Bored pile retaining wall defects

Underpass – UK

This project involved the construction of an underpass in the Midlands comprising 4No bridge abutments formed of bored cast-in-situ pile retaining walls.  As the pile heads were exposed and the ground was excavated in front of the abutments, various defects were identified in the piles including segregation of concrete, formation of bleed channels and mattressing.

WJM&P were engaged as engineering experts by solicitors acting for the design and build contractor to investigate and report on the causes of the defects in the piles and the roles of the parties involved.  We inspected the piles, audited the pile installation and concrete records, reviewed cores cut from the piles and arranged for petrographic examination of the concrete samples.  Our analysis identified that the causes of the defects identified in the piles were workmanship related.