the measured operating parameter at each of the plurality of different positions has reached a predefined threshold.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one operating parameter is selected from the group consisting of:
 a power consumption of the vibrator arrangement;   an acceleration of the vibrator arrangement; or   a velocity of the vibrator arrangement.