Concrete Pile

A concrete pile is a reinforced concrete structural element that is placed below the surface of the earth with a cross-sectional shape that is either circular, square, or any other shape.

In this article you’ll learn:

So, if you’re ready to go with a concrete pile this article is for you.

Let’s dive right in.

What is Concrete Pile?

A concrete pile is a foundation drilled deeply into the ground to support the structure as opposed to shallow or wide foundations such as isolated footings or combined footings.

The diameter or width is typically significantly smaller than the length.

Due to their often-astonishing length/depth, piles frequently have a larger load capacity than the previously described shallow footings.

Purpose of Concrete Pile:

• When the top soil layers of a construction site are extremely fragile and incapable of supporting the building, which is typically the case with moist, clay-like soil, concrete piles are employed.
• Bypassing these unstable ground conditions, piles move the building loads to a more solid stratum of earth, such as bedrock.
• When the building loads are heavy and take up little space, employ concrete piles.
• Concrete piles have higher structural capacities and greater longevity than steel is more flexible than concrete.
• It needs more powerful lifting equipment and is often destroyed when being driven.

Types of Concrete Piles:

1. Cast-in-place Concrete pile:

Precast piles are less typically utilized than cast-in-place heaps.

Due to its simplicity of handling and lack of storage needs, this pile is superior to precast piles.

 Precast piles must be stored on-site because transferring them comes with a risk of harm.

Cased piles offer a more secure and precise concrete placing whereas uncased heaps provide a more cost-effective cast-in-place pile.

A cylindrical or tapered thin-walled steel tube is used as the form or mould to cast the concrete that lines the bored hole where the pile is stored.

The ability to observe the pile before concrete is poured to make pile more desirable.

The casing produces a pour that is more uniform, cleaner, and reliable.

Cast-in-place piles with casing perform better in almost all soil types.

Cased cast-in-place heaps frequently appear in the following examples:

• Raymond piles
• MacArthur piles.
• Union metal monotube pile
• Swage pile
• Western button bottom pile

Cast-in-place concrete pile that aren’t cased are more cost-effective and useful than cased piles.

However, due to the direct contact with the earth during installation, care and inspection are needed.

Use is advised only on extremely cohesive soils.

Non-cohesive soils run the danger of leaking soil or water into the pile.

Concrete fissures could allow water to seep in and deteriorate the reinforcing.

The various kinds of uncased cast-in-place piles include the following:

• Simplex pile.
• Frankie pile.
• Vibro pile.
• pedestal pile.

Like other concrete structural elements, concrete piles have their advantages and disadvantages.

The installation of cast-in-place concrete pile and their difference from precast piles are primarily the focus of the following benefits and drawbacks:

Advantages of cast-in-place piles:

1. Little vibration is produced during installation.
2. On-site fabrication of any size and length of piles is possible.
3. Compared to precast piles, it requires less or no heavy equipment.
4. The nearby earth is not severely disturbed.

Disadvantages of cast-in-place piles:

1. The setting up and taking down of forms as well as the time required for concrete to cure result in longer installation times.
2. Heavy manpower is needed for installation.
3. To maintain quality control and good workmanship, careful oversight is required.
4. They need storage for the tools or supplies that will be used.
5. Before installation, the environment is assessed.

2. Precast Concrete Pile:

 Precast piles are constructed by driving or hammering the pile into the earth with large driving equipment.

They are more adaptable and it may be used in most soil types.

These are also employed in situations when the foundations must overhang above water or the ground.

Precast piles are manufactured off-site in a controlled environment in a variety of shapes including circular, square, and octagonal.

The deep end of uniform cross-section piles is sharply tapered and connected with a cast steel shoe in order to safeguard the pile and help with penetrating hard strata while driving.

Precast concrete pile with wider widths are typically produced with hollow cross sections to decrease weight and improve pile driving efficiency.

Advantages Of Precast Piles:

1. It can support operating loads that are comparatively higher.
2. For marine installations, it is very ideal.
3. They can be above water or the earth.
4. Having been produced in a controlled atmosphere, the overall quality is more definite.
5. Highly resistant to subsoil biological and chemical processes.

Disadvantages Precast pile:

1. Need specialized handling and transportation equipment.
2. Precast piles must be moved about the site by machinery since they are heavy.
3. Difficult to increase or too long of a cut-off.
4. The pile’s length might be constrained by storage or transit.
5. High start-up costs.

3. Post-tension Pile:

A drilled or driven pile anchor enclosing a post-tensioned anchor bolt or tendon and the base of a foundation cap are connected by a post-tensioned pile anchor foundation and method of installation.

By putting compressible spacers or other void-forming materials between the top of the pile anchor and the concrete cap, the void or compressible region can be created.

Also read: Sheet Piles | Pile Caps | Micropiles | Pile Foundation

Conclusion:

Piles are frequently employed because appropriate bearing capacity cannot be obtained at shallow enough depths to support structural loads.

It’s critical to realize that end bearing and skin friction both provide support for piles.