Footings - Pier and beam

• Their purpose
• Bulk pier and beam system
• More about bulk pier and beam
• Bored pier and beam systems
• Timber piles with concrete beams
• Steel screw in columns

Bulk pier and beam system

Bulk pier and beam systems are satisfactory where good bearing soil is located between 800 mm and 1,200 mm below the NGL. These systems are an alternative to blinding concrete. Bulk piers are excavated using a simple backhoe. The excavation is usually 1 metre x 1 metre in area and extends to the founding depth (800 - 1,200 mm). Piers are normally located at 3 - 5 metre centres.

Construction method for bulk pier and beam:

1. Excavate the pier holes. The number, location and spacing will be shown on the design engineer's drawings.
2. Pour concrete in the piers. The concrete is poured to approximately 500 mm below the NGL or FGL. No reinforcement is required in the pier holes. The concrete would be 20 MPa compressive strength.
3. Excavate the strip footing. After three days, excavate the strip footing (or concrete beams) between the piers. These concrete beams will be excavated around the entire perimeter of the house.
4. Position steel reinforcement for the beam.
5. Pour the beam.