The Pile Integrity Tester gives peace of mind that a pile or shaft is free
of major cracks and voids, prior to construction of the superstructure. It may be used on most concrete or
wood foundations. The PIT may also be used to test piles integral in the structure, such as those supporting
existing bridges or towers, and may assess their length.
The PIT performs wave equation-based non-destructive foundation investigations known as Low Strain Dynamic Tests. Low Strain Dynamic Tests may be performed by the Pulse Echo (also known as Sonic Echo) or Transient Response Methods. With the PIT, the test is performed fast, potentially making it possible to test every pile on a job site.
The PIT test consists of attaching one or two accelerometers to the foundation, and using a hand held hammer to
impact it. The PIT collects the acceleration data and displays curves that reveal any significant changes in
cross section that may exist along the shaft.
The PIT-W software
post processes the data and generates reports, while the
PIT-S software
simulates a PIT test and performs simplified signal matching to assess the shape of the foundation.
The Pile Integrity Tester is available in 4 models, with one (PIT-X and PIT-V) or two (PIT-X2 and PIT-FV) channels of data acquisition:
PIT-X and PIT-X2 (pictured on the upper right) are small and light, and read data from wireless accelerometers and, in the case of PIT-X2, a wireless instrumented hammer. PIT-V and PIT-FV (pictured on the lower right of the page) read data from traditional (cabled) accelerometers.
PIT-V and PIT-X read velocity data from a single accelerometer and analyze data in the Time Domain by the Pulse Echo method; this is sufficient for most integrity tests.
PIT-FV and PIT-X2 read data from one accelerometer and one instrumented hammer or from two accelerometers. The instrumented hammer furnishes data for a more thorough evaluation of the integrity of the foundation (force and velocity analysis in the Frequency Domain) and allows the investigation of defects near the pile top (Transient Response Method). The use of a second accelerometer (PIT-FV and PIT-X2 in 2 velocity mode) may be useful when testing piles under existing structures, for determining unknown foundation length, and for large diameter piles.
Find out which model is right for you here.
"We saw the specs but nobody among us could imagine that the PIT-X is so tiny and light. Congratulations."
Dr. Ing. Oswald Klingmüller, GSP, Germany
The Pile Integrity Tester model FV may be modified to perform Parallel Seismic tests, which attempt to reveal unknown foundation depths. An instrumented hammer and a hydrophone are necessary to perform this test.
All models of the Pile Integrity Tester are battery powered, operated through a high visibility touch
screen, and include a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) feature and a license of PIT-W Standard Software. All comply with
ASTM D5882-07
and many other codes and specifications.
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