System, apparatus, and method for installing a foundation

A method for installing a pile in a cavity of a soil layer is disclosed. The method includes drilling the cavity in the soil layer using a drilling assembly, applying pressure with the drilling assembly during drilling to an interface portion of the soil layer that is adjacent to the cavity, sensing pressure data of the interface portion during drilling, and transferring the pressure data to a controller during drilling. The method also includes determining pile capacity data of the pile with the controller during drilling based on the pressure data, transferring the pile capacity data during drilling, and controlling the drilling assembly based on the pile capacity data during drilling.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to an installation system, apparatus, and method, and more particularly to a system, apparatus, and method for installing a foundation.

BACKGROUND

Drilled displacement piles (DDPs) have emerged as a deep foundation solution for carrying loads in soft-to-medium dense soils. Installation of this type of pile is typically performed by utilizing a heavy-duty piling rig to apply both rotary action and pull-down on a drill rod having a DDP tool attached to its lower end. During installation, the surrounding soil is displaced and compacted by the DDP tool. This process usually causes significant radial stresses to become locked into the soil in the vicinity of the pile shaft, which results in a relatively higher load-carrying capacity of these piles compared to bored piles.

The radial stresses that develop at the pile-soil interface during installation of a DDP contribute to the ultimate frictional capacity of that pile. Additionally, due to the complex machine-soil interaction that takes place during installation, the actual magnitude of the radial stresses that are locked into this interface and adjoining soil often vary significantly from one pile to another. The radial stresses may vary even if the soil conditions or the pile diameter remain unchanged between adjacent piles.

Evaluations of load carrying capacity of DDPs are typically performed using empirical methods based on data gathered from pile load tests and/or soil investigation undertaken prior to start of pile installation works, with little or no consideration of the magnitude of radial stresses that may actually exist at the soil interface of any given pile. When the variable nature of soil even between two adjacent locations in proximity to each other is also considered, the in-situ frictional capacities of the piles that are installed at a site may differ significantly from the capacities calculated using the current state of conventional practice. These existing conventional techniques often lead either to unnecessary costs arising from installed piles having significantly more load-carrying capacity than needed or, on the other hand, to installation of piles that lack an adequate factor of safety against applied loads.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 10,053,980 to Godager (the '980 patent) discloses a soil stress measuring system for checking the stability of boreholes. The '980 patent discloses a pressure sensor that is arranged outside of a wellbore conduit. See the '980 patent at col. 2 at lines 47-54. However, the '980 patent, as best understood, does not determine a load-carrying capacity of a pile during a drilling operation. The '980 patent apparently has no application for a drilled displacement pile because for a drilled displacment pile, as soon as the cavity has been drilled to the desired depth, concrete is injected into the cavity as the tool is lifted.

The exemplary disclosed system, apparatus, and method are directed to overcoming one or more of the shortcomings set forth above and/or other deficiencies in existing technology.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one exemplary aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method for installing a pile in a cavity of a soil layer. The method includes drilling the cavity in the soil layer using a drilling assembly, applying pressure with the drilling assembly during drilling to an interface portion of the soil layer that is adjacent to the cavity, sensing pressure data of the interface portion during drilling, and transferring the pressure data to a controller during drilling. The method also includes determining pile capacity data of the pile with the controller during drilling based on the pressure data, transferring the pile capacity data during drilling, and controlling the drilling assembly based on the pile capacity data during drilling.

In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for installing a pile in a cavity of a soil layer. The apparatus includes a drilling assembly configured to be supported and driven by a drilling rig, at least one pressure sensor disposed on the drilling assembly, the at least one pressure sensor configured to sense pressure data that is indicative of an actual lateral stress of the soil layer adjacent to the cavity, and a communication device disposed on the drilling rig. The apparatus also includes a wire connector connecting the communication device and the at least one pressure sensor, a user interface used by an operator of the drilling rig and wirelessly connected to the communication device, and a controller that is wirelessly connected to the communication device. The controller is configured to receive the pressure data during drilling. The controller is configured to determine pile capacity data of the pile during drilling based on the pressure data. The controller is configured to transfer the pile capacity data to the user interface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The exemplary disclosed system, apparatus, and method may provide for installing a foundation such as a deep foundation. The exemplary disclosed system, apparatus, and method may provide for installing a pile. In at least some exemplary embodiments, the exemplary disclosed system, apparatus, and method may include a tool for evaluation of frictional capacity of a pile while installation of the pile is taking place. For example, the exemplary disclosed system, apparatus, and method may include a system (e.g., a tool) for evaluation of frictional capacity of a drilled displacement pile (DDP) while installation of the DDP is taking place.

In at least some exemplary embodiments and as illustrated inFIG. 1, the exemplary disclosed system, apparatus, and method may include a system300. System300may include a drilling rig or drilling system305, a drilling assembly310, and a control system315. Drilling assembly310may be attached to drilling system305and may drill into a soil layer320(e.g., a surface layer that may include the ground or earth formed from for example soil or other material). Control system315may be attached to drilling assembly310and may sense data associated with soil layer320.

Drilling rig or drilling system305may be any suitable system for installing a foundation for example as described herein. Drilling system305may be a piling rig such as a heavy duty piling rig. For example, drilling system305may be a fixed-mast, rotary drill rig. Drilling system305may be an auger displacement pile rig. Drilling system305may maintain any desired pull down and torque on drilling assembly310during drilling. Drilling system305may be used to install drilled displacement piles such as screw piles. Drilling system305may be used to install any suitable type of pile such as a screw displacement pile, an SVB pile, an APGD pile, an SVV pile, an Atlas pile, a De Waal pile, an Omega pile, a Fundex pile, a Full Displacement Pile (FDP), a Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) pile, a Partial Displacement Pile (PDP), a Rigid Inclusion (RI), a Controlled Modulus Column (CMC), a Skanska cementation soil displacement pile, and/or an Olivier pile.

Drilling system305may include a boom325attached to and structurally supported by a drilling rig base330. Boom325may be adjusted (e.g., moved or angled) relative to drilling rig base330by assembly335that may be any suitable movable assembly (e.g., a hydraulic, pneumatic, or mechanical assembly). Drilling rig base330may include an operator cabin340in which an operator350may be located during operation of system300. A user interface345for example as described herein may be disposed in operator cabin340and/or integrated into any suitable components of system300.

User interface345may be utilized by operator350to control system300. User interface345may include a wireless receiver for receiving data from other components of system300, a processor, and a monitor for displaying information to operator350(e.g., and/or some or substantially all of the exemplary disclosed controller described for example herein). User interface345may be a stand-alone device that may be part of drilling system305or control system315or may be integrated into one or more components of drilling system305and/or control system315.

User interface345may include any suitable components for operator350to input or be provided with data and information. For example, user interface345may include a keypad, a touchscreen device, a keyboard (e.g., a computer keyboard), and/or an assembly including movable members (e.g., buttons, knobs, slidable or rotatable switches, dials, levers, and/or any other suitable mechanical or electromechanical components). User interface345may also include one or more biometric devices (e.g., a fingerprint device and/or facial recognition device). User interface345may also include an audio-based device for entering input and/or receiving output via sound, a tactile-based device for entering input and receiving output based on touch or feel, a dedicated user device or interface designed to work specifically with other components of system300, and/or any other suitable user device or interface.

Drilling system305may include a drill rod assembly355that may be attached to boom325via a movable assembly360. Movable assembly360may be movably attached to boom325and may move downward and upward along boom325as system300drills into soil layer320. Movable assembly360may include any suitable components for moving and imparting forces to drill rod assembly355such as pull down and torque during drilling. Movable assembly360may move and rotate drill rod assembly355to provide a drilling operation of system300for example as described herein.

Movable assembly360may also be fluidly connected to a storage or reservoir365that holds a material370. For example, a passage375may fluidly connect reservoir365to an inlet380of movable assembly360. In at least some exemplary embodiments, material370may be cementitious material such as concrete, slurry, or other material that may be maintained in a liquid form prior to curing. Material370may be in an uncured or liquid form when stored in reservoir365. For example, reservoir365may be a drum of a concrete mixing truck, a concrete hopper, or any other suitable assembly for maintaining concrete in a liquid form prior to placement and curing. Reservoir365may be pressurized or unpressurized. Reservoir365and/or movable assembly360may include any suitable pump components to pressurize material370to cause or help material370to flow through components of system300for example as described herein.

Movable assembly360may include hollow portions such as one or more cavities that may fluidly connect reservoir370via passage375and inlet380with hollow portions of drill rod assembly355for example as described herein. Material370may thereby be transferred from reservoir365to a location in soil layer320via fluidly-connected cavities of system300.

Drill rod assembly355may be any suitable drill rod for being attached between movable assembly360and drilling assembly310and for driving drilling assembly310to drill through soil layer320. As illustrated inFIG. 2, drill rod assembly355may include a cavity385. Cavity385may be an elongated cavity that extends along a length (e.g., substantially entire length) of drill rod assembly355. Material370may be transferred from movable assembly360to drilling assembly310via cavity385. Drill rod assembly355may thereby contribute to delivering material370(e.g., contribute to transfer or pumping of uncured concrete) to a desired location of soil layer320during drilling and foundation installation for example as described herein.

In at least some exemplary embodiments and as illustrated inFIG. 2, cavity385may be formed by a member387that may be disposed in a member389of drill rod assembly355. Member387may be any suitable structural member for forming cavity385for transferring material370. For example, member387may be an elongated structural member such as a structural metal member, e.g., a steel or aluminum structural member. Member387may for example include a structural tube, structural pipe, one or more structural channels, and/or be a built-up member including a plurality of structural shapes. Member389may be size larger than member387and may be formed generally similarly to member387. Member387may be disposed within member389so that a cavity383is formed between an outer surface of member387and an inner surface of member389. For example, cavity383may extend around a partial or substantially entire perimeter or surface area (e.g., encircle) of an outer surface of member387. In at least some exemplary embodiments, cavity383may extend along a substantially entire length of drill rod assembly355. In at least some exemplary embodiments, cavity383may be a space formed between member389that may be an outer pipe and member387that may be an inner pipe.

Returning toFIG. 1, drilling assembly310may be removably attached to drill rod assembly355. Drilling assembly310may be any suitable drilling assembly for providing the exemplary disclosed foundation installation (e.g., pile installation). For example, drilling assembly310may be a DDP tool. Drilling assembly310may provide for installation of any suitable pile type such as a screw displacement pile, an SVB pile, an APGD pile, an SVV pile, an Atlas pile, a De Waal pile, an Omega pile, a Fundex pile, a Full Displacement Pile (FDP), a Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) pile, a Partial Displacement Pile (PDP), a Rigid Inclusion (RI), a Controlled Modulus Column (CMC), a Skanska cementation soil displacement pile, and/or an Olivier pile.

As illustrated inFIGS. 3A and 3B, drilling assembly310may be attached to an end portion390of drill rod assembly355. Drilling assembly310may be attached to drill rod assembly355so that drill rod assembly355may rotatably drive one or more portions of drilling assembly310(e.g., to drill through soil layer320). End portion390may include any suitable fasteners, protrusions, apertures, and other suitable engagement portions for removably attaching end portion390to an attachment portion395of drilling assembly310. For example, end portion390and attachment portion395may be configured with corresponding recesses, apertures, protrusion, slots, grooves, threading, fasteners, and any other suitable elements (e.g., a corresponding shape and size) for removably attaching attachment portion395and end portion390.

As illustrated inFIG. 4, drilling assembly310may include a body portion400, a body portion405, a body portion410, and a body portion415. Drilling assembly310may also have any other desired number of body portions having any desired shapes. Drilling assembly310may also include one or more protrusions (e.g., protrusions420and425) that extend (e.g., protrude) from one or more of body portion400, body portion405, body portion410, and body portion415. Protrusions420and425may be for example auger flights. Protrusions420and425may have any desired barrel diameter (e.g., from tip to tip of flights, distance between flights along length of drilling assembly310), helix pitch, helix angle, and/or any other suitable measurements. For example, protrusion420may be an elongated auger flight that extends along body portion400, and protrusion425may be an elongated auger flight that extends along body portion415. Any suitable configuration of auger flights may be used. For example, drilling assembly310may include auger flights with all spirals in one (e.g., the same) direction (e.g., for a CFA pile). Also for example, drilling assembly310may have a continuous set of auger flights. Also for example, drilling assembly310may have any desired configuration of auger flights for installing any desired type of displacement pile.

Body portions400,405,410, and415may rotate in either direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise). For example as illustrated inFIG. 4, a body member401(e.g., including body portion400and part of body portion405) and a body member403(e.g., including body portion415) may be attached to a body member402(e.g., including a part of body portion405and body portion410). Body members401,402, and403may be attached together (e.g., welded or fastened together) and may all be rotated together by drill rod assembly355. For example, body members401,402, and403may be rigidly connected to each other. When drill rod assembly355operates to rotate drilling assembly clockwise, body members401,402, and403rotate clockwise. When drill rod assembly355operates to rotate drilling assembly counterclockwise (e.g., anti-clockwise), body members401,402, and403rotate counterclockwise. In at least some exemplary embodiments, drilling and extraction of drilling assembly310may be performed using clockwise rotation (e.g., which may cause the exemplary disclosed auger flights to interact with soil of soil layer320).

Drilling assembly310may have any suitable or desired length, diameter, and shape. For example, drilling assembly310may have a diameter (e.g., nominal diameter) of up to a meter or more (e.g., between about 0.25 meter and about 1 meter), between about 400 mm (millimeters) and about 750 mm, or any other desired size. As illustrated inFIG. 4, body portion400may be of constant diameter or may increase in diameter in a direction moving from an end portion430to body portion405(e.g., an upward direction). Body portion405may increase in diameter and then maintain a substantially constant diameter in a direction (e.g., upward direction) moving toward body portion410. Body portion410may have a substantially constant diameter along its length running between body portion405and body portion415. Body portion415may decrease in diameter in a direction (e.g., upward direction) moving from body portion410to attachment portion395.

Drilling assembly310may include one or more cavities445(e.g., as illustrated inFIG. 3B) that may be fluidly connected with cavity385when drill rod assembly355is connected to drilling assembly310. As illustrated inFIG. 4, a member435such as a cutting member (e.g., drilling member) may be disposed at a bottom of end portion430. Drilling assembly310may also include a movable member440that may be disposed at end portion430. For example, movable member440may form a bottom portion of drilling assembly310(e.g., and may include member435). Movable member440may be for example a trap door that opens when drilling assembly310is raised by drilling system305for example as described herein. Movable member440may selectively open to allow flow of material370out of cavity445for example as described herein.

Body portion400may be a lowest portion of drilling assembly310. Body portion400may drill and/or push out soil of soil layer320. During drilling operations for example as described herein, as drilling assembly310is rotated (e.g., in a clockwise direction or any other desired direction) via portions of drill rod assembly355being moved by movable assembly360, a first portion of the soil of soil layer320is displaced outward during advancement of drilling assembly310through soil layer320, and a second portion of the soil moves up protrusion420to body portion405. The soil that moves to body portion405may be pushed out again by body portion405where protrusions420may end and body portion410begins. Body portion410may provide support to soil of soil layer320that has been displaced based on drilling of drilling assembly310.

Returning toFIG. 1, control system315may include a sensor array450, a sensor455, a communication device460, and a connector465(e.g., as illustrated inFIG. 2), and the exemplary disclosed controller (e.g., for example as described below). Connector465may transfer data from sensor array450to communication device460. Communication device460may also receive data from sensor455(e.g., or sensor455may communicate directly with the controller).

As illustrated inFIG. 4, sensor array450may include one or more sensors470. As illustrated inFIG. 4, one or more sensors470may be disposed at one or more locations of body member402. Also for example, sensors470may be disposed on body members401and403, drill rod assembly355, and/or any other desired portions of system300. Sensors470may communicate with other components of system300(e.g., with communication device460) by wire communication, wireless communication, and/or any other suitable communication technique for example as described herein.

Sensor470may be any suitable sensor for sensing a pressure of soil of soil layer320. For example, sensor470may make measurements associated with stresses that are locked into the surrounding soil (e.g., stresses of soil surrounding an installed pile shaft) of soil layer320. For example, sensor470may be any suitable sensor for making measurements associated with (e.g., for determining) radial stresses that develop at a pile-soil interface during installation of a pile such as a drilled displacement pile. In at least some exemplary embodiments, sensor470may be any suitable sensor for making measurements associated with (e.g., for determining) lateral stress locked into the pile-soil interface of soil layer320. Sensor470may be any suitable electromechanical sensor. Sensor470may include a strain gauge. Sensor470may be a linear displacement contact sensor such as a high-speed linear displacement contact sensor. For example, sensor470may be an LVDT sensor. Sensor470may be an optical fiber Bragg-Grating (FBG) sensor. Sensor470may be a piezoresistive sensor. For example, sensor470may be a micro silicon piezoresistive sensor. Sensor470may be a tactile pressure sensor. For example, sensor470may be a tactile pressure sheet sensor. Sensor470may be a fiber optic sensor. For example, sensor470may be a long-gauge fiber optic sensor. Sensor470may be an optoelectronic displacement sensor. Sensor470may be a null pressure sensor. Sensor470may be an elastic force distribution sensor. Sensor470may be a displacement sensor or a thin pressure sensor. For example, sensor470may be a flexible sheet pressure and deformation sensor (e.g., a thin sheet pressure sensor).

As illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, sensor455may be any suitable sensor for measuring a location of drilling assembly310in soil layer320. Sensor455may measure a depth of drilling assembly310in soil layer320. Sensor455may be a depth encoder. For example, sensor455may be a rotary encoder that may be attached to one or more rotatable components of drill rod assembly355. For example, sensor455may be a rotary encoder that may be operably attached to a connector such as a pulley that measures rotation of the pulley to evaluate depth of components of drill rod assembly355as drilling assembly310is rotatably moved to drill through soil layer320. Sensor455may include an inclinometer for sensing a verticality of drill rod assembly355. Sensor455may include a location sensor such as a global positioning system sensor or other suitable location sensor. Sensor455may include fiber optic sensing components, accelerometer sensing components, and any other suitable components for sensing a depth, location, and/or position of components of drilling assembly310, drill rod assembly355, and/or other components of system300(e.g., drilling system305). Sensor455may be disposed at any suitable position of system300such as, for example, at boom325. For example, sensor455may be disposed at (e.g., attached to, on, in, or within) an upper portion of boom325(e.g., at a top portion of boom325such as a mast head as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2). In at least some exemplary embodiments, sensor455may be a depth encoder mounted at the top of boom325and that gives a value of the depth of drilling assembly310below ground level (e.g., below a top surface of soil layer320) at substantially any desired point in time during operation of system300(e.g., based on a known or predetermined distance between sensor455and a bottom portion of drilling assembly310).

Communication device460may include any suitable transceiver, receiver, and/or transmitter components for wirelessly communicating with other components of system300for example as described herein. Communication device460may also communicate by wire communication with other components of system300. For example, communication device460may communicate with sensors470via connector465. Communication device460may for example include components for communicating via wireless communication (e.g., CDMA, GSM, 3G, 4G, and/or 5G), direct communication (e.g., wire communication), Bluetooth communication coverage, Near Field Communication (e.g., NFC contactless communication such as NFC contactless methods), radio frequency communication (e.g., RF communication such as short-wavelength radio waves, e.g., UHF waves), and/or any other desired communication technique. Communication device460may be disposed at any suitable position of system300such as, for example, at drill rod assembly355. For example, communication device460may be disposed at (e.g., attached to, on, in, or within) an upper portion of drill rod assembly355(e.g., at a top portion of drill rod assembly355as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2).

Connector465(e.g., or one or more connectors465) may connect any desired components of system300. For example as illustrated inFIG. 1, connector465may connect communication device460and sensor array450(e.g., one or more sensors470). Connector465may be any suitable connector for providing wire communication between components of system300. For example, connector465may be a wire, cable, cord, or any other suitable connector. Connector465may be for example a wire connector such as a copper cable, a twisted pair cable, a coaxial cable, a fiber cable such as a fiber optic cable, and/or any other suitable type of connector for providing direct or wire communication between components of system300.

As illustrated inFIG. 2, connector465may be disposed in cavity383of drill rod assembly355. For example, a portion of communication device460may extend through a wall of member389and may be attached to connector465. One or more connectors465may extend through cavity383along a substantially entire length of drill rod assembly355from communication device460to drilling assembly310. Connector465may then extend through one or more cavities of drilling assembly310and attach to some or all sensors470of sensor array450. Some or all sensors470may thereby be connected by one or more connectors465to be in wire communication with communication device460. Also for example, some or all sensors470may communicate wirelessly with communication device460(e.g., instead of, or in addition to, wire communication via one or more connectors465).

As illustrated inFIG. 1, components of system300may wirelessly communicate directly and/or via a network component475. Network component475may be a WAN such as, for example, described below regardingFIG. 9. Network component475, a user device480, a remote device485, sensors470, communication device460, sensor455, user interface345, and/or any other suitable components of system300may communicate with each other via any suitable communication method such as, for example, wireless communication (e.g., CDMA, GSM, 3G, 4G, and/or 5G), direct communication (e.g., wire communication), Bluetooth communication coverage, Near Field Communication (e.g., NFC contactless communication such as NFC contactless methods), radio frequency communication (e.g., RF communication such as short-wavelength radio waves, e.g., UHF waves), and/or any other desired communication technique.

Network component475, user device480, remote device485, sensors470, communication device460, sensor455, user interface345, and/or any other suitable components of system300may include controller components, which may include any suitable computing device of a controller for controlling an operation of system300(e.g., components similar to the components described below regardingFIG. 8). The controller components may include for example a processor (e.g., micro-processing logic control device), board components, input/output arrangements that allow it to be connected (e.g., via wireless, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or any other suitable communication technique for example as described herein) to other components of system300.

User device480may be any suitable user device for receiving input and/or providing output (e.g., raw data or other desired information) to a user. User device480may be, for example, a touchscreen device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, a smartboard, and/or any suitable computer device), a computer keyboard and monitor (e.g., desktop or laptop), an audio-based device for entering input and/or receiving output via sound, a tactile-based device for entering input and receiving output based on touch or feel, a dedicated user device or interface designed to work specifically with other components of system300, and/or any other suitable user device or interface. For example, user device480may include a touchscreen device of a smartphone or handheld tablet. For example, user device480may include a display that may include a graphical user interface to facilitate entry of input by a user and/or receiving output. For example, system300may provide notifications to a user via output transmitted to user device480(e.g., or other components of system300such as user interface345). User device480may also be any suitable accessory such as a smart watch, Bluetooth headphones, and/or other suitable devices that may communicate with components of system300.

Remote device485may include components that may be generally similar to user interface345and/or user device480. Remote device485may for example be a computing device disposed at a remote location such as, for example, an engineering design office. For example, engineering design personnel and/or management personnel may receive and transmit data to other components and users of system300in real-time or near real-time (e.g., and/or also with all other suitable components and users of system300) via network component475and/or any other suitable communication technique such as for example as described herein. Users such as engineering design personnel may thereby receive and provide data to system300in real-time (e.g., or near real-time). For example, data may be received, transmitted, and/or shared by users of system300instantaneously or with a slight delay of a few seconds, a fraction of a minute, and/or any other suitable (e.g., small) delay or lag.

System300may include the exemplary disclosed controller having one or more control modules that may be partially or substantially entirely integrated with one or more components of system300such as, for example, network component475, user device480, remote device485, sensors470, communication device460, sensor455, user interface345, and/or any other suitable components of system300. In at least some exemplary embodiments, the exemplary disclosed controller may be a controller346disposed in an operator's cabin of drilling system305as illustrated inFIG. 1. The one or more modules (e.g., of the exemplary disclosed controller) may be software modules as described for example below regardingFIG. 8. For example, the one or more modules may include computer-executable code stored in non-volatile memory. The one or more modules may also operate using a processor. The one or more modules may store data and/or be used to control some or all of the exemplary disclosed processes described herein.

In at least some exemplary embodiments, substantially all data of system300may be communicated by communication device460(e.g., and sensor455) to controller346, which may be disposed in operator cabin340. In at least some exemplary embodiments, substantially all data transfer to and from user device480and remote device485may be communicated to and from controller346.

The exemplary disclosed system, apparatus, and method may be used in any suitable application involving providing foundations or other geotechnical engineering components. For example, the exemplary disclosed system, apparatus, and method may be used in any suitable application for providing deep foundations such as pile foundations. In at least some exemplary embodiments, the exemplary disclosed system, apparatus, and method may be used in any suitable application for providing piles such as drilled displacement piles.

FIG. 5illustrates an exemplary operation of the exemplary disclosed system300. Process500begins at step505. At step510, system300(e.g., drilling system305and drilling assembly310) may be prepared for a drilling operation. For example and as illustrated inFIG. 6A, drilling system305may be positioned at a desired location for drilling and drilling assembly310may be attached to drill rod assembly355for example as described herein.

Returning toFIG. 5, process500may proceed to step515and drilling system300may begin drilling operations. As illustrated inFIG. 6B, drilling system305may operate to rotate drilling assembly310and to push drilling assembly310downward into soil layer320(e.g., through soil or other material of soil layer320). Drilling system305and drilling assembly310may thereby drill a cavity600in soil layer320. Cavity600may be for example a bore, hole, or shaft for installing a deep foundation member such as a pile. Cavity600may be a substantially vertical cavity. Cavity600may also be an angled cavity (e.g., inclined at any desired angle from a vertical direction that may be perpendicular to soil layer320).

At step520, system300may operate to sense data of soil layer320during the drilling operation of step515. For example, system300may sense, transmit, and make calculations using sensed data of soil layer320in real-time or near real-time as the drilling operation of step515proceeds. At step520and for example as schematically illustrated inFIG. 7, sensors470operate to sense data associated with an interface portion321of soil layer320. For example, interface portion321may be a pile-soil interface of a pile being installed by system300during process500. For example, as drilling assembly310drills down into soil layer320to make cavity600, sensors470may sense data of interface portion321associated with and/or indicative of an actual lateral stress locked into interface portion321based on an operation of drilling assembly310. For example, sensors470may collect data at as many locations of interface portion321as desired. For example as illustrated inFIG. 7, sensors470may collect data associated with a plurality of interface locations322along a length of cavity600. Interface locations322may represent for example discrete points, area, or intervals along a length of cavity600where data is sensed and/or a length or area along which data is continuously collected.

In at least some exemplary embodiments as drilling assembly310drills down into soil layer320, body members401,402, and403may rotate (e.g., rotate clockwise or in any other desired manner). Soil of soil layer320is displaced outward (e.g., pushed or compacted into interface portion321during advancement of body member401through soil layer320), and a second portion of the soil moves up toward body member402. This second portion of the soil is pushed out again by an upper portion of body member401and by body member402. Body member402provides support to soil of soil layer320that has been displaced based on drilling of drilling assembly310. Sensors470disposed for example at body member402(e.g., or other portions of drilling assembly310or drilling system305) sense data associated with and/or indicative of an actual lateral stress locked into interface portion321based on the operation of drilling assembly310.

Data sensed by sensors470is transmitted at step520by wire via connector465to communication device460(e.g., which transfers the data to user interface345and/or any other desired component of system300) and/or directly wirelessly from sensors470to any other desired component of system300for example as described above. For example as described above, data collected by sensors470is transferred in real-time or near real-time to any desired components of system300(e.g., to user interface345, network component475, user device480, remote device485, and/or any other desired component of system300). Data collected by sensor455such as depth data is similarly transferred in real-time or near real-time.

The data sensed by one or more sensors470may be transferred and used in calculations made in real-time or near real-time by the exemplary disclosed controller including the control module (e.g., by the exemplary disclosed processing components of network component475, user device480, remote device485, user interface345, and/or any other suitable components of system300). As the drilling operations of step515proceed (e.g., as drilling assembly310drills down into soil layer320), the exemplary disclosed calculations are made so that the operation of system300may be controlled and/or adjusted as appropriate based on the real-time or near real-time determinations made during the exemplary disclosed calculation for example as described below. Some embodiments of the exemplary disclosed calculations are provided below.

Data associated with or indicative of radial stresses that develop at the pile-soil interface during drilling at step515and collected and transmitted by sensors470at step520may be used to determine a total or an ultimate frictional capacity of a pile installed during process500. For example, an ultimate frictional capacity of a pile installed during process500may be represented by Equation (1) below:

In Equation (1), Pa,iis the lateral stress locked into the pile-soil interface at the center of soil layer i and is the parameter that is measured by sensors470mounted on drilling assembly310; αiis the coefficient of limiting friction between the pile and the soil for layer i; ciis the cohesion of layer i, and hiis height of layer i; with C being the circumference of the pile. The respective summations are evaluated for some or substantially all interface locations322from a top surface323of soil layer320(e.g., top surface of the ground) to a pile tip level324as illustrated inFIG. 7. Pile tip level324may change as drilling assembly310drills down and may be determined based on data sensed and transmitted by sensor455for example as described herein. As exemplary disclosed process500may be an iterative process as illustrated inFIG. 5, the calculations may take place in real-time or near real-time as process500iteratively moves between the exemplary disclosed steps (e.g., including steps520and515). For example, any suitable steps of process500(e.g., steps515,520,525,530, and535) may occur simultaneously or near-simultaneously.

The coefficient of limiting friction αiand cohesion ciare functions of the soil friction angle and soil cohesion, respectively, at layer i and may be evaluated through soil investigation that is undertaken at the site where process500is performed for example prior to installation of a pile in process500.

Sensors470may collect data associated with or indicative of the lateral stress locked into the pile-soil interface (e.g., interface portion321) over a pile length326(e.g., pile depth). Pile tip level324and/or pile length326may be determined based on data sensed and transmitted by sensor455for example as described herein. The collected data may for example be used to provide the values of Pa,idescribed above. The frictional capacity of a foundation component installed in process500(e.g., each pile such as a drilled displacement pile) may be accurately determined during process500. As exemplary disclosed process500may be an iterative process as illustrated inFIG. 5, and the calculations may take place in real-time or near real-time as process500iteratively moves between the exemplary disclosed steps (e.g., including steps520and515). Determining the frictional capacity as described herein may result in significant savings in time and cost, as a suitable length of pile (e.g., pile length326) may be installed for providing (e.g., corresponding to) a desired pile capacity. Also, users of system300may have a high confidence that each pile installed in process500has a desired (e.g., appropriate or stipulated) factor of safety against applied loads. In at least some exemplary embodiments, Pa,imay be determined in real-time over a pile depth (e.g., pile length326) based on an operation of system300(e.g., based on data collected by sensors470). The frictional capacity of the pile being installed may be provided to operator350(e.g., a piling rig operator) via user interface345and/or to design personnel (e.g., design engineers for example of a design office) via remote device485in real-time or near real-time as process500is being performed (e.g., as installation of a pile such as a DDP is taking place in real-time). Operator350and/or design personnel and engineering managers may thereby adjust and/or control system300during process500based on calculations made during step520.

Returning toFIG. 5, at step525, system300and/or users of system300determine whether to adjust or control an operation of system300based on the frictional capacity (e.g., and other calculations) calculated at step520. For example, users of system300such as design personnel, a rig operator, construction personnel, and/or managing personnel may make decisions regarding an installation of a deep foundation in real-time or near real-time based on data and output (e.g., frictional capacity of a pile) provided to users by system300for example as cavity600is being drilled and a pile is being installed. If system300is to be adjusted or controlled, system300proceeds to step530.

At step530, operator350may directly control or adjust, and/or other users (e.g., engineering design personnel, construction and/or engineering management personnel, and/or any other suitable users) may direct operator350to control or adjust or may directly adjust (e.g., via communication techniques for example as described herein), an operation of drilling system305based on calculations, output, and/or determinations provided by system300at step520. For example, operator350may receive data, information, and/or output from system300via user interface345and/or via any other exemplary disclosed communication techniques in real-time or near real-time for example as described herein. Accordingly, operator350may for example change, adjust, or control a torque or pull down imparted by drilling system305to drilling assembly310. Alternatively and/or additionally, for example, any user of system300may directly control (e.g., directly remotely control) an operation of user interface345using any suitable communication technique for example as described herein.

An amount of push-out force that may be applied to the soil by drilling assembly310may be variable, and therefore a user (e.g., operator350or any other suitable user) may have a significant degree of control over process500at step530. For example, by decreasing the applied torque while maintaining a high pull down on the drilling assembly310, operator350(e.g., and/or any other suitable user) may control drilling system305to apply a high outward force on given interface locations322of interface portion321. Also for example, if operator350(e.g., and/or any other suitable user) applies more torque in drilling system305while maintaining a relatively lower pull down on drilling assembly310, the lateral expansive stress on the soil (e.g., on interface locations322of interface portion321) becomes less. For example for installations of process500involving piles of substantially same pile diameter and substantially same soil conditions of soil layer320, different drilling control and/or techniques performed at step530may lead to significantly different values of stresses that are locked into the surrounding soil (e.g., of interface locations322of interface portion321), which may in turn lead to different ultimate frictional capacities of the pile shaft (e.g., as determined at step520). Similarly at step530, attributes of drilling system305(e.g., a size of a piling rig used to install any given pile) may also impact pile capacity. For example, drilling system305having a relatively higher pull down may rely less on torque to achieve penetration into the soil of soil layer320. Accordingly, for the substantially same pile diameter and soil, a given drilling system305may produce piles of a higher capacity compared to another drilling system305having a smaller pull down, which relies more on drilling (e.g., torque) to achieve penetration to any given depth of soil layer320. Therefore, because a force over the depth of a pile that is locked into the surrounding soil (e.g., of interface locations322of interface portion321) at the time of installation of any given pile (e.g., DDP pile) may be determined using process500, a frictional capacity of a pile can be evaluated with confidence. Further as described above, a user (e.g., operator350or any other suitable user) may control system300to achieve a desired pile depth and/or capacity in real-time or near real-time using the exemplary disclosed iterative method of process500(e.g., by using output provided by system300at step520to control or adjust system300at step530in real-time or near real-time).

System300may return to step515to continue a drilling operation based on the control adjustments made at step530. System300may iteratively move between steps515,520,525, and530as desired by users of system300. If no adjustments to control are to be made at step525, system300may proceed to step535as illustrated inFIG. 5.

At step535, a user (e.g., operator350or any other suitable user such as design, management, and/or other personnel) may determine whether a desired capacity or depth has been reached using calculations at step520based on collected data provided by sensors470and/or sensor455. A frictional capacity of the pile to be installed in process500may be calculated by summing the frictional capacities (e.g., of interface locations322) over pile length326(e.g., the depth of the pile to be installed). Accordingly in at least some exemplary embodiments at step535, a total pile capacity for the pile to be installed may be available by the time drilling assembly310reaches a pile tip level324that may correspond to a design depth. Alternatively, if a design capacity of the pile to be installed has been specified (e.g., rather than a pile depth), the drilled depth (e.g., pile tip level324and pile length326) may be modified in real-time or near real-time using process500. For example if a drilled depth (e.g., pile tip level324and pile length326) is to be modified based on the actual pile capacity determined at step520, system300may return to step515as illustrated inFIG. 5. System300may iteratively move between steps515,520,525,530, and535until a desired pile capacity and/or depth is reached at step535based on calculations and determinations made and transferred in real-time or near real-time at step520.

If a user or users (e.g., operator350or any other suitable user such as design, management, and/or other personnel) determine that a desired pile capacity and/or depth is reached at step535based on calculations and determinations made in real-time or near real-time at step520, system300may proceed to step540as illustrated inFIG. 5.

At step540, further penetration into soil or other material of soil layer320is stopped (e.g., terminated). Once drilling assembly310reaches the desired depth (e.g., a bottom of end portion430reaches a desired pile tip level324), material370such as concrete is pumped or poured from reservoir365into drill rod assembly355(e.g., cavity385) and to drilling assembly310(e.g., cavity445) in one continuous operation or by any other suitable technique until cavity385of rod assembly355and cavity445of drilling assembly310are substantially full of material370(e.g., concrete). Subsequently as illustrated inFIG. 6C, drill rod assembly355and drilling assembly310are pulled up by drilling system305, which causes movable member440(e.g., a trap door) at the bottom of drilling assembly310to open up. Material370stored inside cavity445of drilling assembly310then flows out of cavity445and into cavity600of soil layer320. Drill rod assembly355and drilling assembly310are then extracted at a steady rate as additional material370is poured or pumped through cavity385of drill rod assembly355and cavity445of drilling assembly310. During extraction, body member403helps to keep interface portion321stable and cavity600in place during the placement of material370. During extraction, cavity445of drilling assembly310remains substantially full of material370at substantially all times so that a suitable pressure head of material370is provided. The suitable pressure head allows proper flow of material370(e.g., concrete) out through movable member440into cavity600of soil layer320. Flow (e.g., pressure) sensors and/or flow meters of drilling system305(e.g., mounted at appropriate locations on the drilling rig and for example read in real-time or near real-time by operator350or any other suitable user) may be used to confirm (e.g., ensure) that the extraction of drilling assembly310is performed at a rate such that a continuous shaft of material370(e.g., concrete shaft) is obtained during the operation (e.g., concreting operation) at step540. Optionally for example, a reinforcement assembly (e.g., a reinforcement cage such as a rebar cage) and/or any other suitable component or assembly may be placed in cavity600filled with material370. A foundation member such as a pile (e.g., reinforced concrete pile such as a DDP pile) may thereby be installed in cavity600. Process500may end at step545.

In at least some exemplary embodiments and for example as described herein, a lack of availability of the actual lateral stress that is locked into a pile-soil interface at any given depth of a pile may be solved by mounting special pressure sensors in a DDP tools at certain locations and transmitting sensed data in real-time or near real-time through wires that lead through a drill rod. Alternatively, the data from the pressure sensors in the DDP tool may be transmitted using wireless signals. In at least some exemplary embodiments, a receiver mounted at a top of the drill rod may receive the data and relay it through a wireless transmitter to a receiver in a cabin of the piling rig. In at least some exemplary embodiments, a central processing unit in the operator cabin may then convert this data in real time to pressure applied to the soil by the DDP tool at any given depth. In at least some exemplary embodiments, this data may also be relayed in real-time or near real-time to a design office.

In at least some exemplary embodiments, the exemplary disclosed method may be a method for installing a pile in a cavity of a soil layer, including drilling the cavity in the soil layer using a drilling assembly (e.g., drilling assembly310), applying pressure with the drilling assembly during drilling to an interface portion of the soil layer that is adjacent to the cavity, sensing pressure data of the interface portion during drilling, and transferring the pressure data to a controller during drilling. The exemplary disclosed method may also include determining pile capacity data of the pile with the controller during drilling based on the pressure data, transferring the pile capacity data during drilling, and controlling the drilling assembly based on the pile capacity data during drilling. Sensing the pressure data of the interface portion during drilling may include sensing the pressure data, which is indicative of an actual lateral stress locked into the interface portion based on applying pressure with the drilling assembly, using one or more pressure sensors mounted on the drilling assembly. Drilling the cavity in the soil layer using the drilling assembly may include rotating a first body member and a second body member of the drilling assembly, the first body member increasing in diameter in a direction moving from a bottom portion of the first body member to a top portion of the first body member that is attached to the second body member. The second body member may include one or more pressure sensors that sense the pressure data of the interface portion during drilling. Applying pressure with the drilling assembly during drilling to the interface portion may include supporting the interface portion using the second body member during drilling, the second body member may have a substantially constant diameter along its length that is substantially equal to or larger than the diameter of the first body member. The second body member may include one or more pressure sensors that sense the pressure data of the interface portion during drilling. Transferring the pressure data to the controller during drilling may include transferring the pressure data from the drilling assembly to a communication device attached to a drill rod assembly supporting the drilling assembly via a wire connector disposed in the drill rod assembly. The drill rod assembly may include a first member, which includes a cavity that transfers concrete to the drilling assembly that is disposed in a second member so that a drill rod cavity is formed between an outer surface of the first member and an interior surface of the second member. The wire connector may be a cable that is disposed in the drill rod cavity and extends along the drill rod cavity from the drilling assembly to the communication device. Transferring the pressure data to the controller during drilling further may include transferring the pressure data wirelessly in real-time from the communication device to the controller that is either disposed in an operator cab of a drilling rig supporting the drill rod assembly and the drilling assembly or is disposed at an engineering design office located remotely from the drilling rig. Controlling the drilling assembly based on the pile capacity data during drilling may include wirelessly transferring the pile capacity data to a user interface disposed in an operator cab of a drilling rig supporting the drilling assembly, displaying the pile capacity data using the user interface during drilling, and controlling the user interface during drilling based on the pile capacity data. Determining the pile capacity data of the pile with the controller during drilling based on the pressure data may include calculating an ultimate frictional capacity of the pile based on the pressure data sensed along substantially an entire length of the cavity in the soil layer. The exemplary disclosed method may also include stopping drilling of the cavity in the soil layer based on the calculated ultimate frictional capacity and filling the cavity in the soil layer with concrete to form the pile, wherein the pile is a concrete drilled displacement pile.

In at least some exemplary embodiments, the exemplary disclosed apparatus may be an apparatus for installing a pile in a cavity of a soil layer, including a drilling assembly (e.g., drilling assembly310) configured to be supported and driven by a drilling rig, at least one pressure sensor (e.g., sensor470) disposed on the drilling assembly, the at least one pressure sensor configured to sense pressure data that is indicative of an actual lateral stress of the soil layer adjacent to the cavity, and a communication device (e.g., communication device460) disposed on the drilling rig. The exemplary disclosed apparatus may also include a wire connector connecting the communication device and the at least one pressure sensor, a user interface used by an operator of the drilling rig and wirelessly connected to the communication device, and a controller that is wirelessly connected to the communication device. The controller may be configured to receive the pressure data during drilling. The controller may be configured to determine pile capacity data of the pile during drilling based on the pressure data. The controller may be configured to transfer the pile capacity data to the user interface. The drilling assembly may include a first body member and a second body member. The first body member may increase in diameter in a direction moving from a bottom portion of the first body member to a top portion of the first body member that is attached to the second body member. The second body member may include one or more pressure sensors that sense the pressure data of the interface portion during drilling. The second body member may have a substantially constant diameter along its length that is substantially equal to or larger than the diameter of the first body member. The second member may be attached between the first body member and a third body member, which may be connected to a drill rod assembly of the drilling rig that supports the drilling assembly. The first body member and the third body member may each include auger flights. A drill rod assembly of the drilling rig may support the drilling assembly. The drill rod assembly may include a first member, which includes a cavity that transfers concrete to the drilling assembly, that is disposed in a second member so that a drill rod cavity is formed between an outer surface of the first member and an interior surface of the second member. The wire connector may be a cable that is disposed in the drill rod cavity and extends along the drill rod cavity from the drilling assembly to the communication device that is disposed at the drill rod assembly. Concrete may be poured into the drill rod cavity that is in fluid communication with an assembly cavity of the drilling assembly.

In at least some exemplary embodiments, the exemplary disclosed method may be a method for installing a pile in a cavity of a soil layer, comprising drilling the cavity in the soil layer using a drilling assembly (e.g., drilling assembly310), applying pressure with the drilling assembly during drilling to an interface portion of the soil layer that is adjacent to the cavity, sensing pressure data of the interface portion during drilling, and transferring the pressure data in real-time or near real-time to a controller during drilling. The exemplary disclosed method may also include determining pile capacity data of the pile with the controller in real-time or near real-time during drilling based on the pressure data, transferring the pile capacity data to a user interface of a drilling system including the drilling assembly in real-time or near real-time during drilling, and changing an operation of the drilling assembly using the user interface based on the pile capacity data during drilling. The exemplary disclosed method may further include continuously updating a total frictional capacity of the pile based on the pile capacity data in real-time or near real-time as the drilling assembly drills down into the soil layer, and repeatedly changing the operation of the drilling assembly using the user interface based on the total frictional capacity during drilling. Determining the pile capacity data of the pile with the controller in real-time or near real-time during drilling based on the pressure data may include calculating and continuously updating the total frictional capacity of the pile based on the pressure data sensed along substantially an entire length of the cavity in the soil layer in real-time or near real-time. The exemplary disclosed method may additionally include stopping drilling of the cavity in the soil layer using the user interface when the total frictional capacity is substantially equal to a desired frictional capacity, and filling the cavity in the soil layer with concrete to form the pile. The exemplary disclosed method may also include stopping drilling of the cavity in the soil layer using the user interface when the entire length of the cavity is substantially equal to a desired entire length, and transferring data of the total frictional capacity calculated in real-time or near real-time when the drilling is stopped to a remote device disposed remotely from the drilling system.

The exemplary disclosed system, apparatus, and method may provide an efficient and effective technique for accurately and reliably determining a load-carrying capacity of piles such as drilled displacement piles. For example, the exemplary disclosed system, apparatus, and method may provide piles having an adequate factor of safety against applied loads. Also, the exemplary disclosed system, apparatus, and method may prevent unnecessary costs by avoiding the installation of piles having significantly more load-carrying capacity than appropriate.

An illustrative representation of a computing device appropriate for use with embodiments of the system of the present disclosure is shown inFIG. 8. The computing device100can generally be comprised of a Central Processing Unit (CPU,101), optional further processing units including a graphics processing unit (GPU), a Random Access Memory (RAM,102), a mother board103, or alternatively/additionally a storage medium (e.g., hard disk drive, solid state drive, flash memory, cloud storage), an operating system (OS,104), one or more application software105, a display element106, and one or more input/output devices/means107, including one or more communication interfaces (e.g., RS232, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB). Useful examples include, but are not limited to, personal computers, smart phones, laptops, mobile computing devices, tablet PCs, touch boards, and servers. Multiple computing devices can be operably linked to form a computer network in a manner as to distribute and share one or more resources, such as clustered computing devices and server banks/farms.

Various examples of such general-purpose multi-unit computer networks suitable for embodiments of the disclosure, their typical configuration and many standardized communication links are well known to one skilled in the art, as explained in more detail and illustrated byFIG. 9, which is discussed herein-below.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, data may be transferred to the system, stored by the system and/or transferred by the system to users of the system across local area networks (LANs) (e.g., office networks, home networks) or wide area networks (WANs) (e.g., the Internet). In accordance with the previous embodiment, the system may be comprised of numerous servers communicatively connected across one or more LANs and/or WANs. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous manners in which the system could be configured and embodiments of the present disclosure are contemplated for use with any configuration.

In general, the system and methods provided herein may be employed by a user of a computing device whether connected to a network or not. Similarly, some steps of the methods provided herein may be performed by components and modules of the system whether connected or not. While such components/modules are offline, and the data they generated will then be transmitted to the relevant other parts of the system once the offline component/module comes again online with the rest of the network (or a relevant part thereof). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, some of the applications of the present disclosure may not be accessible when not connected to a network, however a user or a module/component of the system itself may be able to compose data offline from the remainder of the system that will be consumed by the system or its other components when the user/offline system component or module is later connected to the system network.

Referring toFIG. 9, a schematic overview of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The system is comprised of one or more application servers203for electronically storing information used by the system. Applications in the server203may retrieve and manipulate information in storage devices and exchange information through a WAN201(e.g., the Internet). Applications in server203may also be used to manipulate information stored remotely and process and analyze data stored remotely across a WAN201(e.g., the Internet).

According to an exemplary embodiment, as shown inFIG. 9, exchange of information through the WAN201or other network may occur through one or more high speed connections. In some cases, high speed connections may be over-the-air (OTA), passed through networked systems, directly connected to one or more WANs201or directed through one or more routers202. Router(s)202are completely optional and other embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure may or may not utilize one or more routers202. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous ways server203may connect to WAN201for the exchange of information, and embodiments of the present disclosure are contemplated for use with any method for connecting to networks for the purpose of exchanging information. Further, while this application refers to high speed connections, embodiments of the present disclosure may be utilized with connections of any speed.

Components or modules of the system may connect to server203via WAN201or other network in numerous ways. For instance, a component or module may connect to the system i) through a computing device212directly connected to the WAN201, ii) through a computing device205,206connected to the WAN201through a routing device204, iii) through a computing device208,209,210connected to a wireless access point207or iv) through a computing device211via a wireless connection (e.g., CDMA, GSM, 3G, 4G) to the WAN201. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that there are numerous ways that a component or module may connect to server203via WAN201or other network, and embodiments of the present disclosure are contemplated for use with any method for connecting to server203via WAN201or other network. Furthermore, server203could be comprised of a personal computing device, such as a smartphone, acting as a host for other computing devices to connect to.

The communications means of the system may be any means for communicating data, including text, binary data, image and video, over one or more networks or to one or more peripheral devices attached to the system, or to a system module or component. Appropriate communications means may include, but are not limited to, wireless connections, wired connections, cellular connections, data port connections, Bluetooth® connections, near field communications (NFC) connections, or any combination thereof. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that there are numerous communications means that may be utilized with embodiments of the present disclosure, and embodiments of the present disclosure are contemplated for use with any communications means.

The exemplary disclosed system may for example utilize collected data to prepare and submit datasets and variables to cloud computing clusters and/or other analytical tools (e.g., predictive analytical tools) which may analyze such data using artificial intelligence neural networks. The exemplary disclosed system may for example include cloud computing clusters performing predictive analysis. For example, the exemplary disclosed system may utilize neural network-based artificial intelligence to predictively assess risk. For example, the exemplary neural network may include a plurality of input nodes that may be interconnected and/or networked with a plurality of additional and/or other processing nodes to determine a predicted result (e.g., a location as described for example herein).

For example, exemplary artificial intelligence processes may include filtering and processing datasets, processing to simplify datasets by statistically eliminating irrelevant, invariant or superfluous variables or creating new variables which are an amalgamation of a set of underlying variables, and/or processing for splitting datasets into train, test and validate datasets using at least a stratified sampling technique. For example, the prediction algorithms and approach may include regression models, tree-based approaches, logistic regression, Bayesian methods, deep-learning and neural networks both as a stand-alone and on an ensemble basis, and final prediction may be based on the model/structure which delivers the highest degree of accuracy and stability as judged by implementation against the test and validate datasets. Also for example, exemplary artificial intelligence processes may include processing for training a machine learning model to make predictions based on data collected by the exemplary disclosed sensors.

Traditionally, a computer program includes a finite sequence of computational instructions or program instructions. It will be appreciated that a programmable apparatus or computing device can receive such a computer program and, by processing the computational instructions thereof, produce a technical effect.

A programmable apparatus or computing device includes one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors, programmable devices, programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, memory devices, application specific integrated circuits, or the like, which can be suitably employed or configured to process computer program instructions, execute computer logic, store computer data, and so on. Throughout this disclosure and elsewhere a computing device can include any and all suitable combinations of at least one general purpose computer, special-purpose computer, programmable data processing apparatus, processor, processor architecture, and so on. It will be understood that a computing device can include a computer-readable storage medium and that this medium may be internal or external, removable and replaceable, or fixed. It will also be understood that a computing device can include a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), firmware, an operating system, a database, or the like that can include, interface with, or support the software and hardware described herein.

Embodiments of the system as described herein are not limited to applications involving conventional computer programs or programmable apparatuses that run them. It is contemplated, for example, that embodiments of the disclosure as claimed herein could include an optical computer, quantum computer, analog computer, or the like.

Regardless of the type of computer program or computing device involved, a computer program can be loaded onto a computing device to produce a particular machine that can perform any and all of the depicted functions. This particular machine (or networked configuration thereof) provides a technique for carrying out any and all of the depicted functions.

A data store may be comprised of one or more of a database, file storage system, relational data storage system or any other data system or structure configured to store data. The data store may be a relational database, working in conjunction with a relational database management system (RDBMS) for receiving, processing and storing data. A data store may comprise one or more databases for storing information related to the processing of moving information and estimate information as well one or more databases configured for storage and retrieval of moving information and estimate information.

Computer program instructions can be stored in a computer-readable memory capable of directing a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner. The instructions stored in the computer-readable memory constitute an article of manufacture including computer-readable instructions for implementing any and all of the depicted functions.

The elements depicted in flowchart illustrations and block diagrams throughout the figures imply logical boundaries between the elements. However, according to software or hardware engineering practices, the depicted elements and the functions thereof may be implemented as parts of a monolithic software structure, as standalone software components or modules, or as components or modules that employ external routines, code, services, and so forth, or any combination of these. All such implementations are within the scope of the present disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that elements of the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions, program instruction technique for performing the specified functions, and so on.

It will be appreciated that computer program instructions may include computer executable code. A variety of languages for expressing computer program instructions are possible, including without limitation Kotlin, Swift, C#, PHP, C, C++, Assembler, Java, HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and so on. Such languages may include assembly languages, hardware description languages, database programming languages, functional programming languages, imperative programming languages, and so on. In some embodiments, computer program instructions can be stored, compiled, or interpreted to run on a computing device, a programmable data processing apparatus, a heterogeneous combination of processors or processor architectures, and so on. Without limitation, embodiments of the system as described herein can take the form of mobile applications, firmware for monitoring devices, web-based computer software, and so on, which includes client/server software, software-as-a-service, peer-to-peer software, or the like.

In some embodiments, a computing device enables execution of computer program instructions including multiple programs or threads. The multiple programs or threads may be processed more or less simultaneously to enhance utilization of the processor and to facilitate substantially simultaneous functions. By way of implementation, any and all methods, program codes, program instructions, and the like described herein may be implemented in one or more thread. The thread can spawn other threads, which can themselves have assigned priorities associated with them. In some embodiments, a computing device can process these threads based on priority or any other order based on instructions provided in the program code.

Unless explicitly stated or otherwise clear from the context, the verbs “process” and “execute” are used interchangeably to indicate execute, process, interpret, compile, assemble, link, load, any and all combinations of the foregoing, or the like. Therefore, embodiments that process computer program instructions, computer-executable code, or the like can suitably act upon the instructions or code in any and all of the ways just described.

The functions and operations presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computing device or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems may also be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these systems will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, along with equivalent variations. In addition, embodiments of the disclosure are not described with reference to any particular programming language. It is appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the present teachings as described herein, and any references to specific languages are provided for disclosure of enablement and best mode of embodiments of the disclosure. Embodiments of the disclosure are well suited to a wide variety of computer network systems over numerous topologies. Within this field, the configuration and management of large networks include storage devices and computing devices that are communicatively coupled to dissimilar computing and storage devices over a network, such as the Internet, also referred to as “web” or “world wide web”.

Throughout this disclosure and elsewhere, block diagrams and flowchart illustrations depict methods, apparatuses (e.g., systems), and computer program products. Each element of the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, as well as each respective combination of elements in the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, illustrates a function of the methods, apparatuses, and computer program products. Any and all such functions (“depicted functions”) can be implemented by computer program instructions; by special-purpose, hardware-based computer systems; by combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions; by combinations of general purpose hardware and computer instructions; and so on—any and all of which may be generally referred to herein as a “component”, “module,” or “system.”

While the foregoing drawings and description set forth functional aspects of the disclosed systems, no particular arrangement of software for implementing these functional aspects should be inferred from these descriptions unless explicitly stated or otherwise clear from the context.

Each element in flowchart illustrations may depict a step, or group of steps, of a computer-implemented method. Further, each step may contain one or more sub-steps. For the purpose of illustration, these steps (as well as any and all other steps identified and described above) are presented in order. It will be understood that an embodiment can contain an alternate order of the steps adapted to a particular application of a technique disclosed herein. All such variations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. The depiction and description of steps in any particular order is not intended to exclude embodiments having the steps in a different order, unless required by a particular application, explicitly stated, or otherwise clear from the context.

The functions, systems and methods herein described could be utilized and presented in a multitude of languages. Individual systems may be presented in one or more languages and the language may be changed with ease at any point in the process or methods described above. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous languages the system could be provided in, and embodiments of the present disclosure are contemplated for use with any language.

It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and features of one embodiment may be employed with other embodiments as the skilled artisan would recognize, even if not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques may be omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments.