Timber piles with concrete beams
Power driven timber piles are slightly different to the previous pier and beam systems. The vibration transferred to the ground by the pile driving rig may also shake and move buildings in the immediate vicinity. The building surveyor and design engineer must gauge and assess the amount of vibration before and during construction.
A building inspector cannot inspect the foundation because no excavation is done with power driven timber piles. The last 10 blows on the piles are recorded. This is a measure of the resistance of the soil and determines when a pile is `set'.
The timber used for the piles is copper chrome arsenate (CCA) treated pine.
Driven timber piles and beam