Pile foundations and a wall to resist river banks
Hand pile-driver, oak and alder piles, and a battered brick river-wall on piling
The sheet gathers tools and methods for founding buildings on wet ground. A hand pile-driver (battipalo) of oak bound with iron rings, and pointed piles of oak or alder cut green, are specified, with a recollection of the old walls of Pavia refounded on the banks of the Ticino, whose oak piles had turned black as coal and the alder piles red as brazilwood. A long saw blade is also drawn. At the foot, a wall foundation marked M shows how, once the piles are driven, a drainage channel is set over any water-springs, fresh lime is poured to level the pile-heads, and a battered brick wall four braccia thick with spurs is raised to hold back the banks of rivers.
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Hand pile-driver (battipalo)
A rammer about half a braccio thick and two braccia long, fitted with four handles for gripping. It is made of oak and bound with iron rings at its heads so it can withstand the repeated blows of driving piles.
Pointed piles of oak or alder
Piles a third to half a braccio thick and about two and a half braccia long, of oak or alder and above all green. The note recalls the old walls of Pavia refounded on the Ticino, whose oak piles had gone black as coal and alder piles red as brazilwood, heavy and hard as iron and without blemish; their holes are begun with an iron bar.
Saw blade
A long saw blade is drawn horizontally across the middle of the sheet, with handled ends. The notebook records only its title and leaves the description blank.
Foundation of a wall (M) against river banks
Once the piles are driven, a channel is laid over any water-springs at M and fresh lime is poured to level the pile-heads, which project one third of a braccio; large square bricks are then walled above. To resist river banks the wall is four braccia thick and battered one oncia every two braccia, with four-braccia spurs every four braccia running into the earth of the embankments.