top of page
Gradient
annawrench1315

Advantages And Disadvantages of CFA Piling

Updated: Sep 8, 2023

CFA piling stands for Continuous Flight Auger piling. These can also be known as auger cast piles, screw piles, and augured cast-in-place piles. They are a lot similar to a household screw. This process removes the soil from the ground and fills it with concrete.

How does CFA piling work?

The helical auger is driven into the soil in a circular motion to extract soil from the ground. When the soil is extracted, it is now time to fill the place with concrete which can be achieved by the hollow central stem, this stem injects concrete with high pressure, and then some pile reinforcement like steel cages are lowered into the wet concrete through canes or some other mechanical appliance. It is suited for various ranges of ground strata like sand, Gravel, slits, clay, and soft rocks.

History of introduction of CFA piling

CFA piling is also a non-displacement system that implies the soil displaced is brought to the ground. As per history, CFA piling was first introduced to the USA in the 1940s. At the same time, they were first used in the UK in the 1960s. With the invention of hydraulic piling rigs, CFA piling was introduced in Europe in the 1970s. There are various advantages of using CFA piling, and it is recommended to use it in sensitive areas and residential areas.



Advantages of using CFA piling:

  • CFA piling can help with constructing piles without much noise or vibration being produced

  • CFA piling installation is comparatively quick and easy.

  • In unstable soil, CFA piling does not require temporary casing

  • Using CFA piling saves a lot of time as rigs are quite powerful

  • This process is more economical when used on a large scale.

  • They are suitable for challenging ground conditions

  • CFA piling can even be used in low headroom and confined spaces.

  • It also helps with Partial soil removal during the construction process, which in return increases the lateral compression and bearing capacity.

Applications of CFA piling:

Where can we use CFA piling? CFA piling has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, but they are quite useful in a few criteria and hence are recommended for large-scale projects. They are quite useful in other areas also. Let us see a few applications of CFA piling.

They are used in multi-story buildings or places where minimum piling noise is a requirement. As CFA piling produces minimum noise during installation.

CFA piling is also recommended when the speed of installment is important, as they can be installed quite quickly.

CFA piling is also used in places where there are unstable soil conditions, and a high level of the groundwater table is available.

To be precise, CFA piling are in use for more than thirty years; however, you may hear about it and see it recently in your locality only. The hollow stem augers into the ground in a circular motion and takes out the soil. Once the piles are out, concrete is poured into the hole. It is used in most construction businesses commonly. It is also used worldwide for construction purposes.  You can use light or medium type of excavation work.

If you are looking for quick installation with less noise or vibration, then CFA piling is the best option for large-scale projects, while it is not a recommended choice for small-scale projects as it would not be very economical. They are most suitable for construction projects in commercial, institutional, or any large or medium scale projects. Also, CFA piling can be used for evacuation support.

7 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page