EA Piling added another project to our extensive portfolio of work with Ambitious Construction with the piling works for the Kakiri-Masulita Road upgrade.

 The road required a new bridge over a swamp. With the very soft soils below the swamp water, piles offered the ideal solution, ensuring that the loads from the bridge are transferred to the strong subterranean bedrock.

 EA Piling reviewed the client’s proposals and arranged a joint meeting with UNRA and Ambitious Construction at our office to present our recommended efficiency savings. We advised that they adjust the requirements and use CFA method rather than rotary piling, and only drill to practical refusal in the bedrock. These changes saved a considerable number of linear meters of piling, and reduced the cost per linear metre significantly.

 Our recommendations were taken onboard and were successfully implemented, achieving considerable optimisations for all parties.

 EA Piling also designed reaction piles for 2no. static load tests which would verify the parameters used in the foundation design. We conducted both load tests to over 2000kN over 2no. load cycles. The results revealed that settlements reached a maximum of just 2.6mm – well within the design assumptions, thus ratifying EA Piling’s recommendations to the client.

 Each pile was cut down by several metres so that Ambitious could install the base slab of each abutment at the design depth. They also commissioned EA Piling to undertake this work which was completed with the assistance of extensive dewatering.

 EA Piling is increasingly accustomed to receiving such repeat business from our clients who return to us with confidence in our technical expertise and construction experience.