Pile Foundation
What is a Pile Foundation?
The sake of a pile foundation is a deep type of foundation used to hold and support structures if soil, where the surface is weak, is not reliable. Instead of building on top of the soil, columns made of strong materials (the so-called “piles”) are being driven deep into the ground to reach the rock or more dressed soil layers. These piles carry the structure’s weight to these stronger layers, such that the building is firm and safe.
Why is a Pile Foundation Needed?
A pile foundation is required in cases where the top strata are too weak, soft, or unstable to carry a building. If the structure were to be built on this type of soil, it could sink, tilt, or come down over some time. The piles guarantee that the weight of the building is distributed over the deeper, more stable ground, thus ensuring a stable and safe passage. Pile foundations, therefore, become a frequent option for large buildings, bridges, or structures built on water or along riverbanks, where the ground is often soft or unstable.
Types of Pile Foundations
- End-Bearing Piles: One type of pile design, end-bearing piles, are going into soil grounds which will become stable rock or dense soil. The load of the building is delivered via the pile which transfers it completely to the rock or a hard soil layer. This kind of pile acts like a column that stands on a firm base.
- Friction Piles: Friction piles, on the other hand, will not push into the hard layer of rock or soil. Alternatively, the weight of the building is kept on the pile’s surface by the friction back and forth between the soil around it and the pile’s surface. The more pile helps, it will further hold the building by generating more friction, resulting in stability for the structure.
How Are Pile Foundations Installed?
Piles are installed by driving or drilling them into the earth. These piles can be made of concrete, steel, or wood as per the usage of the structure. A machine drives the piles into the ground until they establish contact with a stable layer. In some instances, the piles are drilled into place. After snapping the piles, the construction of the foundation for the building is spread out so that the weight is evenly transferred onto all the piles.
Benefits of Pile Foundations
- Stability: The property for piles is guaranteed by the nature of the pile foundations thanks to the fact that they create a strong base even in the case of soft or unstable soil.
- Load Distribution: Pile foundations enable the transfer of the building’s weight to the piles evenly, prohibiting any sinking or shifting of the building.
- Versatility: Piled foundations embrace structures of every type ranging from single houses to bridges and even skyscraper heights. This is even the case with uneven and waterlogged grounds.
Conclusion
A pile foundation is a deep foundation system that utilizes long columns (piles) to reach strong layers of soil or rock. This design guarantees the stability of the buildings over weak or soft soil conditions. Therefore, it has become a common option for major constructions or projects in places where the surface soil cannot be relied upon to support it. The resource is frequent in the milieu of such diverse edifice, I prefer it when the ‘last mile’ surface support is no longer the architect’s bane.
