Alas, not every building plot has ideal conditions for building a structure: a horizontal platform, reliable soil, lack of groundwater, etc. Therefore, very often the developer is faced with the need to strengthen the base structure, and instead of the usual tape, tape is used -
pile foundation.
Why not a simple foundation?
When is the combined one used instead of the usual strip foundation? First of all, when the bearing capacity of the soil leaves much to be desired. Rocks, gravelly soils, dry sands and dry, hardened and compressed clays are considered the most reliable. They are inferior in reliability to wet fine sandy soils with impurities and wet clay. Fine and dusty sand, water-saturated clay, sandy loam, as well as bulk soils fall into the category of dangerous ones - it is simply necessary to use a strip-pile foundation.
Another option when a reinforced base is needed is the location of the groundwater too high, if it can also not be diverted by drainage. And, of course, if you plan to build not a private small house, but a multi-storey one, then, obviously, a simple shallow or even deep foundation cannot be dispensed with: it is necessary to install more durable foundation structures. Also, do not forget that the relief of the construction site requires special attention: if your site is located on a slope and level it for any reason
unprofitable, you can use a strip-pile foundation.
Foundation Calculations
Everyone understands that the construction of any house begins with the laying of the foundation. However, in order for the building not to fall or sag, it is necessary to calculate the strip pile foundation, which will result in the parameters of the base: the diameter of the reinforcement, the width and thickness of the concrete. It is also necessary to determine the number of piles needed for a particular building, their location and the distance between them.
Installing the foundation
Knowing all the parameters of the future base, you can start working directly on the construction site. The first stage is the release of the site from the operating networks located on it - electricity, gas, water. It is also necessary to install a drainage system if groundwater is located in the thickness of the soil, which can damage the structure being erected. Now the vegetative and most fertile soil layer is removed; upon completion of construction, this land is used for landscaping the site. When the soil is prepared, a trench breaks out under the strip-pile foundation and wells are drilledunder the piles in accordance with the calculations.
Next, the piles are waterproofed, reinforcement is installed and concrete is poured. After the piles are ready, it is necessary to create a grillage, thus giving the structure additional rigidity. Before proceeding with the installation of the strip foundation on the grillage, the aboveground part of the foundation - the tops of the piles and the grillage - are insulated.
As for the cost, when it comes to a pile-strip foundation, the price is an order of magnitude higher than in the case of a conventional, non-reinforced foundation. However, it is difficult to argue with the fact that such a design is much more reliable, and this fact is a weighty argument in favor of a more expensive foundation.
