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          p 233
        
        
          
            Chapter 3
          
        
        
          Hydraulically-Driven Push Piers
        
        
          
            CHAPTER 3
          
        
        
          HYDRAULICALLY-DRIVEN PUSH PIERS
        
        
          
            3.8.3 Remote Valve Assembly
          
        
        
          The remote valve assembly is used to control the
        
        
          hydraulic fluid pressure from a gasoline pump to
        
        
          the drive cylinder during foundation pier and slab
        
        
          pier installation. The remote valve assembly is
        
        
          typically placed near the bracket and drive stand
        
        
          assembly to provide greater control and response
        
        
          during the driving operation. The FSI remote valve
        
        
          assembly is shown in
        
        
          Figure 3.8.3.a
        
        
          . The remote
        
        
          valve assembly is not used with an electric pump.
        
        
          
            3.8.4 Hoses and Fittings
          
        
        
          Hoses and fittings should be designed for the
        
        
          maximum system pressure. Hose lengths of 10,
        
        
          50 and 100 feet are available to accommodate
        
        
          either sequential connection of lift cylinder
        
        
          assemblies or connection through a manifold
        
        
          system. FSI offers both flush face and threaded
        
        
          fittings for the cylinder and pump connections.
        
        
          
            3.8.5 Drive Stands
          
        
        
          Drive stands provide the means for advancing
        
        
          pier tubes through foundation and slab
        
        
          brackets. The drive stand is positioned over
        
        
          and then secured to the bracket. Hydraulic drive
        
        
          cylinders or rams are then set within the top
        
        
          fixture of the drive stands. Lengths of the drive
        
        
          stand legs have been specifically designed for
        
        
          the FSI standard pier tube lengths of 36 inches.
        
        
          The drive stand used for PP288 installation
        
        
          within a crawl space has shorter legs designed
        
        
          for 18-inch long pier sections. There are several
        
        
          drive stand assembly options available for the
        
        
          multiple pier sizes and bracket details.
        
        
          Figure
        
        
          3.8.5.a
        
        
          shows crawl space and standard drive
        
        
          stand assemblies for the PP288 system. The
        
        
          FSI drive stand assembly specifications, along
        
        
          with general dimensioning, are included in
        
        
          Appendix 3B.
        
        
          
            3.8.6 Lift Cylinder Assemblies
          
        
        
          Lift cylinder assemblies are connected to the
        
        
          thread rod or coil rod of the bracket assembly
        
        
          after the pier cap has been placed. Refer back
        
        
          to
        
        
          Figure 3.8.1.b
        
        
          . The lift cylinder assemblies
        
        
          provide the final application of force to first
        
        
          stabilize and then lift the structure. After the
        
        
          stabilization or lift force has been applied, the
        
        
          top nuts on the thread or coil rods of the bracket
        
        
          assembly are tightened down to the pier cap,
        
        
          thereby locking off the load. See Appendix 3C
        
        
          for lift assembly specifications.
        
        
          Figure 3.8.3.a
        
        
          Remote valve assembly
        
        
          Figure 3.8.5.a
        
        
          Crawl space and standard drive stand
        
        
          assemblies for the PP288 push pier system