Piles are slender structural elements installed in the
ground to support a load or compact the soil. They are
made of several materials or combinations of materials and
are installed by impact driving, jacking, vibrating, jetting,
drilling, grouting, or combinations of these techniques. Piles
are difficult to summarize and classify because there are
many types, and new types are still being developed. This
report covers only the types of piles currently used in North
American construction projects. A pile type can be assigned
a wide variety of names or classifications by various agencies,
codes, technical groups, and in various geographical regions.
No attempt is made herein to reconcile the wide variety of names used with a given pile type.