GIKEN LTD. (Head Office: Kochi-shi, Kochi; President and CEO: Atsushi Ohira) announced that the Hard Ground Press-in Method using the pile press-in and extraction machine SILENT PILER™, which is manufactured and sold by GIKEN, has been adopted by a levee reinforcement business in the Netherlands to complete press-in construction.
This construction was a part of the High Water Protection Programme (HWPP), a focused initiative within the "Delta Programme,"*1 a project by the government of the Netherlands to prevent high water and flooding. The project aimed to strengthen the levee of the Meuse River, an international river that flows through France, Belgium, and the Netherlands before emptying into the North Sea. The Hard Ground Press-in Method of GIKEN has already been adopted for other sections in the Delta Programme. This time, Group company Giken Europe B.V. (Head Office: The Netherlands; President: Takuya Yamamoto) provided assistance for constructing a revetment retaining wall *3 on hard ground by dispatching a technical instructor and renting related equipment to Sterk BV, a Dutch global sub-contractor that is also a member of GTOSS™ EUROPE*2.
In the Netherlands, the World Heritage-Listed Canal Quay Wall Renovation Project has led to a steady expansion of press-in technologies through its adoption in large orders such as revetment renovations at the Hague and the Delta Programme. The technologies’ superiority in vibration-free, noise-free and space-saving construction, as well as its speed and performance in ground piling was also put on full display during this work, once again showing the reliability of the technologies. Sterk BV contracts construction in Germany as well and the technologies can be expected to expand in the German market alongside collaborations with the Berlin office of Giken Europe B.V. Based on these results, GIKEN will further strengthen its technology proposal activities to create additional projects in Europe and contribute to the safety and security of each country by strengthening their infrastructure in preparation for climate change risks.
*1 See also the past news release. (https://www.giken.com/en/news-cat/release/10_jul_2025/)
*2 Comprehensive support service for users of press-in machines developed by GIKEN. See also the past news release. (https://www.giken.com/en/news-cat/release/01_nov_2024/)
*3 Structures that maintains stability of the land behind it while preventing sediment runoff and erosion along riverbanks and other water edges.
■Construction Details
The SILENT PILER™ F401-1400 was used to press-in 66 pairs of Z sheet piles of 1400 mm in width (two piles of 700 mm in width) and approximately 10 m in length. A revetment retaining wall of approximately 93 m in length was constructed.
■Hard Ground Press-in Method
This is a method of construction that attaches a pile auger onto the SILENT PILER™ to press-in steel sheet piles into hard ground under the unique coring theory of simultaneous pressing-in and augering. Pressing-in can be carried out even on sandy gravel mixed with boulders, rock, or other types of ground without losing the superiorities of the press-in technology, such as vibration-free, noise-free, and space-saving construction.
Since pile pressing-in and ground excavation can be carried out by the same machine, there is no need to replace the ground with sand like in other construction methods. This approach reduces both the construction period and costs, resulting in extremely efficient construction. The amount of soil discharged is also low by minimising excavation, and completed piles with strong bearing capacity can be built without disturbing the surrounding ground.
■Reason for Adoption
The site was on difficult ground with scattered stones on the surface and a hard layer of sand underground. Further, because it was narrow and nearby structures such as private housing; the vibration, noise, and space-requirements of other construction methods using large vibratory pile drivers had become an issue. With the Hard Ground Press-in Method™, construction on hard ground can be done in a vibration-free, noise-free, space-saving, and speedy manner; for this project, it was also emission-free. The method was praised for its ability to minimise the impact on the surrounding environment and residents' lives while ensuring stable daily progress through highly efficient construction even under these strict and restraining conditions.
■A look at the construction in action (video)
■ Construction Overview
| Project Name | Dijkversterking Belfeld |
|---|---|
| Location | Belfeld, The Netherlands |
| Project Owner | Waterschap Limburg |
| Main contractor | MaasSamen (combination of Boskalis, Van de Biggelaar and van de Wetering) |
| Sub-contractor | Sterk BV |
| Equipment | SILENT PILER™ F401-1400 |
| Specification of Pile Elements | 66 pairs of Z sheet piles (1400 mm in width [two piles of 700 mm in width] and 9.59 m in length) |
| Press-in Construction Period | April 7 to May 16, 2025 |
■Profile of GIKEN Group
GIKEN developed the SILENT PILER™, the world’s first reaction-based, non-vibratory hydraulic pile driving machine that operates with minimal noise impacts. The GIKEN Group now actively promotes its press-in technology worldwide and contributes to the construction industry by proposing and implementing innovative solutions. The innovative press-in technology provides a unique solution and the adoption of this technology has spread to over 40 nations and regions.
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