Abstract
Beijing Hengxiang Hongye Foundation Reinforcement Technology Co., Ltd. holds the U.S. invention patent titled “A Settlement Reinforcement, Jacking and Leveling Structure for Pile Cap Structures and Its Construction Method.” Featuring an innovative combination of synchronized jacking and pile-end reinforcement, this technology addresses the challenge of differential settlement in building pile foundations. It offers the advantages of minimally invasive construction, millimeter-level precision leveling, and long-term durability and stability.
This patented technology has been successfully applied in a settlement remediation project involving a 24-story high-rise residential building in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, China, fully demonstrating the practical effectiveness of the complete technical solution.
I. Industry Challenges: The Difficulties of Pile Foundation Settlement Remediation
Pile foundations may experience differential settlement due to various factors, including insufficient compaction of backfilled soil, inadequate reserve bearing capacity at pile tips, and the presence of weak interlayers beneath pile bases. Minor settlement may cause cracks in building walls, jammed doors and windows, and floor deformation, seriously affecting normal use. In more severe cases, the building may tilt, directly threatening the structural safety of the main building.
Conventional reinforcement methods have several significant limitations:
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Localized grouting reinforcement alone cannot achieve simultaneous building lifting and leveling, addressing only part of the problem without resolving the underlying cause.
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Construction often relies on large-scale excavation equipment, generating considerable noise and dust and causing substantial disruption to residents' daily lives and business operations.
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Overall construction periods are often lengthy, significantly extending building downtime and the period during which residents must be relocated.
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Manual lifting lacks precise monitoring and control, making over-lifting or insufficient lifting likely. Subsequent soil disturbance may also trigger secondary settlement.
II. Overview of the Patent's Core Technology
The U.S. invention patent held by Hengxiang Hongye, titled “A Settlement Reinforcement, Jacking and Leveling Structure for Pile Cap Structures and Its Construction Method” (International Application No.: PCT/CN2019/084388), introduces an integrated remediation solution combining pile cap jacking and leveling with reinforcement and strengthening of the bearing stratum at pile ends.
The technology integrates grouting pipelines with hydraulic jacking components. Through the coordinated implementation of layered, directional solidification grouting and multi-point synchronized, controllable jacking, it achieves two objectives simultaneously:
On the one hand, multiple points are lifted synchronously to raise and precisely level tilted pile caps, thereby correcting the overall building settlement.
On the other hand, an enlarged composite bearing layer is formed beneath the pile caps, simultaneously strengthening the soil in the bearing stratum at the pile ends, uniformly distributing the vertical loads of the building, and fundamentally eliminating the conditions that may lead to secondary pile foundation settlement.
III. Five Core Advantages of the Patent Technology
1. Dual-Purpose Treatment: An Integrated Solution
Simultaneously achieves pile cap jacking and leveling, as well as reinforcement and strengthening of the bearing stratum at pile ends, providing a one-stop solution to both settlement and insufficient bearing capacity.
2. Composite Bearing System: Uniform Load Transfer
An enlarged composite foundation bearing body is formed beneath the pile caps, allowing the upper structural loads to be transferred uniformly to the bearing stratum. This prevents stress concentration and eliminates the conditions that lead to recurring settlement at the source.
3. Minimally Invasive Construction: No Need to Suspend Operations or Relocate Occupants
The construction requires only a small working area and utilizes compact, lightweight equipment for flexible operation. No large-scale excavation is required throughout the process. Noise and dust are effectively controlled, allowing residential buildings, factories, and commercial properties to remain in normal use during construction.
4. Intelligent Monitoring: Millimeter-Level Precision Lifting
Combined with an intelligent monitoring system, the technology achieves lifting accuracy at the millimeter level, enabling precise and controlled structural leveling.
5. Stability and Durability: Long-Term Protection
The reinforced composite foundation provides excellent overall stability, strong foundation bearing capacity, and high resistance to deformation. The reinforced structure also offers outstanding resistance to water penetration and geological disturbances, effectively suppressing secondary settlement over the long term.
IV. Project Application: Settlement Reinforcement and Lifting of a 24-Story Residential Building in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province
A 24-story residential building in a residential community in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, China, has a total building height of 73.2 meters and a pile cap foundation system.
The site's soil profile, from top to bottom, consists of miscellaneous fill, fine sand, silty clay, and completely weathered granite.
The maximum differential settlement of the building reached 106 mm. The primary cause was that the pile tips had not been embedded into the bedrock layer to the design depth during pile foundation construction.
The project adopted the complete patented construction process in combination with non-destructive, controllable soil solidification technology.
Layered, directional injection of composite solidification materials was carried out to deliver the grouting materials directly to the deep bearing stratum at the pile ends, reinforcing weak soil.
The integrated patented jacking components were then used to progressively lift the settled areas through synchronized multi-point jacking. At the same time, a composite bearing layer was formed beneath the pile caps, eliminating the potential risks associated with insufficient bearing capacity in weak foundation soil.
An intelligent monitoring system was employed throughout the entire process to ensure millimeter-level precision in reinforcement and structural lifting.
The entire project was completed in just 20 days, achieving a cumulative lifting distance of 106 mm. Construction generated no noise, and residents continued living in the building as normal throughout the process.
Upon completion, the building's verticality met all required standards, and the settlement risks were thoroughly eliminated.
Client Feedback:
"The entire construction process was quiet and dust-free. Everyone continued with their normal daily routines, and we could hardly notice that construction work was taking place."
V. Corporate Innovation and International Intellectual Property Strength
Hengxiang Hongye, the patent holder, is a National High-Tech Enterprise with a comprehensive industry-academia-research innovation system and the capability to deliver projects worldwide.
The company has obtained a total of 148 domestic and international patent applications and granted patents, including 32 international patents. It has also published 14 academic papers, including 9 SCI-indexed papers.
The company has established industry-academia-research cooperation bases with China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing).
Its core technologies in high-rise building lifting and realignment have passed a national-level authoritative scientific and technological achievement evaluation, receiving the assessment of "Internationally Advanced Overall, with Certain Technologies Reaching an Internationally Leading Level" (Evaluation No.: 202311ZK7875).
The company has completed more than 1,000 projects involving building floors, foundation settlement reinforcement, structural lifting, and precision leveling.
It has maintained long-term, in-depth cooperation with internationally renowned enterprises, including Mercedes-Benz, CATL, Geely, Haier, 3M, and Nestlé.
Its independently developed technologies and materials are suitable for complex geological conditions worldwide, including karst formations, collapsible loess, silty clay, and heavily backfilled soil.
With overseas branches covering multiple countries, the company provides integrated foundation settlement remediation services to clients both in China and internationally.
VI. Conclusion and Future Outlook
Centered on the integrated technology of "pile cap jacking and leveling + reinforcement and strengthening of the bearing stratum at pile ends," this patent overcomes the limitations of conventional reinforcement methods, which can only address localized problems and cannot simultaneously achieve structural lifting and realignment.
Supported by a composite foundation load-transfer system formed beneath the pile caps, together with minimally invasive construction, low-disruption operations, millimeter-level precision lifting, and long-term durability, this complete technical solution effectively addresses the shortcomings of conventional methods, including lengthy construction periods, disruption to occupants, and treatment of symptoms rather than root causes.
Looking ahead, Hengxiang Hongye will continue to focus on building foundation reinforcement, structural realignment, and building lifting technologies. Leveraging its proprietary international patented technologies and global service network, the company is committed to providing reliable foundation settlement remediation solutions and building stronger foundations for structures worldwide.
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