About Piling

Piling is a type of deep foundation, used to transfer the load to a deeper level than is possible with a traditional shallow foundation. Vertical columns of concrete, steel, timber, or a combination, are driven deep into the ground to give extra support to the building that sits on top.

Traditionally, piles were made of timber, but they’re now usually concrete, often reinforced or cast-in-situ. Driven precast concrete piling is the most common type of piling method currently used in the UK. Most of mainland Europe considers it the norm for many project types.

Driven precast piles

What Are Driven Precast Concrete Piles Used For?

Driven precast concrete piles are usually in square sections and produced in short lengths in 1-metre intervals between 3 and 15 metres. The specifications of precast concrete piles range from 200mm to 400mm. They can be installed in depths of up to 40m and used for the foundation of all sorts of ground engineering structures under most ground conditions. [1] Precast piles can be a single section, or several sections can be joined to provide longer piles for deeper ground conditions.

Why Would a Site Need Driven Precast Concrete Piling?

There are many reasons why a site could require driven precast concrete piling work. Some of these reasons include:

  1. A traditional shallow foundation is enough when the ground is suitable and the load it has to support is moderate, but there are many ways for the ground to be unsuitable so piling is strongly advised.
  2. The water table is high.
  3. The soil is of a type whose stability will be affected by water.
  4. Deep trench foundations from a previous building would be too expensive to remove.
  5. Existing foundation trenches are unstable.
  6. The ground is unsuitable for more than two metres.
  7. The nature of the load requires support.
driven precast piles

How Are Precast Concrete Piles Installed?

The process of installing driven precast concrete piles is relatively straightforward. Typically, precast concrete piles are installed in the following steps:

  1. Machinery such as piling rigs and other equipment are transported to the site.
  2. Setup processes, including permit signature, site inspection, platform inspection and internal induction, are carried out.
  3. Precast piles are delivered to the site.
  4. The piles are unloaded and laid on the ground near the pile pin positions. A rig is often used as a crane for this purpose. It may include methods of unloading on wages for edge protection.
  5. Each pile is pitched, lifted from the ground with the hammer line, and then aligned over the pile position. A helmet is often attached to the pile to protect its head.
  6. The pile is driven into the ground using a hydraulic hammer, air hammer, vibrator or hydraulic press.
  7. Piles are tested to ensure structural capacity.
  8. In some cases, a capping beam is placed on top to link the piles together. This helps spread the weight across the pile cap foundation.
  9. In other cases, precast concrete ground beams or foundation beams are used to increase the support and stability of the structure.

For a visual explanation of the installation of driven precast concrete piles, watch our video below:

Advantages of Precast Concrete Pile Foundations

There are many advantages of driven precast concrete pile foundations including [1],[2]:

  • Ideal for a wide range of ground conditions such as soft ground, and aggressive and contaminated soils.
  • A pile driven into granular soil compacts the adjacent soil mass and as a result, the bearing capacity of the pile is increased.
  • Precast piles can be pre-manufactured to the required project specifications.
  • Piles of various lengths can be joined together to achieve the desired length.
  • Quick and easy to install with minimal disturbance.
  • Fewer traffic movements are required to and from a site.
  • Generates no spoil, which means they minimise site cleanup and are suitable for brownfield sites.
  • Piles maintain their shape during installation. They do not bulge in soft ground conditions and are typically not susceptible to damage from the installation of subsequent piles.
  • Cost-effective solution compared to other deep foundations.
  • Unaffected by groundwater, making them more favourable for works over water such as in wharf structures and jetties.

Written by Aarsleff UK
14 January 2025

Aarsleff Ground Engineering is a leading sheet piling supplier and contractor. We specialise in designing and delivering sheet piling solutions across the UK.

mark fuller

Reviewed by Mark Fuller, Piling Director
14 January 2025

Mark Fuller is the Piling Director at Aarsleff Ground Engineering. He has amassed a wealth of experience and knowledge within the specialist piling and ground engineering industry throughout his 20 years of experience in the industry. Mark is directly responsible for the overall driven piling within the business, including technical and operational management of awarded contracts, development of strategic long-term plans and planning of recruitment and resource.

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