Which is stronger - round or square?
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Which is stronger - round or square?
Piles are loaded in compression, so surface area of the pile which cintacts the ground is what offers the resistance to the buildings weight, so round in that regard, but there's a whole lot more to take into consideration and I don't know why the different shapes are used. I chat to Engineers that have just done this their whole lives and most of what they say goes in ine ear and out the other - it's a very technical area. Next time I'll ask more questions...
Thanks John, I stand corrected. I saw it on a show about building Rolls Royces some time ago.
Pedro: Homestar and trig are on the money.
Circular piles are usually bored piles or pored (concrete and steel ) into the hole. the hole bored by the auger drilling rig.
Square piles are normally driven (hammered) into the ground.
Selection depends on ground conditions. Dry, moist, wet soils and what’s constructed on top or around it.
Bored piles rely on the end bearing capacity... the round area at the bottom of the hole. Driven piles rely on the end bearing and the skin friction on the sides between the soil and pile (concrete or sometimes steel).
Bored piles- like digging a hole and putting in a fence post
Driven piles- like banging in a star picket or tent peg