Planning a construction project that involves piers? For structural integrity and stability, it’s important to choose the right foundation type. To help you land on the most suitable foundation type for your project, let’s break down the different types of foundations suitable for piers and how to determine the best fit for your needs.
Piers and Their Foundation Needs
In construction, piers are often used to support buildings, especially in areas with problematic soils or in structures like bridges and waterfront features. The foundation for a pier must be able to support significant loads and stand up to environmental challenges like water, wind, and soil shifts. Oftentimes, these are the important factors to keep in mind when picking a foundation:
Load Distribution: The foundation must have the capacity to distribute the building’s structural load evenly. This is important to prevent sinking or tilting.
Soil Environment and Stability: The type of soil that the structure will be built on determines the depth and type of foundation required.
Environmental Factors: Things like water flow, potential flooding, and frost lines can all affect the foundation choice.
Popular Foundation Types for Piers
1. Pile Foundations
Pile foundations are perfect for piers because they provide deep soil stability. This type of foundation is built by driving sturdy columns supported by steel into the ground until they reach a solid layer of soil or rock.
Main Characteristics: This type of foundation is known for its sturdiness, ability to work well in different soil conditions and types (e.g., wet, uneven, and soft soils), and resistance to many environmental conditions.
Considerations: Installation can be more complicated compared to other foundations and usually requires specialized equipment and expertise.
2. Drilled Shafts (Caissons)
Drilled caissons are watertight structures used in underwater construction. With a concrete and steel core in the steel pipe, caissons are similar to pile foundations but are designed specifically to keep out water. This is why caissons are usually used in rivers or lakes.
Main Characteristics: Caissons are built to withstand submersion and strong water currents. They also anchor the structure to the bedrock or stable soil layers. Additionally, caissons can also be adjusted to meet specific requirements for different depths and conditions, which is very beneficial for underwater sites.
Considerations: The technical requirements for drilling and setting caissons are high, and so are the costs.
3. Spread Footings
Spread footings are a more traditional type of foundation. It spreads large loads over larger areas. They’re simpler than piles and caissons but are effective in the right conditions.
Main Characteristics: Spread footings work best in construction sites where the soil is compact and non-expansive. They’re also generally less expensive and easier to construct than pile or caisson foundations. Finally, this foundation works well for lighter and less complex structures.
Considerations: They’re not suitable for all soil types, especially the type of soil that’s prone to expansion and contraction.
4. Pier and Beam Foundations
Now, for the classic: pier and beam foundations. It’s not just a part of old-fashioned building techniques but a choice that still holds up today under the right circumstances. This system uses piers placed deep into the ground topped by horizontal beams that support structures’ floors. It’s especially well-suited for building structures needing a crawl space to install utilities or those built on expansive soils.
Main Characteristics: Pier and beam foundations make it easy to access plumbing and electrical wires, which can be a huge advantage during repairs. They’re also known for better resistance to soil shifts and flooding.
Considerations: While these systems can be great, you’ll need proper maintenance to guard against moisture and pests and careful installation to construct pier and beam foundations.
5. Pier Foundations
Pier foundations work by supporting structures that require a deep foundation because of unstable soil conditions or where the building load needs to be distributed over a larger area. This foundation system involves large-diameter cylindrical columns; essentially, these steel piers are driven deep into the ground until a stable soil layer is reached. Other types include wood and concrete pier foundations.
Main Characteristics: The major advantage of this type of foundation is that it works really well for sites with difficult soil conditions and can minimize the amount of ground vibration and movement transmitted to the structure.
Considerations: The installation process can be invasive and can impact the local ecosystem. It can also be costly and relatively complex.
6. Timber Pier
Timber piers are a more traditional approach but are still favored in many scenarios due to their natural appearance and relatively lower cost. Similar to concrete blocks, timber piers can also elevate a structure and lead to better ventilation and access for foundation repair.
Main Characteristics: These piers are made from treated wood that is resistant to rot and pests, making them durable under certain conditions. Additionally, timber is easier to work with than some other materials and can be suitable for smaller projects or temporary structures.
Considerations: Timber piers need regular maintenance to prevent deterioration from moisture and insects. They are also less capable of bearing heavy loads compared to concrete or steel piers, which limits their use to lighter structures.
7. Masonry Piers
Masonry piers are built using brick, stone, or concrete blocks. These are often chosen for their strength and visual appearance which can be beneficial to certain structures.
Main Characteristics: Constructed by laying masonry units with mortar, these piers are often reinforced with steel to improve their load-bearing capacity. They’re also resistant to fire and pests. Typically, masonry piers are used to support parts of historical restorations or in areas where the visual aspect of the pier is important to the overall design.
Considerations: Masonry can be susceptible to damage from freeze-thaw cycles unless properly sealed and maintained. The materials are also heavy, and their success relies on evenly distributing the load across a stable substrate. This means they’re less suitable for softer soils unless special preparations are made.
How to Choose the Right Foundation for Your Pier
Analyze Soil Conditions
Before you start building anything, studying the soil your structure is supposed to stand on is extremely important. This will help you figure out if the soil has a high or low bearing capacity, and whether it can give your structure the stable base it needs.
Determine the following:
Soil type
Depth to stable soil
Water tables
And other relevant and critical factors
Assess the Total Load of the Structure
Understand the total load of the structure you want to build, including dynamic and static forces. This will help you understand the soil-bearing capacity needed to make sure your building—especially large structures in commercial construction like tall buildings and high-rise buildings—has a stable base.
Consider Any Environmental Restrictions
Are you building near water? Is the area prone to flooding? Factors like these should be considered because they can really affect foundation choice. There are specific types of foundations specially designed for specific environments, so make sure you find the system that will work best in your site area.
How to Maintain Your Pier’s Foundation
Once your pier’s foundation is in place, maintaining its integrity becomes the next priority. Regular inspections are a must, as these let you catch any potential issues early (e.g., shifts in the soil or water infiltration). It’s also important to have your foundation checked after extreme weather like storms.
Another thing to keep in mind is always to prioritize immediate repairs. Doing so means you get to address any signs of wear or damage right away, thus preventing further deterioration and more complex (and expensive) repairs.
Take Care of Your Foundation by Keeping an Eye on Your Roof
Your roof and foundation go hand in hand when it comes to maintenance. Keeping your roof in good shape can do wonders for extending the life of your foundation.
If part of your structure is on land, a well-maintained roof keeps water from pooling around your structure’s foundation. When gutters are clogged or roofing materials are damaged, water can spill over where it shouldn’t, accumulating around the base of your building. This can lead to erosion, or worse, water seeping into your foundation. That’s why it’s important to regularly clean your gutters and make sure your roof is leak-free while directing rainwater to where it should go—away from your foundation through proper drainage.
Ready to Build?
Once you’ve landed on a suitable type of foundation for your project involving piers, don’t forget to look into our roof protection plan to give your structure top-to-bottom protection. Roof Pro Local is here to help keep your roof in great condition and keep water away from your foundation!
Give us a call at (405) 886-7663 or drop us a message today!
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