Foundation Piling: An Overview
Foundation piling is a type of support for a building or other structure and can be made from a variety of different materials such as steel, wood, concrete or even a combination of different materials. Foundation piling provides stability so it needs to be incredibly sturdy so it can cope with extreme weight and pressure.
As well as different materials, there are also different types of piling available. The first method of piling is referred to as driven piles. Driven piles can be made from wood, steel or concrete and are inserted into the ground using a pile driver. The pile driver causes the surrounding earth the move which results in resistance against the driven pile – and therefore more stability.
Drilled piles have a very wide diameter which means that the insertion site needs to be sizeable enough to accommodate the piles. Drilled piles are commonly used in areas which have very dense, compact or hard layers of earth.
Continuous Flight Auger piles – or CFA piles – do not have any casing which means that the hollow drilling technique fills the hollow auger with concrete. A concrete pillar is then formed once the auger is removed.
Micro piles tend to be made from steel and are ideal for use on smaller construction sites. Micro piles are extremely versatile, convenient and great for use when space is very restricted.
Sheet piling is constructed from interlocking steel barriers which hold back earth and water which allows construction projects, which would otherwise be cancelled, to go ahead