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 PDA model 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 calculates results from velocity and force signals obtained by sensors (accelerometers and strain transducers) attached to the pile. Sensors may be Smart (transmit data using Wireless Transmitters) or Traditional (transmit data via cable).

Pile Driving Analyzers include the PDA Software Suite, CAPWAP^® and GRLWEAP . 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.