EP2024575A1

EP2024575A1 - Foundation arrangement

Info

Publication number: EP2024575A1
Application number: EP07730668A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marko Moisio
Original assignee: Rautaruukki Oyj
Current assignee: Rautaruukki Oyj
Priority date: 2006-06-02
Filing date: 2007-04-02
Publication date: 2009-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 2027-04-02
Also published as: NO20084900L; WO2007141376A1; EP2024575A4; EP2024575B1; RU2008147067A; RU2453657C2; FI20065375A0; FI20065375L; ATE514817T1

Abstract

The invention relates to a foundation arrangement for a structure or a building, wherein one or more pillars (6) of the structure or building are supported to pile (2) placed into the ground. In accordance with the invention, the foundation arrangement comprises a pile array including two or more piles (2) for supporting a pillar (6), and one or more beams (4, 5) or a plate, which are/is supported to one or more piles (2) of the pile array, and a pillar (6) supported to one or more beams (4, 5) or the plate for distributing the loading of the pillar by means of one or more beams (4, 5) or the plate to the piles (2) of the pile array.

Description

FOUNDATION ARRANGEMENT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a foundation arrangement according to the preamble of claim 1 and particularly to a foundation arrangement for a structure or a building, wherein one or more pillars of the structure or building are supported to piles placed into the ground, the foundation arrangement comprising a pile array including two or more piles for supporting a pillar. The invention also relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 14 and particularly to a method of accomplishing a foundation of a structure or a building, the method comprising placing piles into the ground, one or more pillars of the structure or building being supported to said piles.

[0002] Conventionally, the foundation of buildings is formed by installing piles into the ground, the piles carrying the loading created by the building. These piles are installed into the ground in accordance with the load- bearing capacity of the ground and the required loading created by the building in each particular case. Accordingly, the size, number and material of the piles vary in accordance with the circumstances in each particular case. The upper ends of the piles are left to project upwards from the ground surface. The building, in turn, comprises substantially vertical pillars that constitute the load- bearing structure of the building in each particular case. In accordance with known art, the pillars are supported to the piles by casting a so-called concrete sole between the piles and the pillars, to which sole the upper ends of the piles are placed. For fastening the pillars, fastening parts are cast into the concrete sole, to which parts the pillars are further fastened. The pillars may also be supported directly to the piles without making a concrete sole.

[0003] The problem in the above-described arrangement is that casting a concrete sole takes up a lot of time. In addition, before the construction can be continued, the concrete sole has to dry. Accordingly, during both the casting and the drying, work cannot be continued, which means that work is at a standstill, which again raises construction costs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The object of the invention is thus to provide a foundation arrangement to solve the abovementioned problems. The object of the invention is achieved with a foundation arrangement according to the characterizing part of claim 1 , the foundation arrangement being characterized in that it further comprises one or more beams or a plate, which are/is supported to two or more piles of the pile array and to which the pillar can be supported in a manner transferring the loading created by the pillar to the piles of the pile array in the beam or the plate substantially as bending forces.

[0005] The object of the invention is further achieved with a method according to the characterizing part of claim 14, the method being characterized by comprising the following steps: creating a pile array by placing two or more piles into the ground at predetermined locations; supporting and/or fastening one or more beams to the pile array created; placing a pillar at a predetermined location and supporting and/or fastening it to the beams, whereby the pillar is supported to the piles of the pile array via the beams in a manner distributing the loading of the pillar to the piles of the pile array.

[0006] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0007] The invention is based on achieving the foundation of a structure or a building by placing two or more piles constituting a pile array into the ground. Beams extending between the piles are fastened and/or supported horizontally to the piles of the pile array. The pillar of the building, in turn, is supported and/or fastened to these beams, whereby the loading of the pillar is distributed via the beams to the piles of the pile array. A frame is preferably formed from the beams and installed on top of the piles in such a manner that the beams extend substantially in the horizontal direction. Consequently, the foundation arrangement comprises a pile array for supporting a pillar, the pile array comprising two or more piles, and one or more beams supported to two or more piles of the pile array, and a pillar supported, in turn, to one or more beams for distributing the loading of the pillar to the piles of the pile array by means of the beams. The pillar may be supported directly onto the beams, the pillar extending upwards from a level defined by the beams, or the pillar may be supported to the beams from the side such that the pillar may extend below the level defined by the beams. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the beams may also be replaced with a plate-like structure that is supported to the piles. For example, the plate may be a ready-made concrete plate placed and supported to the piles. [0008] It is essential in the present invention that the pillar is supported to the piles by means of a substantially horizontally extending beam, beams or plate such that the loading of the pillar is transferred via the beam, beams or plate to the piles of the pile array. In this way, a structure is achieved wherein the load generated by the pillar is transferred in the beam or the plate substantially as bending forces to the piles, the vertical load of the pillar being transferred in the substantially horizontally extending beam or plate.

[0009] An advantage of the method and arrangement of the invention is that, in accordance with the invention, the foundation can be constructed quickly by means of piles and steel structures in such a manner that there is no need to cast a concrete sole at all, or the concrete sole may be cast after the installation of the pillar at a suitable construction stage. Thus, casting the concrete sole does not slow down the progress of the construction, since casting a concrete sole is conventionally slow and its drying also takes up time, during which the construction does not advance. Accordingly, the foundation arrangement of the invention allows the foundation phase and the entire construction to be sped up and also a simple and efficient foundation arrangement to be achieved. This foundation arrangement may be permanent or temporary. A temporary one may be used for instance when a concrete sole is additionally achieved in the foundation, whereby there is no need to wait for the concrete sole to be cast and dried, but the construction can be continued immediately after the piling. The temporarily used foundation according to the invention may then be torn down as regards the beams. In addition, by using the foundation arrangement of the invention, the pillars may always be placed at the desired location irrespective of the location of the piles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0010] In the following, the invention will be described in more detail in connection with preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 schematically shows an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 schematically shows another embodiment of the present invention; and

Figures 3A and 3B show an embodiment of the present invention, wherein a pillar is supported to a pile array by means of a plate-like structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Referring to Figure 1 , it shows an embodiment of the present invention, showing a top view of the foundation arrangement of the invention. In accordance with Figure 1 , piles 2 are installed into the ground 50, in this exemplary embodiment four of them, which constitute a pile array. The piles may be for example steel piles, woodpiles, concrete piles, bored piles or any other corresponding piles to which the building or structure is supported. The piles 2 are preferably steel piles having a round cross-section whose diameter may vary between 60 and 1 ,000 mm, for example, according to the need. The number of piles may thus vary from two upwards according to the need in each particular case. The number and size of piles is particularly affected by the dimensions of the building, the loading caused thereby, and the quality of the ground.

[0012] The upper ends of the piles 2 of the pile array are preferably flushed for instance by cutting off the piles 2 after the installation into the ground. The upper ends of the piles 2 may also be flushed by some other known method. Beams 4, 5 are placed on top of the piles 2 of the pile array and fastened to the piles 2 for instance by welding, mechanically with bolts, for example, or by some other corresponding known method. The piles 2 may be provided with pile covers that are fastened to the ends of the piles 2 and to which the beams 4, 5 may be fastened.

[0013] In principle, the beams to be fastened to the piles 2 of the pile array may be of two kinds, beams 4 extending between the piles 2 of the pile array, and beams 5 extending between the beams 4 extending between the piles 2 of the pile array. In this case, the beams 4 are installed fixedly to the piles 2, each beam 4 being fastened to two or more piles 2, and the beams 5, in turn, to the beams 4, each beam 5 being fastened to two or more beams 4. The beams 4, 5 may be installed on top of the piles 2 or otherwise fastened to the piles for instance to the pile covers and one by one to the side of the piles below the upper end, whereby a frame is built from the beams 4, 5 by fastening the beams 4, 5 to each other for instance by welding, mechanically with bolts or by some other corresponding method. A frame may be built from the beams 4, 5 also in advance, whereby a ready-made frame is installed in the piles 2, thus avoiding the construction of a frame after the piling. However, this requires that the mutual location of the piles of the pile array and their location relative to the pillar to be installed be predetermined. Furthermore, the beams 5 may be fastened to the beams 4 by welding, mechanically with bolts or by some other suitable method. In addition, the beams 5 may be fastened to the sides of the beams 4 such that the beams 4 and 5 are flush, or, similarly, the beams 5 may be installed to be supported on top of the beams 4, such as is shown in Figure 2, whereby the beams 4 and the beams 5 are on a different level.

[0014] The beams 4, 5 and/or the frame are installed in the piles 2 preferably in such a manner that the beams 4, 5 extend substantially in the ground plane and horizontally, as Figure 2 shows. The beams 4, 5 may have any cross-section, such as for example H, I, L, T, TT, Z or U beams or flanged U beams or beams having another corresponding cross-section. In addition, they may be tubular beams that may have a round, square or another cross- sectional form. In a special case, the beams may also be massive. The beams 4 and 5 installed in the piles 2 of the pile array may be similar to or different from each other.

[0015] The embodiment of Figure 1 shows a pile array comprising four piles 2, two beams 4, both of which extend between two piles 2 and are fastened and/or supported and/or installed thereto. In this embodiment, the beams 4 are installed on top of the piles 2, whereby the piles 2 support these beams 4 from below. Beams 5 extending between these beams 4 supported to the piles are fastened and/or supported and/or installed to the beams 4. In this embodiment, these beams 5 are placed on top of the beams 4 in accordance with Figure 1 , whereby the beams 4 support the beams 5 from below. A pillar 6 thus extending upwards from the level defined by the beams 5 is further installed and/or supported and/or fastened onto the beams 5. In accordance with Figure 1 , the lower end of the pillar 6 is supported to the beams 5 such that the pillar 6 extends upwards from the level defined by the beams 5, in other words, the pillar 6 is placed on top of the beams 5 such that the beams 5 support the pillar from below. The pillar may be fastened to the beams 5 mechanically for example with bolts, by welding or in some other suitable manner. In accordance with the above, the pillar 6 is supported via the beams 5 and the beams 4 to the piles 2 of the pile array such that the load caused by the pillar 6 is distributed to the piles 2 of the pile array. Alternatively, the mutual distances between the piles 2 may be arranged such that the beams 5 are not needed, but the pillar 6 may be directly supported to the beams 4.

[0016] For assembling the foundation arrangement, the upper ends of the piles 2 may be provided with first fastening means and/or at least some beams 4, 5 may be provided with second and/or third fastening means and/or the pillar 6 may be provided with fourth fastening means for fastening the piles 2 and the beams 4, 5 to each other by means of the first and second fastening means and/or, similarly, for fastening the beams 4, 5 and the pillar 6 to each other by means of the third and fourth fastening means. Any known fastening solution, such as for example bolt and flange joints, may be used as fastening means. In addition, the piles may be provided with a system punching having holes at predetermined intervals or in a predetermined pattern for facilitating the screw or bolt fastening, particularly if the location of the piles differs from what was predetermined.

[0017] Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention, showing a side view of the foundation arrangement of the invention. In this embodiment, too, the foundation arrangement comprises a pile array including four piles 2, whose upper ends are arranged to extent to the same level. Beams 4 extending in the same way as in Figure 1 , between two piles 2, are supported on top of the piles 2. Beams 5 extending between the beams 4 supported to the piles 2 are further placed onto the beams 4 in the manner presented in Figure 1. However, in this embodiment, the beams 5 are installed at such a distance from each other that the pillar 6 fits between the beams 5 such that the pillar 6 and its lower end extend from between the beams 5 below the level defined thereby. This being the case, the lower end of the pillar 6 also often extends below the level defined by the upper ends of the piles 2. Thus, the pillar 6 is fastened to the beams 5 such that the beams 5 are fastened to the sides of the pillar 6 between its ends. In this case, this fastening may be performed by welding, mechanically with bolts or by some other suitable method. The solution according to Figure 2 enables a fast construction of the foundation, allowing the construction to be continued immediately without any need to wait for the casting of the concrete sole.

[0018] However, in the embodiment of Figure 2 and, if need be, in that of Figure 1 and in other embodiments of the present invention, the concrete sole may be cast after the foundation arrangement built by means of the piles 2, the beams 4, 5 and the pillar 6 is complete. In this case, however, the construction may be continued in spite of the casting of the concrete sole and the drying thereof, since the structure is already supported with the foundation arrangement according to the invention. In this case, the concrete sole may be cast in such a manner that, in the case of Figure 2, the pillar 6 extends inside the concrete sole. Figure 2 shows the concrete sole with a dashed line. Another alternative is to cast the concrete sole in a manner allowing the lower end of the pillar 6 to be supported to the upper surface of the concrete sole or to fastening means provided in the sole, such as a metal plate locked to the concrete sole. However, it is to be noted that the concrete sole may also be used in the solution of Figure 1 , whereby the pillar does not necessarily extend at all up to the concrete sole. In cases when a concrete sole is used in connection with the foundation arrangement of the invention, shearheads may be used in the piles and/or the pillar extending to the concrete sole, the shear- heads preventing the pillar and/or the piles from piercing the concrete sole. As shearheads, any shearheads according to the known art may be used. In addition, after the concrete sole is cast, the beams 4, 5 may be removed, since the concrete sole provides the pillar with the support required thereby.

[0019] In accordance with the present invention, at least one pile of the pile array may be connected by means of connection means to one pile of one or more other pile arrays, whereby two or more pile arrays may have common piles. The connection means may comprise for instance a beam extending between two piles belonging to different pile arrays in the same way as beams 4 and 5. The piles of the pile array or at least part thereof are preferably placed horizontally around a predetermined point of placement of the pillar. In other words, the piles surround the point of placement of the pillar. In addition, one pile may be placed vertically substantially directly below the pillar.

[0020] As a whole, the foundation of a building comprises two or more pillars 6, each of which is supported in a corresponding manner to a pile array comprising two or more piles 2. Furthermore, the pillars may be interconnected for reinforcing the structure for instance when taking into account wind loads, the foundation arrangement comprises connection means for directly interconnecting two or more pillars 6. Various beams installed between the pillars may be used as connection means.

[0021] Furthermore, in the present invention, the beam or beams may be replaced with a plate-like structure that is placed and supported onto piles placed into the ground in accordance with Figures 3A and 3B. Such a support plate may be made from concrete or steel, for example. The plate may be manufactured into a ready-for-use structure that is brought to the site of construction and installed to rest on the piles. Figures 3A and 3B show such a solution, wherein a plate 7 made from concrete is supported onto the piles 2. The plate 7 is supported to the piles 2 in the same way as the beams and the pillar 6 are supported and fastened to the plate 7. For supporting the pillar 6, the planar plate 7 may be provided with fastening means 9, for example bolt fastening means, by means of which the pillar 6 is fastened to the plate 7. The fastening means 9 may comprise a fastening flange installed in the plate, in which the bolt fastening means are provided. However, the pillar 6 may be fastened and supported to the plate 7 also in some other known manner and with some other known means.

[0022] In accordance with Figures 3A and 3B, the plate 7 may be supported to the piles 2 by achieving recesses 8 or sleeve-like structures in the plate 7 that are able to receive the upper ends of the piles 2. Furthermore, the piles 2 may be fastened to said recesses 8 for example by soldering, grouting, welding or mechanically. In this case, both the upper ends of the piles 2 and the recesses 8 may comprise fastening means for achieving the fastening between the piles 2 and the plate 7. Furthermore, pile covers (not shown) for fastening the piles 2 to the plate may be installed in the upper ends of the piles 2. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the recesses 8 may be replaced with some other means, such as flange parts that are installed in the plate 7 and can be fastened to the piles 2 or to the pile covers with some above-mentioned fastening manner.

[0023] It is to be noted that the features of the invention that were described in connection with the beams may also be applied when using the plate instead of the beam or beams, or vice versa.

[0024] It is essential both in the embodiment comprising a beam or beams and in the embodiment comprising a plate that as technology advances, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in a plurality of ways. Thus, the invention and its embodiments are not restricted to the above- described examples, but may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A foundation arrangement for a structure or a building, wherein one or more pillars (6) of the structure or building are supported to piles (2) placed into the ground, the foundation arrangement comprising a pile array including two or more piles (2) for supporting a pillar (6), characterized in that the foundation arrangement further comprises one or more beams (4, 5) or a plate (7), which are supported to two or more piles (2) of the pile array and to which the pillar (6) can be supported in a manner transferring the loading created by the pillar (6) to the piles (2) of the pile array in the beam (4, 5) or the plate (7) substantially as bending forces.

2. A foundation arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the beams (4, 5) constitute a frame connected and supported to the piles (2) of the pile array.

3. A foundation arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, character i z e d in that the beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) extend substantially horizontally.

4. A foundation arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the beams (4, 5) comprise both beams (4) extending between the piles (2) of the pile array and beams (5) extending between the beams (4) extending between the piles of the pile array.

5. A foundation arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the beams (4, 5) may comprise one or more H, I, L, T, TT, Z and/or U beam and/or flanged U beam or another beam (4, 5) having a corresponding cross-section.

6. A foundation arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the lower end of the pillar (6) is supported to the beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) in such a manner that the pillar (6) extends upwards from a plane defined by the beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) or in such a manner that the lower end of the pillar (6) extends below the plane defined by the beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) and/or a plane defined by the upper ends of the piles (2).

7. A foundation arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one pile (2) of the pile array is connected by means of connection means to one pile (2) of one or more other pile arrays.

8. A foundation arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least some piles (2) of the pile array are placed horizontally around a predetermined point of placement of the pillar (6).

9. A foundation arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that one of the piles (2) of the pile array is placed vertically substantially directly below the pillar (6).

10. A foundation arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to

9, characterized in that the upper ends of the piles (2) are provided with first fastening means and/or at least some beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) are/is provided with second and/or third fastening means and/or the pillar (6) is provided with fourth fastening means for fastening the piles (2) and the beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) to each other by means of the first and second fastening means and/or, similarly, for fastening the beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) and the pillars (6) to each other by means of the third and fourth fastening means.

11. A foundation arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to

10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the foundation arrangement comprises two or more pillars (6), each of which is supported to a pile array comprising two or more piles (2), respectively.

12. A foundation arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the foundation arrangement further comprises connection means for directly connecting two or more pillars (6) to each other.

13. A foundation arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it further comprises a concrete sole cast after the installation of the piles (2), the beams (4, 5) and/or the frame or the plate (7) and the pillars (6).

14. A method of accomplishing a foundation of a structure or a building, the method comprising placing piles (2) into the ground, one or more pillars (6) of the structure or building being supported to said piles, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps: creating a pile array by placing two or more piles (2) into the ground at predetermined locations; supporting and/or fastening one or more beams (4, 5) or a plate (7) to the pile array created; placing a pillar (6) at a predetermined location and supporting and/or fastening it to one or more beams (4, 5) or to the plate (7), whereby the pillar (6) is supported to the piles (2) of the pile array via said one or more beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) in a manner transferring the loading of the pillar (6) in the beam (4, 5) or the plate (7) to the piles (2) of the pile array substantially as bending forces.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, characterized by forming a frame from the beams (4, 5) and connecting and supporting it to the piles (2) of the pile array.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 or 15, characterized by installing the beams (4, 5) and/or the frame or the plate (7) to extend substantially horizontally.

17. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 16, characterized by installing the beams (4) to extend both between the piles (2) of the pile array, and installing the beams (5) to extend between the beams (4) installed between the piles (2) of the pile array.

18. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 17, characterized by supporting the lower end of the pillar (6) to the beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) in such a manner that the pillar (6) extends upwards from a plane defined by the beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) or in such a manner that the lower end of the pillar (6) extends below the plane defined by the beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) and/or a plane defined by the upper ends of the piles (2).

19. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 18, character i z e d by connecting at least one of the piles (2) of the pile array by means of connection means to at least one pile (2) of one or more other pile arrays.

20. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 19, character i z e d by placing at least some piles (2) of the pile array horizontally around a predetermined point of placement of the pillar (6).

21. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 20, characterized by placing one of the piles (2) of the pile array vertically substantially directly below the pillar (6).

22. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 21, characterized by providing the upper ends of the piles (2) with first fastening means and/or providing at least some beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) with second and/or third fastening means and/or providing the pillar (6) with fourth fastening means for fastening the piles (2) and the beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) to each other by means of the first and second fastening means and/or, similarly, for fastening the beams (4, 5) or the plate (7) and the pillars (6) to each other by means of the third and fourth fastening means.

23. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 22, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d by supporting two or more pillars (6), each of which is supported to a pile array comprising two or more piles (2), respectively.

24. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 23, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d by further connecting two or more pillars (6) directly to each other by means of the connection means.

25. A method as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 24, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d by casting a concrete sole after the installation of the piles (2), the beams (4, 5) and/or the frame or the plate (7) and the pillars (6).

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by removing the beams (4, 5) after the casting of the concrete sole.