Construction diary: The pile driver operator

“It is easier, more comfortable and centimetre accurate with 3D machine control,” says Fuchs. “Previously, without machine control, we had to wait for a surveying firm to stakeout the points. But now, the up-to-date 3D plan is sent directly from the office to the machine control panel. I can have a full overview of the work that needs to be done or has been already completed.”

It is 7 a.m., and Fuchs is doing a site inspection with foremen Andreas Gassmann before starting today’s piling job on the ground stabilisation project they are working on at the shores of Lake Zürich. Birchmeier Spezialtiefbau AG was contracted to carry out the deep foundation of a new building for the water police, where Fuchs needs to drive more than 150 piles into the wet ground.

After checking the site conditions and the plan, the operator sits in his comfortable Liebherr 355 piling rig and turns on the Leica iCON iRP3 3D machine control solution. Once Fuchs checked that the GPS signals are available through the Leica iCON gps 80 machine receiver and the Leica iCON GNSS antennas mounted on the rig’s tower, he loads the 3D plan directly into the machine control panel using the Leica ConX cloud solution.

Accurate location data is key for precise positioning. Thus, Birchmeier Spezialtiefbau AG is subscribed to a GNSS correction service, such as HxGN SmartNet, that provides a precise location for all of their instruments simply through mobile internet. Such correction services provide real-time GNSS correction service for precise location through the machine control panel to the entire system.

In the meantime, the site is prepared for today’s tasks; the truck with the concrete piles has arrived. Fuchs needs to load each pile to the machine and then guide his Liebherr pile driver to the right location. The machine performs two functions:

1. The pile driver acts as a crane, lifting and rotating the pile into the correct vertical position.

2. It hammers the pile down into the ground.

Fuchs only needs to choose which pile is next on the screen, and the system helps him locate the pile by signing with red or green colours how far he is from the right location. For this precision, accurate GNSS and location data are vital. Once Fuchs is at the right location, his pile driver needs to hold the pile perfectly vertical and then the hammering starts. As this pile is driven into the ground, Fuchs lifts another pile on top of it, and the welder joins them. This workflow and routine continue throughout the day.