Patent ID: 9469958
Filing Date: 2016-10-18
CPC Classification: E02D,G06F

Claim Text:
1. A foundation system for supporting reciprocating equipment on a skid platform, the foundation system having a natural frequency not inhibited from harmonic resonation at an expected resonant frequency of the reciprocating equipment on the skid platform, the foundation system comprising: one or more vertical pile members, each vertical pile member having a first end adapted to be driven into the ground and a second end adapted to be connected with a bottom portion of the skid platform; and one or more tunable pile members, each tunable pile member having a lower portion adapted to be driven into the ground and an upper portion adapted to be connected directly or indirectly with the skid platform, each tunable pile member adapted to receive an insert member between the upper and lower portions, and each of the one or more tunable pile members configured to provide a selective vibration adjustment to the skid platform, the selective vibration adjustment provided by the combination of the one or more vertical pile members in connection with the skid platform, the one or more tunable pile members in connection with the skid platform, and each tunable pile member configured to tune the skid platform with at least one of (1) the insert member configured between the upper portion and the lower portion, the insert member having a stiffness different than the upper portion and the lower portion, and the insert member configured to provide a damping material to adjust the natural frequency of the foundation system, (2) the upper portion in engagement with the skid platform to increase the natural frequency of the foundation system, and (3) the upper portion disengaged from the skid platform to decrease the natural frequency of the foundation system, wherein the selective vibration adjustment of the tunable pile member is configured to prevent the natural frequency of the foundation system from harmonically resonating at the expected natural resonant frequency of the reciprocating equipment.