KOCHI: The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) has started the initial pile load test between the Petta and SN Junction (Tripunithura) stretch. This is the first major work being directly executed by KMRL on the stretch. The load test of circular pile of 1,200-mm diameter for the stretch began at Petta Junction on Wednesday. It is being done to validate the pile’s safe bearing capacity considered for design. The testing is expected to be completed by Saturday.
“Initial reports are positive. We are going ahead with the work,” said KMRL managing director Alkesh Kumar Sharma. The test load is 1,075 tonnes, which is 2.5 times higher than the safe load of 430 tonnes considered in the design.KMRL is expected to complete the Petta-SN Junction stretch in 24 months. The contract was given in August 2019 to the joint venture of KEC International and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (KEC-CCECC JV) for executing the viaduct and station works on the stretch.
During the test, the load is transferred to the pile using three, 600-tonne capacity jacks in increments of 20 per cent of test load (86 tonnes) and is maintained for one to two hours. The settlement of the pile is measured every 15 minutes using dial gauges attached at four locations on the surface of the pile. The test load of 1,075 tonne will be maintained for 24 hours before releasing the load in the same manner as it was applied.