Glossary

An open top, longitudinally-fluted tapered steel tube, driven without a mandrel and filled as a cast-in-place concrete pile.

A steel caisson with sawtooth cutting edge, which is rotated to cut its way through rock. Loosened material is washed out of the caisson. More powerful motors and pumps, plus high quality cutting steels have brought a redevelopment of this once popular pr

A principal clay mineral group. A hydrous aluminum silicate characterized by a crystalline structure of layers or thin sheets. This is the main ingredient of bentonite clay.

French: montmorillonite

A curved or horizontal beam attached to the end of the brace on pile hammer leads which allows the lead to be moved sideways and held fixed during the driving of side inclination piles (right angle to the crane boom).

Usually a treated or greenheart wood pile, driven out from a pier or dock to steady marine vessels from wind and wave action, or to hold a floating dock in position. See also Dolphin, King Pile.

French: pieu d'amarrage

Distinct geological feature – mound or ridge – of material deposited by glaciation, usually containing a wide range of particle sizes. See also Glacial Till

French: moraine

German: Moräne

Spanish: morrena

Italian: morena

Portuguese: moreia

Dutch: morene

French: mortier

German: Mörtel

Spanish: mortero

Italian: malta

Portuguese: argamassa

Dutch: mortel

Steam, air, combustion gases or hydraulic oil used to move the ram of the hammer to drive the pile. See also Motive Fluid Power.

French: marbré

German: geadert

Spanish: veteado

Italian: screziato, variegato, varicolore

Portuguese: variegado, heterógeneo

Dutch: gevlekt

1. A very soft or watery clay. 2. A term used for material removed from an excavation, especially in tunneling.

French: boue, vase

German: Schlamm

Spanish: barro

Italian: fango, fango organico

Portuguese: vasa, lama