Discussion: Papers 1–4

Mr. M. J. Tomlinson

(General Reporter)

In recent years jointed precast concrete piles have made quite a spectacular inroad into the highly competitive UK market, which was previously dominated by the driven and cast-in-place and mechanically augered types which were very cheap, and very competitive in favourable soil conditions. These types had almost entirely eliminated the ordinary precast concrete pile for work on land.

The introduction of the jointed precast concrete pile has overcome several but not all of the disadvantages of the unjointed type. It is still necessary to provide more or less the same amount of reinforcing steel. The pile heads still need to be cut down although the amount of wastage is less, and the risks of unseen breakage still remain.