TYPES OF PILES

Piling What is piling? Piles can be made from steel or timber although in most housing work piles are made from insitu or pre-cast reinforced concrete. They are used either to transmit loads from the building through soft or compressible ground to firmer strata below (end bearing pile), or to distribute loads into the subsoil along the length of the pile (friction pile). In housing, a concrete beam across the top of the pilesdistributes the load from the loadbearing brickwork into the piles themselves. There are a number of different piling systems. Some, (replacement piles), bore out the ground and then replace the void with concrete. A reinforcement cage is lowered into the wet concrete to resist any lateral forces in the ground which might fracture the pile, and to provide a connection for the ground beam which will support the walls. Others, (displacement piles) are forced into the ground, pushing it out of the way as the piles are driven home.

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When the piles are in position a reinforced ground beamis positioned over the top. This takes the load from the walls and distributes it into the piles. A typical house might be supported on 10-20 piles. These are pre-cast piles which are driven into the ground to a depth determined by engineers.

SANHITA VARTAK,45

SANHITA VARTAK,45

SANHITA VARTAK,45

Why is piling becoming more common? 20 or 30 years ago piling was comparatively rare for housing (other than medium and high rise flats). Since then, several factors have led to an increase in the use of piled foundations. These include: the increased pressure to re-develop 'brownfield' sites, where strip foundations may not always be appropriate increased costs of 'carting away' and tipping surplus excavation from foundation trenches (particularly in cities) the development and easy availability of smaller piling rigs and piling systems which are, nowadays, cost effective for house foundations greater understanding of piling in general (partly through better building education). Factors affecting choice There are literally dozens of piling companies in the UK each offering a number of different piling systems. In many cases more than one piling system will suit a particular set of circumstances. However, when choosing a piling system there are four main criteria to consider: building load the nature of the ground (ie, the subsoil) local environmental or physical constraints (noise restrictions, height restrictions) cost

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The functions of a pile cap are:

1. 2. 3.

Pile caps are thick slabs used to tie a group of piles together to support and transmit column loads to the piles.

To distribute a single load equally over the pile group and thus over a greater area of bearing potential, To laterally stabilise individual piles thus increasing overall stability of the group. And To provide the necessary combined resistance to stresses set up by the superstructure and/or ground movement.

Pile Cap Arrangement Spacing of the piles in the pile group The following should be considered when determining the spacing of the piles: 1. Overall cost of the foundation 2. Nature of the ground 3. Pile behaviour in the group 4. Resulting possible heave or compaction of ground causing damage to adjacent structures 5. Cost of pile cap 6. Size and effective length of ground beam 7. Type and size of pile SANHITA VARTAK,45

TYPICAL ARRANGEMENT OF PILES

SANHITA VARTAK,45