Influence of moisture content on the assessment of decay levels by micro-drilling measurements in wooden foundation piles

In the historic city centre of Amsterdam (NL), the most widespread foundation system consists of wooden piles. With the aim of modelling and predicting remaining service life of these foundations and the piles in particular, one of the possible methods for collecting data and monitoring their condition consists of micro-drilling (MD)...

Characterisation of bacterial decay effects on wooden foundation piles across various historical periods

In the historic city centre of Amsterdam (NL), the predominant foundation system is comprised of wooden piles. Due to their placement below the water table, these foundations are susceptible to bacterial decay. This study aims to investigate and compare various methods for characterizing decay patterns within the cross sections of piles...

Assessment of in-situ stress distribution and mechanical properties of wooden foundation piles instrumented with distributed fiber optic sensors (DFOS)

This case study explores the utilization of distributed fiber optic sensors (DFOS) in wooden foundation piles, for assessing and monitoring the stress distribution along their length. Three spruce and three pine foundation piles instrumented with DFOS were driven into the soil in a testing field in Amsterdam and axially loaded in compression....

Controlling minimum groundwater levels in urban areas

Low groundwater levels could have negative consequences in urban areas, such as wooden pile degradation and accelerated land subsidence. Controlling groundwater levels by infiltration systems that recharge the groundwater could be important to prevent these problems. This research evaluates the technical effectiveness of different groundwater...