West Coast Contractors tests out the new APE X13
Reported From: APE Headquarters (WA)
West Coast Contractors rented the X13 Impact Hammer in replacement of their ICE 40-S diesel hammer to drive 120-foot spliced 12” pipes for the foundation of a chromite plant in Coos Bay, Oregon. The X13 is a revolutionary design incorporating a diesel hammer-like ram into an enclosed hydraulic impact hammer housing. The idea is to use air compression from the piston to pre-load the pile cap and essentially reduce the chance of breaking the pile top while capitalizing on the energy efficiency of a hydraulic impact hammer as opposed to a traditional diesel hammer. The X13 eventually failed, but it proved its worth when replaced with a J&M 115 hydraulic impact hammer, which immediately began bending the tops of the pipe piles. The prototype hammer soon returned to the Kent shop to be repaired, but it left the West Coast crew with a glimpse of the future of the pile driving industry.
