METHOD OF DRIVING PILES UNDERWATER

摘要

A method is disclosed for driving a pile into the ocean floor utilizing an underwater hammer. A leg of an offshore jacket structure is provided with several annular guide sleeves affixed to the leg at several spaced apart locations along the exterior of the leg. A pile is disposed underwater in the lower guide sleeves proximate the lower end of the structure leg. A housing assembly having a hammer mounted inside is lowered from the surface through the guide sleeves and into contact with the top of the pile, with the hammer being beneath the surface. The pile is driven by a succession of blows delivered by the hammer. The housing is then raised to the surface and moved to another driving location by an overhead sling.