Existing Buildings
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- Foundation Repair or Reinforcement: In cases where existing buildings experience foundation issues like settling or cracking due to poor soil conditions or changes over time, piling can be used to stabilise and reinforce the foundation.
- Underpinning: Piling can also be employed as part of underpinning existing foundations. Underpinning involves strengthening the foundation of an existing building to address structural issues or to support additional loads.
- Minimising Disruption: Techniques such as mini-piling or micro-piling are often used for existing buildings where access is limited or where minimal disruption to the surrounding area is desired.
- Engineering Assessment: Before piling is undertaken for existing buildings, a thorough engineering assessment is necessary to determine the cause of any foundation issues and to design an appropriate solution using piling techniques.
New Buildings
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- Foundation Support: Piling is crucial for new buildings, especially in areas with unstable soil or where the load-bearing capacity of the soil is insufficient to support the structure. It helps transfer the building’s load to deeper, more stable layers of soil or rock.
- Types of Piling: Depending on soil conditions and building requirements, different types of piles may be used, such as driven piles (steel or concrete), bored piles (drilled and then filled with concrete), or screw piles (screwed into the ground).
Whether for new construction or addressing foundation issues in existing buildings, piling plays a crucial role in ensuring structural stability and longevity. Engineering expertise is essential to determine the appropriate piling strategy based on site-specific conditions and building requirements.
