APPENDIX V FURTHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN

RELATION TO THE OPERATIONS OF OUR GROUP

A. TECHNICAL INFORMATION OF OUR FOUNDATION WORKS

The major types of our foundation works (with illustrative diagram, where applicable)
are set out below:

1. Bored piles

By Grabbing and
Reverse Circulation
Drilling Method

0.80m–3.5m pile shaft

Existing ground
Concrete cut off level
Soil

Steel cage
Concrete
Rockhead
Socket length

level

Bellout
60 o Founding level

bellout diameter shall not exceed

1.5 times the diameter of pile shaft

The bored piling works undertaken by us are mainly large diameter bored piles
with diameters ranging from 0.80m to 3.5m. They are usually formed and installed by
machine boring and grabbing to the required level and subsequently filling the bored
hole with reinforced concrete. Normally a steel casing will be used to provide
temporary support to the ground during boring operation. Bored piles are a type of
‘‘end bearing pile’’ that reach the underground bedrock layer from which bored piles
obtain support to bear the load of the superstructure above. It is common to construct
a bell-out at the base of a large diameter bored pile to increase its load bearing
capacity.

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APPENDIX V FURTHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN
RELATION TO THE OPERATIONS OF OUR GROUP

2. Driven H-piles

By Percussive
Method

Existing ground level

Pile cut off level
Steel I-beam

Soil

Termination level

Rock

Driven H-piling (which is a type of percussive pilings) works generally involve the
driving of steel H-piles to the required depth by direct or indirect hammering or other
percussive means, including by the use of a drop hammer, normally prohibited, double
acting hammer, single acting hammer, internal drop hammer, pneumatic hammer,
steam hammer or other percussive device. Driven H-piles have been widely used in
Hong Kong due to the ease of handling and driving. Driven H-piles are a type of
‘‘friction pile’’ that derive the load bearing capacity from the friction between the pile
and earth. Due to the percussive nature, this type of piling works creates more noise
and vibration and its operation is generally restricted to 3 hours per day in urban areas
in Hong Kong. As the size of machinery involved takes up relatively less space, driven
H-piles are suitable for construction sites with limited space.

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APPENDIX V FURTHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN
RELATION TO THE OPERATIONS OF OUR GROUP

3. Socketed H-piles

By Drilling and
Down-the-hole
610mm Method

Existing ground level

Pile cut off level

Steel I-beam
Cement grout
Soil

Rockhead
level
Socket length

Founding level

Rotary boring machine is used to drill holes on the ground for piling and the
drilling continues until the hole has extended to sufficient depth (socketing) and into a
sufficiently bedrock. Both the diameter and the depth of the borehole are highly
specific to the ground conditions, loading conditions and nature of the construction
project. Socketed H-piles (also known as pre-bored H-piles) are then installed by
inserting prefabricated steel H-piles into the boreholes sunk into bedrock, and
subsequently grouting the holes with cementitious materials.

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APPENDIX V FURTHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN
RELATION TO THE OPERATIONS OF OUR GROUP

4. Mini-piles

By Drilling and
Down-the-hole
190mm–323mm Method

Existing ground
Pile cut off level

Cement grout Bundle steel bar

Coupler
Soil
Rockhead
level
Socket length

Founding level

A mini-pile usually consists of one or more steel bars encased by grout inside a
borehole not exceeding 400mm in diameter. They are normally designed to be socketed
into rock and are mainly used to resist compression or tension loads on sites with
difficult access. Steel casing are to be provided to support the borehole within the soil
and/or fractured rock during drilling operation.

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APPENDIX V FURTHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN
RELATION TO THE OPERATIONS OF OUR GROUP

5. Footings

Building structure By Excavation

Method

Starter steel bar

Existing ground

Footing top level

Soil

Concrete Steel reinforcement

Founding level

Rock

Footing foundation is a type of shallow foundation which transfers building loads

to a shallow bedrock layer which is near the ground surface, usually less than two
meters below ground. Most of the footings are formed by concrete poured into a trench
and constrained by some kind of forms. Functionally, footings are similar to pile caps.
However, footings transfer the load directly to the bedrock while pile caps transfer the
load onto piles.

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APPENDIX V FURTHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN
RELATION TO THE OPERATIONS OF OUR GROUP

6. Pile caps

Building structure By Excavation

Method

Starter steel bar

Existing ground

Pile cap top level

Soil

Concrete Steel reinforcement

Constructed
piles

Pile caps are concrete structures built on the head of a pile or a group of piles for
transmission of loads from the structure above to the pile or group of piles.

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APPENDIX V FURTHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN
RELATION TO THE OPERATIONS OF OUR GROUP

B. FEATURES OF OUR CONSTRUCTION WORKS

We set out below the features of various works by our Group:

Type of Works
Foundation Works Advantages Disadvantages Applications Limitations Cost Features

Bored piles 1. Non percussive 1. Needs relatively 1. High-rise 1. Not suitable for 1. Relatively high
pile: wide access for buildings small site which fixed plant cost
— Low noise mobilisation of is difficult for
— Low plant manoeuvring of
vibration 2. Relatively high bored piling plant
— Less plant costs
disturbance 3. Needs rest on
to neighbours designed grade of
2. High load bearing bedrock which
capacity can be very steep
3. Can be installed and may lead to
at great depths higher costs
4. Excavated
material requires
disposal, the cost
of which will be
high if it is
contaminated

Driven-H piles 1. Relatively low 1. Percussive piles: 1. High-rise buildings 1. Not suitable for 1. Relatively high
cost as it can be — High noise and podium site next to material cost
rest upon stiff — High sensitive structures
soil irrespective vibration or utility
of depth and — More installations
grade of bedrock disturbance
2. Low plant costs to neighbours
2. operation is
restricted to 3
working hours
per day in urban
areas in Hong
Kong
3. Pile section may
become damaged
during driving

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APPENDIX V FURTHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN
RELATION TO THE OPERATIONS OF OUR GROUP

Type of Works
Foundation Works Advantages Disadvantages Applications Limitations Cost Features

Socketed H-piles 1. Non percussive 1. Needs support in 1. Smaller sized 1. Not cost effective 1. Lower plant cost
pile: designated grade high-rise as compared with as compared to
— Low noise of rock which can buildings and large diameter bored piles but
— Low by very steep and podium structures bored piles which higher plant cost
vibration deep which in Footbridge can support as compared to
— Less turn increases heavier loads percussive piles
disturbance costs 2. Higher material
to neighbours 2. Higher plant cost as compared
2. Lower plant costs costs as compared to percussive piles
as compared with with percussive
bored piles piles
3. Risk of loosening
soils during pile
excavation and
causing ground
loss and hence
settlement

Mini-piles 1. Non percussive 1. Low load bearing 1. Small structures 1. Not suitable for 1. Relatively low
pile: capacity e.g. footbridge large structures as plant and
— Low noise 2. Needs support in and temporary its load bearing material costs
— Low vibration designated grade working platform capacity is
— Less of rock which can on slopes Noise relatively low
disturbance to by very steep and Barriers
neighbours deep which in
2. Small size of turn increases
plant which can costs
be used in small
site. Only
bamboo platform
is required to
support plant for
pile construction
on slopes

Footings 1. Very low cost as 1. Noise generated 1. Buildings at a site 1. Low plant and
piles are not by drilling and where the load labour costs as it
required breaking of rock bearing bed rock requires no
causes is at a high level special skill
disturbance to
neighbours

Pile caps n/a n/a 1. Transferring the n/a 1. Low plant cost,
superstructure mainly labour
loadings to and material costs
underground piles

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APPENDIX V FURTHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN
RELATION TO THE OPERATIONS OF OUR GROUP

Type of Works
Foundation Works Advantages Disadvantages Applications Limitations Cost Features

Civil engineering
Site formation n/a n/a Excavation and filling Forming formation Low plant cost,
and safe slopes for mainly labour and
foundation and material costs
building works

Landslip preventive n/a n/a 1. Ground Provision of Low plant cost,

and remedial investigation protection to slope mainly labour and
works to slopes 2. Soil nailing and or upgrading the material costs
and retaining spraying concrete protection of
walls 3. Mini-piling and existing slopes
soil anchors against landslip
4. Installation of hazards
flexible barriers
5. Reinforced
concrete (‘‘R.C.’’)
construction
6. Landscaping
working
7. Drainage
construction

Roads and drainage n/a n/a 1. Excavation and Forming roads and Low plant cost,
works filling works for connection mainly labour and
road formation network and material costs
2. R.C. work for upgrading/forming
structures drainage system
3. Concrete paving for future
or flexible paving developments
work
4. Drainage
construction
5. Traffic diversion
and associated
electrical and
mechanical
(‘‘E&M’’)
installations
6. Installation of
noise barrier

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APPENDIX V FURTHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN
RELATION TO THE OPERATIONS OF OUR GROUP

Type of Works
Foundation Works Advantages Disadvantages Applications Limitations Cost Features

General Building
Works
General building n/a n/a 1. R.C. construction Infrastructure Low plant cost,
2. E & M construction for mainly labour and
installations residential material costs
3. Plumbing and developments
drainage work
4. Cladding and
window
installations
5. Fitting out works
6. Landscaping
works

Renovation work n/a n/a 1. Renovation of the Renovation and Low plant cost,
building upgrade of existing mainly labour and
2. E&M installations building structures material costs
3. Plumbing and
Drainage

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