Introduction
The principle behind piling is to transfer loads of a structure through strata of low bearing capacity to deeper soil or rock strata that has a higher bearing capacity. The loads can be transferred into underlying strata by
either end bearing or friction or a mixture of both. Piles can also be used to resist uplift and/or horizontal loads.
This Technical Guidance Note describes the different types of piles that are presently in use, the design concepts that are employed when determining the size and depth of piles, how they are constructed and what tests are carried out to verify their integrity.