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Structuralaka: driven pileaka: concrete pileaka: steel pile

Pile

In Plain English

A long structural post driven or cast into the ground to carry building loads down to strong soil or rock.

Definition

A slender, elongated deep foundation element driven or cast into the ground to transfer structural loads to deeper, more capable soil or rock strata. Piles may be made of steel, concrete, or timber and may be driven by impact, vibration, or drilling. They resist loads through end bearing on hard strata, skin friction along their length, or a combination of both.

Example

The soft bay mud required 80-foot-long steel H-piles driven to refusal on dense sand to support the warehouse columns.

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