A professional piling contractor is someone who creates and modifies the foundation needed for any type of construction, be that a residential home or a tall skyscraper. They use piles, or long shafts of wood or another material, to create a form for a foundation and to provide added structural strength. If you're having a new home or other building built, you may assume you can just call a concrete contractor to pour the foundation, but using a professional piling contractor is a much better option. Here is why why piling can be a better choice for foundations when it comes to construction projects.
1. Changing soil
Because piles are driven deep into the ground, they offer more support for a taller or heavier building than a standard slab. This is especially true for changing soil conditions that can be very common in virtually any area. Piles provide more stability if a plot of land has sandy soil and then wet soil or rocky soil underneath; the piling structures can adapt better than a plain slab which might shift as it sits on top of those different soils. Piles don't rely on the strength of the soil underneath them for support, so changing soil doesn't affect their stability as much as it does concrete.
2. Angles of insertion
A pile can be driven directly vertical into the ground, but can also be inserted at an angle. This allows for even more support of a building, as the weight is dispersed over the width of the pile rather than just its length. In turn, a building may be less likely to shift if the ground or the soil should shift; this also provides better support for very tall or very heavy structures, such as skyscrapers or high rises. This too is what makes them a good choice for changing soil conditions which might cause a building to shift, as the pile's weight is being dispersed across many different types of soil.
3. Bending resistance
Along with the angle of insertion, piles have a high bending resistance. They are not likely to get soft and then crack under the pressure of a building, which might happen with concrete slabs. This too is an advantage in areas with hurricanes and high winds or that is prone to earthquakes, as the piles will stay firm and not bend even when exposed to vibrations underground or strong winds above ground, keeping a building safe.
For more information, talk to a piling contractor.
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