Precast Piles
A Centrum Pile is a Tested Pile
Piling is a type of deep foundation, used to transfer the load to a deeper level than is possible with a traditional shallow foundation. Vertical columns of concrete, steel or timber, or a combination, are driven deep into the ground to give extra support to the building that sits on top.
Traditionally piles were made of timber, but they’re now usually concrete, often reinforced or in-situ. The latter was traditionally the most common type of piling method used in the UK, but here at Centrum Pile we like to follow the lead of European construction and offer the alternate.
The Centrum Pile System begins with a continuously reinforced precast concrete pile, cast in standard square sections from 200mm to 400mm and from 3m in length, increasing in 1m increments to standard lengths of up to 14m.
Larger section sizes and lengths can be manufactured to suit project specific requirements.
Centrum precast concrete piles are manufactured using the most advanced technology available, they have a high structural capacity which is achieved from the use of high strength sulphate resisting concrete and exceptionally rigid welded reinforcing cages. This means that the Centrum Pile System can be installed to work at higher concrete stress levels than would be permissible for piles formed in the ground using traditional cast insitu wet concrete.
Centrum Pile manufacture their own CIVB cement by blending pulverised fuel ash (PFA) with Portland Cement. This reduces the cement content of the concrete by 30%, resulting in lower embodied CO2 as well as improved plastic and hardened properties of the concrete. The concrete design achieves a DC-4 durability standard which not only increases the life of the foundations due to its resistance to carbonation, chloride and sulphate attack, but makes it suitable for practically any ground condition. The concrete is mixed using a blend of fresh and rain water, the latter of which is collected from the roof of Centrum’s batching plant and stored in a 75,000 litre tank on site. The water used to wash out the concrete skips and moulds is also recycled within the factory by run offs. The factory’s curing chamber utilises the exothermic reaction of the cement hydration (concrete curing process) of the piles to self-heat the chamber allowing an improved curing cycle / time.
Centrum are also actively involved in industry trials to reduce the carbon emissions associated with precast piling. Part of the LOCOWAG project, we have cast and test driven piles using Cemfree concrete which completely eliminates cement from the mix design. More on the project can be discovered on our sustainability page.
