The stability and durability of a building, the level of comfort of being in it, directly depends on the quality, reliability and thoughtfulness of its support system. Often land owners have to carry out construction in difficult soil and climatic conditions. In most cases, a pipe foundation is the only and most budgetary and simplest option for solving the issue of choosing a base for a residential or auxiliary structure. The technology for manufacturing a pipe foundation does not require professional knowledge and equipment. All work can be done quickly and efficiently with your own hands.
Design features of the pipe foundation
Structurally, a tubular foundation is a set of supports immersed in the ground, connected into a single structure by a grillage or a monolithic slab. The pillars are installed at a certain distance between themselves, but without fail at the corners of the house and the places where the internal and external walls meet. For massive buildings, a columnar foundation is made of metal pipes evenly distributed over their entire area.
There are such types of pile foundations:
- Recessed. The tops of the pillars are located below ground level, which prevents moisture and cold air from penetrating under the buildings.
- Superficial. The grillage is located at ground level, partially transferring the vertical load from the building to it.
- Sublime. Pipe piles rise above the surface at a level sufficient to exclude flooding of the house or equipment under it of the utility opening.
The choice of material for the manufacture of the support system and its type is justified by the properties of the soil, the depth of its freezing and the technical characteristics of the building.
Design advantages
The sewer pipe foundation has a lot of advantages over the classic tape, slab and columnar counterparts.
The main advantages of the design:
- small amount of earthworks;
- you can even perform the installation alone;
- almost complete absence of waste and construction waste;
- ease of installation, which is available even to an inexperienced developer;
- resistance of supports to the effects of chemicals in the ground;
- environmental safety of the material;
- stability with a correct calculation.
The disadvantage of the structure is its limited strength and service life, which does not exceed 50 years in warm and temperate climates.
Conditions for the construction of pipe piles
Tubular support systems have a wide, almost unlimited scope of application in private and commercial construction. They are used to install residential buildings, summer cottages, baths, gazebos, sheds, pavilions and stalls. The structure of the supports is a permanent formwork filled with cement mortar with or without a steel frame.
Pipes made of various materials are used as a mold for concrete:
- Sewer (plastic). Orange products should be chosen, originally intended for use in outdoor conditions.The foundation made of plastic pipes is resistant to temperature extremes and ultraviolet light, perfectly tolerates any weather.
- Metallic. By itself, iron has high strength and a sufficient margin of flexibility to transfer ground vibrations without destruction. The metal foundation does not need internal reinforcement, since this function is performed by the column walls. The downside of such a structure is its tendency to corrosion.
- PVC. Polymer products are intended for indoor installation. To adapt the foundation made of PVC pipes for outdoor conditions, it will take time, effort and money to carry out measures to insulate it, up to forced heating in the cold season.
For structures with a long service life, piles made of plastic sewer pipes with internal reinforcement are better suited. This design combines an optimal ratio of price, strength and durability.
Necessary materials and tools for work
To build a supporting system from pipes you will need:
- Bulgarian;
- level, tape measure;
- hand or motor drill;
- shovel;
- containers for mixing the solution;
- crochet hook for wire;
- ax;
- cord, stakes;
- pipes 200 cm long and 11 cm in diameter;
- components for the solution (sand, crushed stone, cement).
It is worth buying a concrete mixer and a motor-drill in cases where another large-scale construction is planned for the future. It is more expedient to rent this equipment for a single share.
Preparatory process
The first step is to study the site, determine the bearing capacity of the soil and the depth of its freezing. Based on these data, the number and area of piles is calculated, and a diagram of their placement is drawn up.
The next phase is the marking of the site. If necessary, it is cleaned of vegetation, foreign objects and leveled.
The outline of the building is marked, the places where the supports are installed are marked with stakes or scraps of reinforcement.
It remains to wait for favorable weather and start work.
DIY construction of a columnar foundation
Wells for pipes can be drilled all at once or one by one, as the previous support is poured. The second option is chosen if the holes are quickly filled with groundwater or when precipitation is expected.
Sequence of mounting supports:
- Well manufacturing. It is necessary to carefully maintain the vertical of drilling, otherwise the work will have to be redone. The bottom part of the well expands by 5 cm.
- Drainage installation. For this, sand and crushed stone are poured into the pit. The material is wetted and rammed.
- Lowering the pipe into the hole. The support is made vertical with spacers.
- Manufacturing of a three-dimensional frame of a triangular cross-section from reinforcement and its loading into a pipe.
- Mixing and pouring grout into the pipe. Securing a mortgage in it under the head.
Further work can be carried out after 2-3 days, when the cement sets and loses fluidity.
The final stage in the construction of a pipe foundation is the installation of a grillage. The connection is carried out with a metal profile, wooden beam or reinforced concrete. Depending on the terrain properties, a rigid, semi-rigid or floating technology of joining the fragments of the support system is used.
