The Department of Construction Management at the Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering is developing a technology for installing bored piles in winter conditions using preheated concrete mix.
Anna Tsarenko, a senior lecturer at the SPbGASU Department of Construction Management, conducted a research project titled "Technology for the Installation of Bored Piles in Winter Conditions Using Preheated Concrete Mix" as part of a grant competition for research projects by SPbGASU academic staff in 2026.
The work opens up new opportunities for the construction industry in St Petersburg and other regions with similar climatic conditions.
The relevance of the study is determined by the increase in the volume of bored pile installation in St Petersburg, taking into account the preservation of the upper part of the piles, increased technological reliability, reduced concrete strength gain time, reduced labor costs and the cost of concrete work during winter, which, in turn, requires the improvement of existing technologies for the installation of bored piles.
The study, generalization and analysis of the experience of applying methods and techniques for winter concreting of bored piles in construction practice, as well as the study of scientific works of domestic and foreign researchers, determined the most effective methods for concreting medium-mass structures with a surface modulus of no more than 6–8 m–1 at negative ambient temperatures.
Improving the technology for installing bored piles in winter conditions using preheated concrete mix is aimed at reducing labor intensity and cost while simultaneously improving product quality.
To achieve the set goal, the following tasks were completed:
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a review and comparative analysis of existing methods for concreting bored piles in winter conditions was carried out;
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the main technological factors influencing the strength gain of concrete mixture in bored piles have been substantiated;
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changes in the temperature of the concrete mixture in the bored pile shaft in contact with seasonally frozen soil were studied when changing various technological factors using the Frost 3D program;
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the dependences of the influence of technological factors on the kinetics of growth and the final strength of concrete were identified, taking into account the curing time of bored piles based on calculations in the ConcreteTermo program;
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a methodology for the technology of installing bored piles in winter conditions with the care of freshly laid concrete under various technological factors has been developed based on computer simulation modeling.
The scientific novelty of this work lies in substantiating technological factors, assessing their impact on the distribution of temperature fields in the concrete mix and hardening concrete along the length of bored piles, and determining the relationship between the influence of technological factors on the kinetics of concrete strength gain and the final strength of concrete, taking into account the curing time of bored piles, based on calculations in the ConcreteTermo program. Furthermore, a methodology for selecting a technology for installing bored piles in winter conditions is proposed, allowing for predicting the rate of concrete strength gain while simultaneously reducing labor intensity, labor costs, and improving product quality in winter conditions.
The proposed method allows, even at the production engineering (PE) stage, to determine the optimal temperature for preheating the mixture and the curing time of the concrete, ensuring the required characteristics of the structure at minimal cost.
The study is based on a synthesis of mathematical modeling methods, multivariate analysis, and physical experiments. The use of Frost 3D and ConcreteTermo software packages allows for highly accurate simulation of real-world concrete curing conditions and verification of the obtained theoretical data.
The results of the study are of interest to a number of specialists in the construction industry:
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for design organizations, giving them the opportunity to incorporate into their projects cost-effective and technologically advanced solutions for the installation of bored piles in the winter period based on predictive models;
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for general contractors and construction companies as a tool for reducing construction time, labor costs and costs while maintaining high quality of the groundwork;
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for students and postgraduates in construction specialties as a relevant basis for further scientific research in the field of construction technology and organization.
The research materials will also find application in the educational process of SPbGASU in training specialists in construction specialties.
This news is published based on the results of the SPbGASU 2026 grant.
