Piling is a crucial element in the stability and success of many building structures like homes, bridges and roads. Piling provides the support that a structure needs when the soil is unable to support a heavy load. It’s beneficial and useful, but what is piling?
What is piling?
Piling is the addition of vertical structural elements that are driven or bored into the ground to transfer the building loads to the soil when the soil is considered to have a weak soil structure. This means that piles are generally used when the bearing capacity of the soil is poor for the structural load above the ground. The piles transfer the load to the solid ground at depth.
A pile foundation is used when the soil at the surface is weak. The weak top layer of soil will not be able to support a building, so the building loads go through the soil to solid rock or soil.
Piling is what has been used for centuries during the construction of foundations on weak peat soils near rivers. As many villages were built near rivers and lakes, the weak bearing soil was reinforced with the use of timber piles that were manually forced into the ground. Another alternative was to create a deep hole and fill it with stones and sand. Timber was more commonly used because of its strength, ease of cutting and lightness for handling.
What are piles?
Now you know what piling is, you are probably wondering what piles are. Piles are usually made from timber, concrete or steel in the shape of a cylinder. Concrete piles are bored into the ground and poured into the holes. Steel piles come in different variations, with screw piles being very commonplace in domestic buildings.
Piling is the key to ensuring your building site is stable to ensure the longevity of your building. Piling is a cost-effect approach to soil stability and can often significantly improve the life expectancy of a structure. With many benefits of pile foundations, there are several piling options to suit your needs.
Learn more about Using Piling In Your Next Construction Project here.
