How to make a pile foundation for a house made of aerated concrete with your own hands

Aerated concrete is a popular material for home construction because of its energy efficiency and durability. However, having a strong foundation is essential to making sure your home is sturdy and stable. A pile foundation is among the greatest choices for this. Although building a pile foundation may seem difficult, you can do it yourself if you have the correct advice and equipment.

Pile foundations offer superior support for aerated concrete structures and are perfect for a variety of soil types. In order to reach stable soil or rock, they entail driving long, robust columns into the ground. This helps to evenly distribute the weight of the house. This technique stops settling and moving, which is beneficial in places where the soil is loose or unstable.

We’ll walk you through the process of building a pile foundation for your aerated concrete home in this guide. You will gain knowledge about the necessary supplies, site preparation, and pile installation procedures. You will have the knowledge necessary to confidently lay a solid foundation that will support your house for many years to come by the time you finish reading this article.

Let’s begin this thrilling adventure of creating your own pile foundation. You can accomplish professional-quality results and make sure your aerated concrete house is built on a sturdy and dependable foundation by being patient and paying close attention to detail.

What is a pile-and-grillage foundation

A pile-and-grillage foundation is a type of foundation structure used for a house built with aerated concrete. It consists of a series of supports positioned vertically in the ground connected by strapping above the ground. The supports are buried well below the surface, avoiding unstable strata and attempting to reach dense soil, where they become immobile, stable anchor points.

The grillage is a strapping belt that is firmly fastened to the top of the piles and functions as a sort of strip foundation that is placed on a sand cushion. Similar to the strip, the grillage beams form a high-strength support system by being positioned beneath all of the structure’s load-bearing walls. As a result, the grillage bears the weight of the house before moving it via the pile system to thick soil layers.

In contrast to a pile-strip foundation, a grillage transfers some of the load to the soil surface by gently unloading the vertical supports.

Two types of foundations need to be distinguished in this case, where a different principle is applied. Notwithstanding the variations in pile design, practically all pile foundation types are pile-grillage.

Aerated concrete homes are typically constructed on screw or bored piles that are joined by a monolithic grillage, if they are to be situated on land with nearby groundwater.

• Material of execution.
• Installation method.
• Dimensions – longer length, smaller diameter.

The maximum recorded soil freezing level in a given area is always exceeded when laying pile foundations.

Is it suitable for a house made of aerated concrete

A pile-grillage foundation has a relatively high bearing capacity; the only things that can limit it are the soil’s characteristics and the piles’ capabilities. It is possible to greatly increase the bearing capacity while lowering the specific load on the soil by increasing the number of piles or by constructing support areas beneath the lower portions of the shaft ends. As a result, the entire structure operates more efficiently.

Aerated concrete is five times lighter than brick and five times less strong (assuming walls with comparable dimensions are built). As a result, aerated concrete homes are typically built one to two stories high, but they weigh substantially less than brick homes.

The capabilities of a pile-and-grillage foundation for an aerated concrete house are not only adequate, but somewhat even excessive because of their low weight and unique construction features. Simultaneously, adequate stiffness is attained, which is crucial for aerated concrete since it doesn’t tolerate shrinkage and needs a fixed foundation structure—something that’s not always achievable with a strip foundation.

Foundation device

The two primary components of the pile-and-grillage foundation system are piles and grillage. Although the structure’s two halves are made to recognize and distribute weight, there are certain other aspects that should be considered before beginning foundation installation.

Serves as a support line for internal and external load-bearing walls in addition to connecting all of the trunks into a single, rigid system, which greatly increases each unit’s capacity to bear weight. Concrete, metal, or wood (timber) can be used to create grillage structures; the choice will depend on the materials used to construct the home.

Pros and cons

Like any other foundation, a pile-grillage foundation has unique characteristics and subtleties that should be thoroughly examined before beginning construction.

• A relatively simple technology that even beginners can handle.
• The ability to do all the work yourself – from the manufacture of elements to their installation.
• No need to involve a large number of employees.
• Relatively lower material consumption (if we take into account the buried strip, for example).
• No effect of soil heaving on the properties of the foundation.
• The ability to rigidly connect the piles to the grillage and achieve the most load-resistant system that will not react even to trains passing nearby.
• Possibility to carry out work almost all year round – with the exception of conditions with air temperature below 10 degrees below zero.
• Good heat conservation of the house structure due to the absence of contact with frozen soil.
• Houses with such a foundation can be erected on relief folds, slopes.
• The price of the foundation is relatively low (again, if compared with the classic strip).

• It is impossible to create a basement or cellar.
• If the total weight of the house is more than 50 tons, it is better to choose another type of foundation.
• The importance of correctly performing all calculations based on accurate soil data to determine the optimal number of piles and the shape of the grillage.
• Even if there are no vertical heaving loads, there are lateral effects on the pile, which provide considerable forces and can deform or even destroy the column.
• The need to use special equipment during construction, which increases foundation costs.

It is important to remember that since these are characteristics of this kind of building, all major drawbacks are present in all varieties of pile foundations.

Existing types

There are various kinds of piles, and each has unique characteristics. To build a pile-grillage type of foundation, screw, bored, and driven piles are typically utilized. Driven piles are inserted into the earth with the aid of specialized machinery. They can be constructed from reinforced concrete, metal, or wood. Screw and bored piles are used in independent installation; the latter are frequently manufactured on-site or purchased prefabricated. Muscle power is used to drive these piles into the ground.

Concrete driven piles, which are manufactured in factories with specialized technology, have the highest bearing capacity. Such supports require the involvement of skilled builders and specialized equipment, and their installation is a labor-intensive and complicated process.

More common are bored piles, which are formed like supports made of concrete poured into a pre-drilled borehole. Because of the borehole’s size and specific base features, all of the work can be completed independently, and a sizable support area that is impervious to the effects of frost heaving loads can be created.

It is only recently that screw piles have been used for foundation installation. The shaft is composed of a metal pipe with multiple spiral-shaped blades or a pointed tip at the bottom, measuring 4-5 millimeters in wall thickness. To submerge piles, drive them into the ground to the required depth.

While the process is straightforward, it does call for some effort and expertise. The quickest piles to install are screw piles, which don’t need any prior excavation work. The only issue with screw piles, assuming proper installation, is shielding the metal from corrosion.

Grillage options

A multitude of materials, including reinforced concrete, wood, and metal, can be used to create the grillage structure. The final choice is the most robust and long-lasting, but it’s also the hardest to put into practice. It is constructed similarly to a strip reinforced concrete foundation, but it is set back from the ground rather than in a trench.

Installing a wooden grillage is considerably simpler. A 150 by 200 and 200 by 200 millimeter beam is used in its creation. Every beam is attached to one half of a tree, installed atop pile heads, and securely fastened using bolted connections.

Welding is used to join pile heads to a metal grillage. Although it is a very quick process, cutting large, thick beams is a fairly involved one. However, using lifting equipment becomes necessary due to their weight.

The ideal option for an aerated concrete home would be a wooden or reinforced concrete grillage; in both situations, precise and thorough calculations must be made, and the most detailed project should be created as a result.

Examples of calculating the depth of immersion of piles

It is empirical to calculate the immersion depth. However, because the depth of dense soil layers varies randomly, it is challenging to compute. Consequently, the only reliable way to determine the depth of solid soil rocks is to drill a test well or submerge a test pile. SNiP requires this, and alternative approaches don’t yield trustworthy data.

One of the indicators used in the subsequent calculations is the depth found using the trial method. The number of piles required for each structure must also be calculated when constructing a pile-grillage foundation. It is calculated by dividing the house’s estimated weight by the support system’s carrying capacity. Therefore, ten piles are required if the conditional mass of the house is ten tons and the pile’s bearing capacity is one ton.

The arrangement and design of the home determine the pattern of pile distribution. The corners of the structure are the most important parts of the foundation. During the design phase, a pile is initially positioned at each corner, and the intersection of the load-bearing walls and other loaded nodes is identified. After that, the remaining supports are dispersed equally to ensure proper load perception and distribution.

Expert designers recommend giving the foundation a safety margin to enable it to support additional loads from operations and extensions.

With some simple tools and do-it-yourself skills, you can construct a pile foundation for an aerated concrete home. Mark the location of the foundation and drill holes for the piles first. To create strong support columns, pour concrete into the holes and insert reinforced steel rods. These piles give your aerated concrete walls a sturdy and level base once the concrete hardens. Your home’s durability and safety can be guaranteed by laying a strong foundation with meticulous planning and step-by-step execution.

Construction technology

An independent pile-grindle foundation that can be installed as a supporting structure on bored piles is depicted in the diagram below.

Preparation

Prior to mounting the piles, the ground is first cleared of vegetation and debris, markers are made, and pegs are put in place. To rule out the chance that the accuracy of the right angles has been compromised, it is imperative to verify the equality of the diagonals. After that, boreholes are drilled using specialized machinery or a hand drill.

In order to increase the base of the supports and lessen the specific pressure on the soil, the lower portions of the boreholes have been slightly widened to create cushions. Subsequently, sleeves—made of plastic pipes and two layers of roofing felt that are rolled into pipes with the necessary diameter—are inserted into the boreholes, which serve as formwork.

Reinforcement, pouring concrete

It is best to complete the reinforcement frame on the surface. It is made in the shape of a spatial grid that is just slightly larger than the boreholes’ depth and has dimensions that allow for unrestricted entry. Concrete mortar of grade M200 or higher is used to fill the boreholes prior to the installation of reinforcement within the pile. Air bubbles are eliminated by tamping the material.

Temperatures of at least +5 degrees (but ideally +20) are acceptable for filling. After that, give it 28 days to complete the cycle of concrete strength gain. The strength of the supports may be compromised if construction gets underway a little sooner, which poses a major risk to the foundation’s dependability.

Creation of a grillage

A concrete monolith, which is created by pouring the mixture into formwork positioned at a specific height above ground level, is the most resilient grillage option. A polyethylene-lined wooden board is used to assemble the formwork, and an armored belt is positioned inside and securely fastened to the reinforcement that protrudes from the piles.

In this way, a robust monolithic structure that satisfies the necessary requirements for durability and bearing capacity is produced. In an instant, concrete is poured and aged as normal. After 28 days, hot bitumen or bitumen mastic is used to insulate the foundation from the exterior.

Step	Description
1. Plan and Design	Determine the size and layout of the foundation. Mark the locations for the piles.
2. Prepare the Site	Clear the area of debris and level the ground where the foundation will be.
3. Drill the Holes	Use a drill or auger to create holes for the piles. The depth and width will depend on your design.
4. Insert Piles	Place the piles into the holes. Ensure they are vertical and properly positioned.
5. Pour Concrete	Mix and pour concrete into the holes around the piles. Let it cure completely.
6. Install Rebar	Place rebar into the wet concrete for added strength and stability.
7. Attach Support Beams	Once the concrete has set, attach beams to the piles to create the base of the foundation.
8. Check Alignment	Ensure all piles and beams are level and properly aligned before building the house.

It can be a satisfying project to construct the pile foundation for an aerated concrete home on your own. You can guarantee that your house will last for many years by using the proper materials and doing careful planning beforehand. Prior to beginning, don’t forget to evaluate the site’s conditions and soil type, as these will dictate the kind of piles and depth needed.

As you work, keep accuracy in mind. Every stage is essential for a solid foundation, from marking the location and drilling the holes to pouring the concrete and putting in the rebar. Take your time and make sure you measure everything twice to prevent expensive errors.

You should put safety first above all else. Put on safety gear, use caution when handling tools, and don’t be afraid to ask for assistance when you need it. By taking these safety measures, the project will be safer and more enjoyable.

You can successfully construct a pile foundation to support your aerated concrete home by adhering to these instructions. It’s a difficult but doable task, and there’s no better feeling than finishing it yourself.

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