Mechanical Characterisation of New and Existing Timber Foundation Piles

Abstract

Timber pile foundations were historically adopted to improve the stability of buildings, bridges, and quay walls in delta cities in Europe such as Amsterdam (NL), typically characterized by soft soils with poor load-bearing capacity. Many historic buildings still rely on wooden piles, even though in current structures mostly concrete foundation piles are used. Presently, there is a growing interest in using timber foundation piles to support buildings, promoting a new circular construction ecosystem. However, the continued use of timber piles—whether in new constructions or maintaining older buildings—requires a thorough and accurate assessment of their current condition. Ensuring the structural reliability and safety of timber piles is essential, as their degradation over time could compromise the stability of the buildings they support.

The design and assessment of timber foundation piles are still open research topics, hindered by several knowledge gaps in understanding their material and mechanical properties. Timber piles have not been extensively studied in the literature, and the design standards offer minimal to no guidance on their utilization. To enable engineers to adequately design timber foundation piles, verification rules, reliable material properties, and grading specifications are required.....