COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course provides Federal, State, and local inspectors with practical knowledge and standard industry practices for inspecting pile-driving operations at transportation construction sites.

To establish a national standard for transportation personnel, NHI developed the course based on a number of Federal and State sources: the course materials from the Florida Department of Transportation's Pile Driving Inspector's Qualification test, AASHTO's 2000 Bridge Construction Specifications, and the NHI courses Driven Pile Foundations - Design and Construction (FHWA-NHI-132021) and Driven Pile Foundations - Construction Monitoring (FHWA-NHI-132022). However, the local specifications, inspection reports, and plan sheets available from the hosting agency also will be discussed. The course includes a 3-hour qualification examination.

OUTCOMES:

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the inspector's role, duties, and responsibilities
• Describe the pile-driving system components
• Recognize key inspection elements of the contract documents
• Identify proper communication and coordination with the engineer and contractor
• Identify the key elements of a pile installation plan
• Recognize and identify pile-driving system components and tools
• Verify tip elevations, cutoff elevations, pile penetration, and length driven for vertical and battered piles
• Perform inspection of pile-driving operations and verify compliance with construction tolerances
• Recognize when to stop driving based upon provided driving criteria, minimum tip or penetration, and refusal guidelines.
• Verify pile condition, labeling, and marking for compliance
• Recognize and explain the difference between test piles and production piles and the various types of pile testing
• Identify "driving" irregularities
• Identify and document pay quantities
• Interpret and apply applicable AASHTO specifications relating to foundation acceptance
• List potential problems and safety issues

TARGET AUDIENCE:

The target audience for this course includes those who inspect pile-driving operations during construction of foundations and major structures. In addition, project management and construction engineers in charge of pile-driving construction inspections are encouraged to attend. Attendees should have completed courses in basic courses in reading construction plans as well as construction math and high school algebra.

If you have questions about this NHI training, please contact NHI at nhicustomerservice@dot.gov or 877.558.6873.