Pile foundations are amazing things. Without them, life would look a whole lot wobblier! They keep your home standing upright, so, without pile foundations, your home wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. If you’re new to the world of pile foundations, there’s a lot to take in. What’s usually most confusing to pile foundations newbies is the different types of pile foundation. For example, what’s the difference between bored piling, driven piling and screw piling? By the end of the post, you’ll be an expert on all things pile foundation… just like the team at Techniblock!
1) Screw piles
Screw piles are a common pile foundation which are often more sustainable and cost-effective than other methods of piling. They use circular hollow steel pile shafts with one or more steel helices attached to them. The reason they’re called screw piles is because they screw into the ground, similar to the way a regular screw is used on wood. Screw piles can be a sustainable way of foundation – their installation minimises the amount of soil that’s removed from the ground.
2) Driven piles
Driven piles are hammered into the ground like giant stakes using vibration. They can be placed in position by using temporary or permanent steel casing, or they can also be prepared off site by using pre-cast piles, which can be made from steel, wood or concrete. Driven piles are a great solution for when the foundations are laid in non-cohesive soils, ground with a high water table or when soils contain contaminates.
3) Bored piles
Another common type of pile foundation is bored piling. Bored piles are created by drilling a hole in the ground which is then filled with concrete, making a foundation pile. It’s often used in residential and city areas as there’s minimal vibration compared to other forms of pile foundation.
4) Sheet piles
Sheet piles are a type of driven pile which use interlocking steel sheets. They’re great for creating retaining walls on construction sites when large excavations take place. On sites where temporary soil retention is necessary, sheet piles are a very cost effective solution as they can simply be removed when necessary.
5) Mini piles
Mini piles, or micro piles, are much smaller than regular piles – they range from being 100-400mm in diameter. Mini piles are specially used for areas with limited access, where traditional piling rigs are too large to operate. Mini piles are much nimbler and are perfect for developments in the CBD.
Now that you know how to talk the talk of pile foundation, it’s time to visit the experts who can walk the walk – Techniblock! They’re Melbourne’s leading team of foundation construction and repair experts, specialising in bored piers, screw piling and more. If you want your commercial or residential development to have the strongest foundation possible, contact the team at Techniblock today.