The Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) is the most widely employed system for Dynamic
Load Testing and Pile Driving Monitoring in the world. It assesses the capacity of several piles in a
single day. The PDA also evaluates shaft integrity and investigates driving stresses and hammer energy
during pile installation.
The light and battery operated PAX gives the engineer the option of being present for the test or avoiding travel to the job (SiteLink PDA Testing). When only the PAX is on location a field crew sets up the test and the PAX transmits test data via a broad band internet connection, while an engineer located elsewhere follows the test in real time. Read about the benefits of SiteLink PDA Testing. When the test engineer is at the job the PAX runs in local mode and displays all test data and results.
The driving hammer itself is used to perform PDA tests, or High Strain
Dynamic Tests, on pilot or production piles. If necessary, it is possible to perform re-strike PDA
tests even after the driving hammer is no longer on location, by using a drop weight (see examples) to impact
the foundation. The PDA software calculates results from velocity and force signals obtained by
accelerometers and strain
transducers attached to the pile. Sensors may be Smart (transmit data using Wireless Transmitters) or Traditional (transmit data via cable).
CAPWAP® analysis of PDA data is essential for a Dynamic Load Test. It provides the soil
resistance distribution along the foundation and simulates a static load test. Extensive correlations between
CAPWAP simulated and actual static load tests have proven the reliability of this method of determining
pile capacity.
The PAX is patented under the Remote Pile Driving Analyzer US Patent No. US 6301551. The PDA is also available in the model PAK, which features a keyboard.
Both PDA models conform to
ASTM D4945 and many other codes and specifications. The PDA software suite, consisting of PDA-W,
PDIPLOT and PDICURVES, outputs reports that satisfy ASTM 4945 requirements. Pile Dynamics recommends that all those who perform dynamic tests using the PDA take the High Strain Dynamic Pile Testing Examination offered by Foundation QA (FQA).
The Pile Driving Analyzer may also be used to determine the energy transferred to SPT rods.
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