Pile Foundation - Need and Functions

PILE FOUNDATION – NEED
AND FUNCTIONS
Pile foundation is required when the soil bearing capacity is not sufficient
for the structure to withstand. This is due to the soil condition or the
order of bottom layers, type of loads on foundations, conditions at site
and operational conditions.
Many factors prevent the selection of surface foundation as a suitable

foundation such as the nature of soil and intensity of loads, we use the
piles when the soil have low bearing capacity or in building in water like
bridges and dams
A pile foundation consists of two components: Pile cap and single or

group of piles. Piles transfers the loads from structures to the hard strata,
rocks or soil with high bearing capacity. These are long and slender
members whose length can be more than 15m.
Piles can be made from concrete, wood or steel depending on the

requirements. These piles are then driven, drilled or jacked into the
ground and connected to pile caps. Pile foundation are classified based on
material of pile construction, type of soil, and load transmitting
characteristic of piles.
1. Pilefoundation
2. Foundation design
3.construction foundation
The use of pile foundations as load carrying and load transferring systems
has been for many years. Timber piles were used in early days, driven in
to the ground by hand or holes were dug and filled with sand and stones.
The use of steel pile started since 19th century and concrete piles since
20th century.
With the change in technology and industrial revolution, many advance

systems have been devloped for pile driving from the invention of steam
and diesel pile driving machines.
The use of pile foundations is increasing day by day due to non-

availability of land for construction. Heavy multi-storyed building are
being constructed, and load from these structures can not be directly
transferred to ground due to low bearing capacity issue and stability
issues of building during lateral load application. So, demand for use of
pile foundations are increasing day by day. Due to this demand for piles,
there have been many improvements in piles and pile driving technology
and systems. Today there are many advanced techniques of pile
installation.
Function of Pile Foundation:
As other types of foundations, the purpose of pile foundations is:
– To transmit the buildings loads to the foundations and the ground soil
layers whether these loads vertical or inclined
– To install loose cohesion less soil through displacement and vibration.
– To control the settlements; which can be accompanied by surface

foundations.
– To increase the factor of safety for heavy loads buildings
The selection of type of pile foundation is based on site investigation

report. Site investigation report suggests the need of pile foundation,
type of pile foundation to be used, depth of pile foundation to be
provided. The cost analysis of various options for use of pile foundation
should be carried out before selection of pile foundation types.
Unless the ground condition is rocks, for heavy construction and multi-
storied buildings, thebearing capacity of soil at shallow depth may not be
satisfactory for the loads on the foundation. In such cases, pile
foundation has to be provided. The number of piles in a pile groups
required is calculate from the pile capacity of single pile and the loads on
the foundation. Piles are a convenient method of foundation for works
over water, such as jetties or bridge piers.
Piles can by classified on the basis of following characteristics:
1. Mechanism of Load Transfer (Also See: Load Capacity of Piles)

2. Method of Installation
3. Type of Materials
Classification of Piles on the basis of load transfer
Types of piles based on the mechanism of Load Transfer:
End/Point Bearing Piles:
If a bedrock or rocklike material is present at a site within a reasonable depth, piles can be
extended to the rock surface. In this case, the ultimate bearing capacity of the pile
depends entirely on the underlying material; thus the piles are called end or point bearing
piles. In most of these cases the necessary length of the pile can be fairly well established.
Instead of bedrock, if a fairly compact and hard
stratum of soil is encountered at a reasonable
depth, piles can be extended a few meters into
the hard stratum.
Friction Piles:
In these types of piles, the load on pile is

resisted mainly by skin/friction resistance along
the side of the pile (pile shaft). Pure friction
piles tend to be quite long, since the load-
carrying. Capacity is a function of the shaft
area in contact with the soil. In cohesion less
soils, such as sands of medium to low density,
friction piles are often used to increase the density and thus the shear strength. When no
layer of rock or rocklike material is present at a reasonable depth at a site, point/end
bearing piles become very long and uneconomical. For this type of subsoil condition, piles
ate driven through the softer material to specified depth.
Friction cum end bearing piles
In the majority of cases, however, the load-carrying capacity is dependent on both end-

bearing and shaft friction.
Driven or displacement piles
They are usually pre-formed before

being driven, jacked, screwed or
hammered into ground. This
category consists of driven piles of
steel or precast concrete and piles
formed by driving tubes or shells
which are fitted with a driving shoe.
The tubes or shells which are filled
with concrete after driving. Also
included in this category are piles
formed by placing concrete as the
driven piles are withdrawn.
(Also See: Types of Soil Settlement )
Bored or Replacement piles
They require a hole to be first bored into which the pile is then formed usually of reinforced
concrete. The shaft (bore) may be eased or uncased depending upon type of soil.
Types of Piles based on Materials

Timber piles
 Timber piles are made of-tree trunks driven with small end as a point
 Maximum length: 35 m; optimum length: 9 - 20m
 Max load for usual conditions: 450 kN; optimum load range = 80 - 240 kN
Disadvantages of using timber piles:
Difficult to splice, vulnerable to damage in hard driving, vulnerable to decay unless treated with
preservatives (If timber is below permanent Water table it will apparently last forever), if
subjected to alternate wetting & drying, the useful life will be short, partly embedded piles or
piles above Water table are susceptible to damage from wood borers and other insects unless
treated.
Advantages:
Comparatively low initial cost, permanently submerged piles are resistant to decay, easy to
handle, best suited for friction piles in granular material.
Steel piles
 Maximum length practically unlimited, optimum length: 12-50m

 Load for usual conditions = maximum allowable stress x cross-sectional area
 The members are usually rolled HP shapes/pipe piles. Wide flange beams & I beams
proportioned to withstand the hard driving stress to which the pile may be subjected. In HP
pile the flange thickness = web thickness, piles are either welded or seamless steel pipes,
which may be driven either open ended or closed end. Closed end piles are usually filled
with concrete after driving.
 Open end piles may be filled but this is not often necessary., dm
Advantages of steel piles:
Easy to splice, high capacity, small displacement, able to penetrate through light obstructions,
best suited for end bearing on rock, reduce allowable capacity for corrosive locations or provide
corrosion protection.
Disadvantages:
 Vulnerable to corrosion.
 HP section may be damaged/deflected by major obstruction
Concrete Piles
 Concrete piles may be precast, prestressed, cast in place, or of composite construction

 Precast concrete piles may be made using ordinary reinforcement or they may be
prestressed.
 Precast piles using ordinary reinforcement are designed to resist bending stresses during
picking up & transport to the site & bending moments from lateral loads and to provide
sufficient resistance to vertical loads and any tension forces developed during driving.
 Prestressed piles are formed by tensioning high strength steel prestress cables, and casting
the concrete about the cable. When the concrete hardens, the prestress cables are cut, with
the tension force in the cables now producing compressive stress in the concrete pile. It is
common to higher-strength concrete (35 to 55 MPa) in prestressed piles because of the
large initial compressive stresses from prestressing. Prestressing the piles, tend to
counteract any tension stresses during either handling or driving.
 Max length: 10 - 15 m for precast, 20 - 30 m for prestressed
 Optimum length 10 - 12 m for precast. 18 - 25m prestressed
 Loads for usual conditions 900 for precast. 8500 kN for prestressed
 Optimum load range: 350 - 3500 kN
Advantages:
1. High load capacities, corrosion resistance can be attained, hard driving possible
2. Cylinder piles in particular are suited for bending resistance.
3. Cast in place concrete piles are formed by drilling a hole in the ground & filling it with concrete.
The hole may be drilled or formed by driving a shell or casing into the ground.
Disadvantages:
1. Concrete piles are considered permanent, however certain soils (usually organic) contain
materials that may form acids that can damage the concrete.
2. Salt water may also adversely react with the concrete unless special precautions are taken when
the mix proportions are designed. Additionally, concrete piles used for marine structures may
undergo abrasion from wave action and floating debris in the water.
3. Difficult to handle unless prestressed, high initial cost, considerable displacement, prestressed
piles are difficult to splice.
4. Alternate freezing thawing can cause concrete damage in any exposed situation.
Composite piles
In general, a composite pile is made up of two or more sections of different materials or different pile
types. The upper portion could be eased cast-in-place concrete combined with a lower portion of
timber, steel H or concrete filled steel pipe pile. These piles have limited application and arc employed
under special conditions.

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PILE FOUNDATION – NEED

Many factors prevent the selection of surface foundation as a suitable

A pile foundation consists of two components: Pile cap and single or

Piles can be made from concrete, wood or steel depending on the

With the change in technology and industrial revolution, many advance

The use of pile foundations is increasing day by day due to non-

– To install loose cohesion less soil through displacement and vibration.

– To control the settlements; which can be accompanied by surface

– To increase the factor of safety for heavy loads buildings

The selection of type of pile foundation is based on site investigation

Piles can by classified on the basis of following characteristics:

1. Mechanism of Load Transfer (Also See: Load Capacity of Piles)

Classification of Piles on the basis of load transfer

Types of piles based on the mechanism of Load Transfer:

End/Point Bearing Piles:

In these types of piles, the load on pile is

Friction cum end bearing piles

In the majority of cases, however, the load-carrying capacity is dependent on both end-

Driven or displacement piles

They are usually pre-formed before

Bored or Replacement piles

Types of Piles based on Materials

Disadvantages of using timber piles:

 Maximum length practically unlimited, optimum length: 12-50m

 Concrete piles may be precast, prestressed, cast in place, or of composite construction

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