page_title: Deep foundation
section_title: Adfreeze piles
hierarchical_section_title: Deep foundation / Speciality piles / Adfreeze piles
caption_attribution_description: English: Building in Barrow Alaska constructed on frozen piles
context_page_description: A deep foundation is a type of foundation that transfers building loads to the earth farther down from the surface than a shallow foundation does to a subsurface layer or a range of depths. A pile or piling is a vertical structural element of a deep foundation, driven or drilled deep into the ground at the building site.
  There are many reasons that a geotechnical engineer would recommend a deep foundation over a shallow foundation, such as for a skyscraper. Some of the common reasons are very large design loads, a poor soil at shallow depth, or site constraints like property lines. There are different terms used to describe different types of deep foundations including the pile, the pier, drilled shafts, and caissons. Piles are generally driven into the ground in situ; other deep foundations are typically put in place using excavation and drilling. The naming conventions may vary between engineering disciplines and firms. Deep foundations can be made out of timber, steel, reinforced concrete or prestressed concrete.
context_section_description: In high latitudes where the ground is continuously frozen, adfreeze piles are used as the primary structural foundation method.
  Adfreeze piles derive their strength from the bond of the frozen ground around them to the surface of the pile.
  Adfreeze pile foundations are particularly sensitive in conditions which cause the permafrost to melt. If a building is constructed improperly then it can will the ground below, resulting in a failure of the foundation system.
caption: Adfreeze piles supporting a building in Barrow, Alaska
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