What Is Pile Foundation? Its Types, Uses, Design

What is Pile Foundation?
Its
Types, Uses, Design.
In this article, you’ll learn in details about the Pile Foundation;
its Types, Uses, and Design./su_note]
So, Let’s Start.
Table of Contents [show]
What is Pile Foundation?

Pile foundations are employed when the soil strata
immediately beneath the structure are not capable of
supporting the load with the tolerable settlement or adequate
safety against shear failure.
Pile foundation is a one form of a deep foundation.
Piles are relatively long, slender members that are driven into
the ground or cast-in-situ.
Piles have been used from pre-historic times.
Today pile foundation is more common than any other type of

deep foundation, especially where the soil conditions are
unfavorable for the use of shallow foundations.
Types of Pile Foundation.
Piles may be classified in a number of ways based on
different criteria:
1. function or action,
2. composition and material, and
3. installation.
1. Classification of Pile Based on Function or
action.
The following classification is based on function or action.
(i). End-Bearing Piles.

In End Bearing Piles, the load is transferred through the pile
tip to a suitable bearing stratum.
(ii). Friction Piles.

In Friction Piles, the load is transferred through a depth by
skin friction along the surface area of the pile.
(iv). Tension or Uplift Piles.

This type of pile foundation is used to anchor structures
subjected to uplift due to hydrostatic pressure or overturning
moment due to horizontal forces.
(v). Compaction Piles.

Compaction Piles are used to compact loose granular soils in
order to increase the bearing capacity of soil; a sand pile is
used to form this type of pile as it doesn’t need to carry any
load.
(vi). Anchor Piles.
These Piles are used to provide anchorage against the
horizontal pull.
(vii). Fender Piles.

This type of pile is used to protect waterfront structures
against impact from ships or other floating objects.
(viii). Sheet piles.

Sheet Piles are commonly used as bulkheads or cut-off to
reduce seepage and uplift in hydraulic structures.
(ix). Batter Piles.

Batter Pile is used to resist horizontal and inclined forces,
especially in waterfront structures.
(x). Laterally Loaded Piles.
These types of piles are used to support retaining walls,
bridges and dams, and as fenders in docks and harbors.
2. Types of Pile Base on Composition and

Material.
Piles can also be classified based on material and
composition as follows.
(i). Timber Piles.
Timber of sound quality is used.
Timber piles perform well in either fully dry condition or
submerged condition.
(ii). Steel Piles.

These are usually H-piles, pipe piles, or sheet piles (rolled
sections of regular shapes).
(iii). Concrete Piles.

These may be precast or cast-in-situ.
Precast piles are invariably reinforced.

Cast-in-situ piles are installed by pre-excavation; the common
types are Raymond pile, MacArthur pile, and Franki pile.
(iv). Composite Piles.
These are made of either concrete and timber or concrete
and steel.
They are used when part of the pile is submerged under
water.
3. Types of Pile Based on Installation.

Piles can also be classified based on the method of their
installation.
(i). Driven Piles.

Timber, steel, or precast concrete piles are driven into
position by using pile-driving equipment.
(ii). Cast-in-situ Piles.

Only concrete piles can be cast-in-situ.
Piles are drilled and filled with concrete.

Reinforcements can be added according to requirements.
(iii). Driven and cast-in-situ Piles.

These are a combination of both driven and cast-in-situ piles.
Casing or shell may be used.
The Franki pile falls in this category.

Read Also: Orientation of Building and Rooms.
Uses of Piles.
Piles are used to:
(i) carry vertical compressive loads,

(ii) carry uplift or tensile forces,
and (iii) resist horizontal or inclined loads.
Bearing piles are used to support vertical loads from
the foundations of buildings and bridges.
Point-bearing and friction piles fall in this category.
Tension piles are used to resist upward forces such as uplift

in buildings with basements below ground water level, aprons
of dams, etc.
Laterally loaded piles support horizontal or inclined forces
such as the foundations of retaining walls, bridges, and dams.
Large lateral loads are better resisted by batter piles.
These are illustrated in the above figure.
Watch the video below for better understanding Pile

Foundation.
Bearing Capacity of Pile Foundation.

The ultimate bearing capacity of a pile foundation is the
maximum load it can carry without any shear failure or
excessive settlement.
The allowable load on a pile is the load which can be
imposed on it with an adequate margin of safety; it can be the
ultimate load divided by a suitable factor of safety.
Or the load at which the settlement reaches the allowable

value, whichever is smaller.
The bearing capacity of a pile foundation depends primarily

on the type of soil through which it passes and/or on which it
rests and on the method of installation.
It also depends upon the cross-section and length of the pile.
The pile shaft is a structural column that is fixed at the point

(bottom) and is usually restrained at the top.
The elastic stability of piles, or their resistance against
buckling, has been investigated both theoretically and by load
tests (Bjerrum, 1957).
Both theory and experience demonstrate that buckling rarely
occurs because of the lateral support of the soil.
It may occur only in slender piles in soft clays or in piles that

extend through open air or water.
Hence, an ordinary pile in sand or clay can be designed as if

it were a short column.
A pile transfers the load into the soil in two ways.
Firstly through the tip in compression, called point-bearing or

end-bearing, and secondly, by shear resistance along the
surface, called skin friction.
If the strata through which the pile is driven are weak, the tip,
resting on a hard stratum, transfers a large part of the load;
the pile is then said to be an 'end-bearing pile'.
Piles in homogeneous soils transfer the greater part of the
load by skin friction, and are called 'friction piles'.
However, nearly all piles develop both end-bearing and skin
friction resistance.
The methods available for determining pile bearing capacity

are;
(i) static analysis,

(ii) dynamic analysis,
(iii) load tests on the pile,
and (iv) penetration tests.
The first two tests are analytical, and the other two tests are
the field or practical-oriented methods.
Read Also: What is Wellpoint System. Its Types,

Installation.
Design aspects of Pile Foundation.

The design of a pile foundation consists of assuming the
dimensions of the pile, depth of driving, and other relevant
details.
Then checking the proposed design for safety, and revising it,
if necessary, until it is found to be satisfactory.
Economy and speed of construction are the criteria in

choosing any one of the available alternatives.
The following are the important design aspects.
1. Length of Piles.
The selection of the length of the pile is made from a study of
the soil profile, and the strength and compressibility of the
soilstrata.
End bearing piles must reach a stratum that is capable of
supporting the entire foundation load without failure or
excessive settlement.
Friction piles must be long enough to distribute the stresses
through the soil mass so as to minimize the settlement and
obtain adequate safety.
2. Type and Material of Piles.
The following points should be considered before selecting
the type and material of piles:
(i) the loads,

(ii) time available for completion of the job,
(iii) the characteristics of the soil strata involved,
(iv) the ground water conditions,
(v) the availability of equipment,
and (vi) the statutory requirements of building codes.
If the structure is a bridge abutment or a waterfront structure,
the characteristics of the flow of the water and scour must be
considered.
3. Pile Bearing Capacity.

This design aspect should be determined for an individual pile
and for the group acting as a unit.
An appropriate factor of safety shall be applied to determine

the allowable load.
4. Pile Spacing.
The piles are placed so that the capacity of the piles acting as
a unit is equal to the sum of the capacities of individual piles.
A tolerance of shift at the top of 5 cm to 15 cm and out of

plumb of 1 to 2% of the length may be permitted in the
planned position of piles.
5. Inspection and Records.

Competent engineering inspection and keeping complete
records of driving of every pile is an essential part of any
important job.
All details such as those relating to the hammer, pile, number

of blows, penetration, length driven, heaving and shrinkage of
adjacent ground, and details of pile cap shall be recorded.

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What is Pile Foundation?

Table of Contents [show]

What is Pile Foundation?

Piles have been used from pre-historic times.

Today pile foundation is more common than any other type of

(i). End-Bearing Piles.

(ii). Friction Piles.

(iv). Tension or Uplift Piles.

(v). Compaction Piles.

(vii). Fender Piles.

(viii). Sheet piles.

(ix). Batter Piles.

2. Types of Pile Base on Composition and

(ii). Steel Piles.

(iii). Concrete Piles.

Precast piles are invariably reinforced.

3. Types of Pile Based on Installation.

(i). Driven Piles.

(ii). Cast-in-situ Piles.

Piles are drilled and filled with concrete.

(iii). Driven and cast-in-situ Piles.

Casing or shell may be used.

The Franki pile falls in this category.

(i) carry vertical compressive loads,

Tension piles are used to resist upward forces such as uplift

These are illustrated in the above figure.

Watch the video below for better understanding Pile

Bearing Capacity of Pile Foundation.

Or the load at which the settlement reaches the allowable

The bearing capacity of a pile foundation depends primarily

It also depends upon the cross-section and length of the pile.

The pile shaft is a structural column that is fixed at the point

It may occur only in slender piles in soft clays or in piles that

Hence, an ordinary pile in sand or clay can be designed as if

Firstly through the tip in compression, called point-bearing or

The methods available for determining pile bearing capacity

(i) static analysis,

Read Also: What is Wellpoint System. Its Types,

Design aspects of Pile Foundation.

Economy and speed of construction are the criteria in

The following are the important design aspects.

(i) the loads,

3. Pile Bearing Capacity.

An appropriate factor of safety shall be applied to determine

A tolerance of shift at the top of 5 cm to 15 cm and out of

5. Inspection and Records.

All details such as those relating to the hammer, pile, number

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