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The oldest, currently rarely used, type of piles are prefabricated timber piles. These piles are made from the trunks and trimmed branches of a variety of tree species. They are mainly used as a foundation for structures with low or moderate loads or as a foundation for temporary structures. [1]
There are structures across the world built on such piles that have been successfully used for up to 100 years. Examples of well-known structures which were built on timber piles include Old London Bridge in the UK, Pont Notre-Dame Bridge in France and the Royal Palace of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Timber has been used for piled foundations for many centuries. For almost 6,000 years, tribes in Switzerland used natural logs as pilings to support their homes that were built on the region’s shoreline. Archaeologists have also uncovered a similar use of timber piling by Romans for bridges spanning the Tiber River dating back to 620 B.C. The Romans also built the first bridge across the Thames River in London in A.D. 50 on timber piling. [2]
Since then, responsibly sourced timber piles have been installed for many project types – mainly within marine working environments and low-loaded structures with a lifespan of up to 30 years. Timber piling has long been favoured for maritime construction because of its ability to absorb impacts and ease of handling over water. Timber piles are used for groynes and sea defence works as well as jetties, dolphins, fender piling and rubbing strips.
Before piles are installed, the prefabricated timber is pressure-protected and the type of protection is selected for a specific type of soil. Once the driven timber piles arrive at the site, they can be installed in the following steps:
One of the main advantages of timber piles is that it is a form of carbon sequestration when placed in the ground, which means it plays a major role in ensuring Net Zero compliance of a construction project. In other words, timber piles are a sustainable solution and can reduce carbon footprint. [3]
Other advantages of timber piles include:
While timber piles have many advantages, they also come with some disadvantages:
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