What Is a Bearing Pile?

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Bearing piles are a kind of deep foundation system installed to support vertical loads by transferring the structure’s weight to the soil below. Most commonly, steel pipes are used to create bearing piles.

Bearing piles are necessary in one of two situations. First, if there is a weak layer of soil at the surface of a construction site, the soil will not be able to support the weight of a new structure and therefore bearing piles must be used. Second, if the surface soil cannot support the building regardless of the soil’s strength, piling must be used. In both situations, bearing piles will transfer the weight of the structure from the soil’s surface to the stronger soil or rock below.

What Are the Different Types of Bearing Piles?

Bearing piles come in a few main types: H-pile, wide flange, tubular piles and box piles. When piles are fully sunk into the earth, such as those used to create road and railway bridges, H-piles and wide flange are most appropriate. Tubular piles and box piles, on the other hand, work best for aboveground support, such as pier and jetty construction.

Steel beams: wide flange, h-oile, and more

What Are the Advantages of Bearing Piles?

Bearing piles have many advantages when compared to other types of pile, including:

  1. Easy connection to the superstructure

  2. Loads can be set immediately after the pile is installed

  3. Highly-durable and long lasting

  4. No limit to pile length

  5. Easy to install

End Bearing Piles vs. Friction Piles

There are two common types of underground bearing piles: end bearing piles and friction piles. With end bearing piles, the bottom end of the pile rests on an underground layer of strong soil or rock. The end of the pile “sits” on this strong layer and presses against it to keep from shifting. When end bearing piles are used, the load of the aboveground building is transferred through the pile onto the strong underground layer.

Friction piles work more like a nail in wood. The friction of the soil around the pile is what holds the pile in place, and this is what transfers the weight of the aboveground load to the soil.

Bearing Pile Installation

Bearing piles can be installed in one of two ways: by cast in place piles or precast driven piles. Cast in place piles are made by hammering a hollow, thin-walled steel tube into the ground. The earth inside the pipe is then removed, and a steel reinforcement cage is lowered into the tube. Finally, wet concrete is poured into the steel pipe to hold it in place.

Precast driven piles are first cast at ground level and then hammered into the ground using a pile driver. The pile driver holds the bearing pile vertically and hammers it into the ground by striking it with a heavy weight. The pile is given a temporary cap to avoid damage while it’s being hammered. The pile is hammered until “refusal,” when it will physically go no farther.

W-beams

Common Sizes for Bearing Piles

Bearing piles come in a wide range of sizes, including both wide flange piles and H-piles. Some common sizes include:

  • W8: W8x18, W8x21, W8x24, W8x28, W8x31, W8x35, W8x40, W8x48, W8x58, W8x67

  • W10: W10x22, W10x26, W10x30, W10x33, W10x39, W10x45, W10x49, W10x54, W10x60, W10x68, W10x77, W10x88, W10x100, W10x112

  • W12: W12x26, W12x30, W12x35, W12x40, W12x45, W12x50, W12x53, W12x58 ,W12x65, W12x72, W12x79, W12x87, W12x96, W12x106, W26x120, W12x136, W12x152, W12x170, W12x190, W12x210, W12x230, W12x252

  • W14: W14x22, W14x26, W14x30, W14x34, W14x38, W14x43, W14x48, W14x53, W14x61, W14x68, W14x74, W14x82, W14x90, W14x99, W14x109, W14x120, W14x132, W14x145, W14x159, W14x176, W14x193, W14x211, W14x233, W14x257, W14x283

  • W16: W16x26, W16x31, W16x36, W16x40, W16x45, W16x50, W16x57, W16x67, W16x77, W16x89, W16x100

  • W18: W18x35, W18x40, W18x46, W18x50, W18x55, W18x60, W18x65, W18x71, W18x76, W18x86, W18x97, W18x106, W18x119, W18x130, W18x143, W18x158, W18x175, W18x192, W18x211, W18x234

  • W21: W21x44, W21x50, W21x57, W21x58, W21x55, W21x62, W21x68, W21x73, W21x83, W21x93, W21x101, W21x111, W21x122, W21x132, W21x147, W21x166, W21x182, W21x201, W21x223, W21x248, W21x275

  • W24: W24x55, W24x62, W24x68, W24x76, W24x84, W24x94, W24x103, W24x204, W24x117, W24x131, W24x146, W24x162, W24x176, W24x192, W24x207, W24x229

  • W27: W27x84, W27x94, W27x102, W27x114, W27x129, W27x146, W27x161, W27x178, W27x194

  • W30: W30x90, W30x99, W30x108, W30x116, W30x124, W30x132, W30x148

  • W33: W33x118, W33x130, W33x141, W33x152, W33x169

  • W36: W36x135, W36x150, W36x160, W36x170, W36x182, W36x194, W36x210, W36x232, W36x256

  • HP8: HP8x36

  • HP10: HP10x42, HP10x57

  • HP12: HP12x53, HP12x63, HP12x74, HP12x84, HP12x89, HP12x102, HP12x117

  • HP14: HP14x73, HP14x89, HP14x102, HP14x117

  • HP16: HP16x88, HP16x101, HP16x121, HP16x141, HP16x162, HP16x183

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