Pile Types and Guidelines for Selection

Choosing a pile type is one of the earliest and most expensive decisions on a deep foundation project. This chapter gives you the information to make that choice on purpose. It covers bearing piles first: steel piles, concrete piles, timber piles, and plastic piling. For each material it explains what the pile is, how it is used, and where it performs well or poorly.

A full section on the selection of pile type then pulls the material together. It looks at the loads to be carried, the soil conditions, the site and access, the installation equipment that will be available, durability in the environment, and cost. The aim is to help you compare real options for a real project instead of defaulting to the type you used last time.

The second half of the chapter covers sheet piles, which have their own set of materials and trade-offs. You will find steel sheet piling, aluminum sheet piling, vinyl sheet piling, pultruded fiberglass sheeting, wood sheeting, and concrete sheet piles. The vinyl section also looks at corrosion and the conditions that attack steel in the ground, which matters for permanent walls and marine work.

The chapter is written for designers who specify piles, contractors who price and install them, and owners who want to understand why a particular type was chosen. It does not assume a single answer. It shows what each option offers and what it costs, so the people on a project can have an informed discussion about the choice.

In this chapter

• Bearing Pilespage 21
  • Steel Piles
  • Concrete Piles
  • Timber Piles
  • Plastic Piling
  • Selection of Pile Type
• Sheet Pilespage 48
  • Steel Sheet Piling
  • Aluminum Sheet Piling
  • Vinyl Sheet Piling
  • Pultruded Fiberglass Sheeting
  • Wood Sheeting
  • Concrete Sheet Piles