Types of Deep Foundations and Their Uses in Construction

One of the most important aspects of constructing a home or building is the foundation. You couldn’t start building without a foundation because it holds everything in place. Some buildings may require a deep foundation, while homes need shallow foundations.

This article reviews the different types of deep foundations and their uses in construction. This information can help you determine the appropriate one when starting a project.

Pile Foundations

Pile foundations require your team to place a pile through incompetent soil to support the load of a structure. Make this foundation by filling holes with piles or forcefully driving the piles into the ground. Typically, the piles are reinforced concrete, steel, or timber.

You would use a pile foundation when constructing a structure on poor-quality or weak soil. The piles transfer the weight of the building load to deeper, more stable soils.

Footing Foundations

Footing foundations involve a structure’s foundation directly touching the soil below. While piles use friction to transmit loads, footings will come in contact with the earth, so the structure is at risk of settling over time.

If you use this type of deep foundation in your construction, your crew must build the structure on good-quality soil. It must be able to support the weight of your project. Note that footing foundations are the most economical deep foundation type.

Cast-In Drilled Hole Foundations

A cast-in drilled hole foundation requires your team to drill a hole into the earth to a specific elevation and reinforce the cast with concrete. This process includes various auger deep foundation drilling methods to create the perfect hole diameter and depth.

When you want to use this deep foundation for your construction, you are limited by the ground conditions. When the soil is dry, you can cast-in concrete holes. While you can do this with wet soil, you must dewater the hole and control the water flow with pumps.

Choosing a deep foundation for your structure is paramount and depends on the worksite conditions. Now that you know more about each type of foundation, you can make an informed decision on which one to use for your project.