What You Should Know about Foundation Piling

If you want to keep your structure sound for a long time, you need to make sure that the foundation piling you use is well-engineered and up to the task. No building can withstand the effects of the shifting movements of the earth without foundation piling.

A Mere Pile of Rubble

Engineers know what it takes to add just the right foundation piling in London. For example, some types of terrain could not support a high-rise building if piling was not installed. Instead, the building would become a pile of rubble if you did not add this engineering marvel. Piling is necessary to a building’s design so it can remain safe and intact.

A Full-service Engineering Company

You need to count on a company that offers foundation piling services – a business that knows all there is to know about this type of structural support. Without this type of insight, you may as well forget about erecting any type of building or structure.

Why Piling Is Necessary

Without piling, you could not build many types of structures at all. For example, driven piles are commonly used for building foundations. They are the support for many structures. The piles transfer their loads to rock or soil that can bear the building’s weight and also has the desired settlement traits.

Defining a Driven Pile

A foundation is defined as piled when the depth is over three times its width. The driven pile, itself, is a slender and long column that is made with a preformed material and has been configured into a certain shape and size. It is basically installed by hammering, pushing it into the ground, or with vibration. The pile is driven to a depth where it provides the needed resistance. If the soil is compacted, pre-drilling may be needed to make sure the pile reaches its designed depth.

Piles Are Flexible

Driven piles are extremely flexible and can be installed to support tension, compression, or lateral type loads. The driven piles are utilised to meet certain specifications – specifications that are established according to the requirements of a building, its budget, and the condition of the soil.

Types of Pile Materials

Driven piles come in various types of materials. These materials may include steel, pre-cast concrete, timber, or a composite. A composite pile is made with concrete and features a steel tip extension. Static or dynamic testing is performed to confirm pile capacity, or the optimum load that a pile can handle without excessive settlement.

Pile Capacity

Therefore, pile capacity is dependent on three factors:

  • The type of soil in which the pile is driven
  • The technique used for the pile installation
  • The cross section and length of the pile

Normally, a pile hammer is used for driving piles into the ground. The blow count is the number of times the pile must be hammered to be driven to the required depth. If there are variances in the subsurface soil conditions, the pile lengths must be spliced in order to extend the length.