BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

PILE FOUNDATION
• Foundations can be categorized as shallow foundations or deep
foundations.
• Shallow foundations are typically used where the loads imposed by a
structure are low relative to the bearing capacity of the surface soils.
• Deep foundations are necessary where the bearing capacity of the
surface soils is insufficient to support loads imposed and so they are
transferred to deeper layers with higher bearing capacity.
• Pile foundations are principally used to transfer the loads from
superstructures, through weak, compressible strata or water onto
stronger, more compact, less compressible and stiffer soil or rock at
depth, increasing the effective size of a foundation and resisting
horizontal loads. They are typically used for large structures, and in
situations where soil is not suitable to prevent excessive settlement.

• As pile foundations carry a lot of load, they must be designed very

carefully. A good study of the soil the piles are placed in to ensure that
the soil is not overloaded beyond its bearing capacity.

• Every pile has a zone of influence on the soil around it. Care must be
taken to space the piles far enough apart so that loads are distributed
evenly over the entire bulb of soil that carries them, and not
concentrated into a few areas.
Following are the situations when using a pile foundation system can be
• When the groundwater table is high.
• Heavy and non-uniform loads from superstructure are imposed.
• Other types of foundations are costlier or not feasible.
• When the soil at shallow depth is compressible.
• When there is the possibility of scouring, due to its location near the river bed or seashore, etc.
• When there is a canal or deep drainage systems near the structure.
• When soil excavation is not possible up to the desired depth due to poor soil condition.
• When it becomes impossible to keep the foundation trenches dry by pumping or by any other measure due to
heavy inflow of seepage.

Classifications of pile foundation

• A wide range of pile types is available for applications with various soil types and structural requirements.
• Piles may be classified by their basic design function (end-bearing, friction or a combination) or by their
method of construction (displacement (driven) or replacement (bored)).

1. Material (wood, steel, etc.).

2. Method of installation
3. Effect on surrounding soils during installation.
Types of piles:

1. Bearing Piles: Driven into the ground until hard stratum is reached
2. Friction Piles: used where soil is soft throughout, utilizes the frictional resistance force
between the pile surface and adjacent soil to transfer the superstructure load.
3. Sheet Piles: Function as retaining wall.
4. Anchor Piles : provide anchorage against horizontal pull from sheet piling walls or other
pulling forces
5. Batter Piles: are inclined to resist large horizontal forces
6. Fender Piles: Used to function as retaining walls · Used to protect concrete deck or other
waterfront structures from the abrasion or impact
7. Compaction Piles :
Driven in granular soil, aimed to
increase the bearing capacity of
the soil.
Concrete Pile Pre-Cast Piles

1. Pre-Cast Piles • In construction, precast concrete piles are usually

2. Cast-in-situ Piles square or hexagonal tubes or tube segments. They
3. Prestressed Concrete Piles feature solid cross-section designs for short and
moderate length units.
• They are also built light, by hollowing out the interior
in hexagonal, circular or octagonal sections. The
result is a pipe section that saves weight and can stand
up under high pressure.
• Once driven into place, each pile’s interiors can also
be filled with concrete. This adds structure for better
overall reinforcement and weatherproofing. This is
especially crucial where piles experience severe frost
action, as it helps prevent them from cracking.

• Drainage holes may also be created to stop water

accumulating in the hollow interiors of the pipes
themselves.
• Piles that carry applied loads in end-bearing,
predominantly, should drive through soft clay and into
dense sands.
Cast-in-situ Piles Cast-in-situ Piles

1. Simplex pile Cast in-situ piles are constructed by driving a closed-

2. Franki pile ended hollow steel or concrete casing into the ground and
3. Vibro pile then filling it with concrete.
4. Vibro-expanded pile
5. Raymond pile
6. Mac Arthur pile

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1. Simplex pile:

• This type of pile may be driven through soft or hard soil.

• A steel tube having an internal diameter equal to
the diameter of the pile and 20 mm in thickness, is
driven into the ground.
• To facilitate driving of the pile, the steel tube is
fitted with a detachable steel shoe that completely
closes the bottom of the tube.
• When the tube has been driven to the required
depth, a charge of concrete is poured into the tube
and the tube is gradually withdrawn leaving the charge
of concrete below.
• Thus by alternately pouring the concrete and withdrawing
the tube, the pile is constructed to its full length.
• The metallic shoe remains in place and hence a new one
is needed for each pile In case the pile is required to be
reinforced, the reinforcement cage is lowered into the
steel tube prior to the pouring of concrete.
2. Franki pile:

• This type of pile has an enlarged base and a corrugated stem.

A steel tube, having its internal diameter equal to the diameter
of the pile required, is held vertical at the ground level with the
help of leads.
• A charge of concrete is poured at its base filling the bottom
60 cm to 90 cm of the tube.
•The charge of concrete is consolidated into a solid plug by the
blows of the drop hammer working inside the tube.
• Further blows of the hammer on the plug pull the tube down on
account of the friction developed between the concrete and the
inside surface of the tube.
• When the tube has been driven to the required depth, it is slightly
raised’ and the plug is forced out of the tube by hammering.
• The reinforcement cage (if needed) is then lowered inside the tube.
• A fresh charge of concrete is then poured in the tube and rammed
well by the drop hammer while the tube is pulled up a short
distance.
• The repeated process produces a series of corrugations on the stem
of the pile and the pile is thus completed.
3. Vibro pile:

• This type of pile is best suited for places where the ground is
soft and offers little frictional resistance to the flow of concrete.
• A steel tube fitted with a cast iron shoe is first driven upto the
required depth.
• There is a water-tight joint between the shoe and the casing so
that even if the pile is to be driven in water-logged ground, the soil
and the sub-soil water cannot find an access in the tube before the
concreting is done.
• The reinforcement cage (if needed) is lowered in the tube at this
stage.
• The charge of concrete is then poured in the tube. The extraction
of the tube and the ramming of concrete is affected by the upward
and the downward blows of the hammer.
• The tube is connected to the hammer by extracting links.
• During the upward blow of hammer the tube is raised up by a
short distance and the concrete moves down to fill the space left
by the tube.
• During the downward blow, the concrete is compacted and
rammed outwards and forming corrugated surface for the pile.
• This results in increased friction between the pile surface and the
surrounding ground.
4. Vibro-expanded pile:

• This type of pile is best suited for places where the ground is soft and offers little frictional resistance to the flow of concrete.
• A steel tube fitted with a cast iron shoe is first driven to the required depth.
• There is a water-tight joint between the shoe and the casing so that even if the pile is to be driven in water-logged ground,
the soil and the sub-soil water cannot find an access in the tube before the concreting is done.
• The reinforcement cage (if needed) is
lowered in the tube at this stage.
• The charge of concrete is poured in the tube.
• The extraction of the tube and the ramming
of concrete is affected by the upward and the
downward blows of the hammer.
• The tube is connected to the hammer by
extracting links.
• During the upward blow of hammer the tube
is raised up by a short distance and the
concrete moves down to fill the space
left by the tube.
• During the downward blow, the concrete is
compacted and rammed outwards thereby
forming corrugated surface for the pile.
• This results in increased friction between the
pile surface and the surrounding ground.
5. Raymond pile:
• Raymond pile is used primarily as a friction pipe.
• It is uniform heavy taper of 1in30 result in short piles for equal
driving resistance or higher driving resistance for equal lengths, than
piles of lesser or no taper.
• Length of piles varies from 6 to 12m & diameter of piles vary from
40 to 60cm at top and 20 to 30 at bottom. The shell is driven into the
ground with a collapsible steel core in it having the same taper.
• The Raymond piles are mainly a type of friction pile.
•The Pile consists of a thin corrugated shell (casing) closed at the
bottom. The steel shell is reinforced with spirally wound hard
drawn wire. 
•The shell is driven into the ground with a collapsible steel mandrel
or core in it having the same taper.
• When the Pile is driven to the desired depth mandrel is
mechanically collapsed and withdrawn, leaving the shell inside the
ground.
• The shell is inspected internally by using the light from a mirror or
flashlight or drop light.
• This empty shell is gradually poured with concrete up to the top.
6. Mac Arthur pile:
•In this type of pile the apparatus consists of an outer casting (a hollow
steel pipe ) and an inner core. The bottom of the core is of such a size
that it completely closes the open base.
•A heavy steel casing with a core is driven into the ground as
shown in fig. These types of pile foundations are used when
the desired depth is reached, the core is withdrawn and a
corrugated steel shell is placed in the casing.
• When the bulb at the base has been formed to the required area the
casting is gradually withdrawn.
• Concrete is filled to to form a stem of constant diameter.
• Finally, concrete is placed in the shell, by gradually compacting
it, and withdrawing the steel casing.
Sheet piling:

• Sheet piles are sections of sheet steel with interlocking edges (or clutches) that are driven into the ground to provide
earth retention and excavation support.
• Vibratory hammers are often used to install sheet piles, although if soils are too hard/dense impact hammers can be used
• Used to provide temporary retention of very deep local elements of the foundation – eg core or lift overruns.
• Provided for tunnel portals and in marine locations for riverbank protection, seawalls, cofferdams etc.
• When handled correctly the value of sheet piles to a project is enhanced by the ability to use and re-use them.
• It comes in square and rectangular cross section.
• It can be driven and located on site to form continuous wall.
• Interlock between two sheet pile is facilitated by tongue and groove joint which extend up to the full length in most
cases.
• Piles are reinforced to avoid cracks due to rough handling or shrinkage stress.