Internation Arrivals Terminal at JFK

Tapertube® at the JFK International Arrivals Terminal

Tapertube® being hoisted for driving, control tower in the background

Tapertube being hoisted for driving, control tower in the background TAPERTUBE® Piles were chosen by Underpinning & Foundation Skanska to complete the terminal foundations at the International Arrivals Terminal at JFK International Airport after Underpinning &Foundation had been asked to replace the original contractor who had been removed from the project. Over 1,000 (one thousand) TAPERTUBE® Piles were installed to complete this project. The pile design loads on this project were 180 tons. I am quoting from the U&F web site; "Underpinning professionals recognized the inherent inefficiencies of the original pile design and submitted a value engineering substitution that proved to be superior in all respects."

Tapertube piles on the ground at JFK

Tapertube piles on the ground at JFK The TAPERTUBE tapered steel pile is a substantially heavier pile than the originally chosen Monotube pile. The TAPERTUBE Pile selected for this project was 8" diameter tip with an 18" diameter top and a length of 25' and was made using .312" 50 ksi steel. The piles were extended using 18" x .375" wall steel pipe ASTM A-252 grade 3 with a 50 ksi yield. The heavier TAPERTUBE pile is able to be installed at a much faster rate which translates to more piles installed per shift.

Preparing to set the Tapertube into position to drive

Preparing to set the Tapertube into position The TAPERTUBE has several advantages over the other pile aside from its ability to be made with heavier gage steel. The TAPERTUBE is manufactured using a 50 ksi minimum yield steel; it does not depend on the cold working of lower grade steel to produce its strength. Any gain in strength derived from cold working of the steel is a possible advantage but is not relied upon. TAPERTUBE can also be made using higher yield steel such as 60 ksi or higher.

Hoisting the Tapertube into the leads

Hoisting the Tapertube into the Another advantage is that the large end of the taper is rounded to match the diameter of standard steel pipe that is butt-welded to the taper. The use of steel pipe to extend the pile has itself many advantages such as, it provides one with the ability to increase the wall of the pipe to account for high lateral loads or increased corrosion protection. Pipe also has the advantage of easily being spliced by welding or with DFP S-1800 splicer.

TAPERTUBE Piles are an excellent choice for piles that must be soil supported. Ask DFP Foundation Products LLC for more information.