Direct answer
Steel pipe piles are driven piles. They are made off site, driven or vibrated in and spliced to reach depth, so they are fast in the soft delta soils of Bangladesh and in river work. Bored piles are cast in place with less vibration and noise, and suit tight urban sites near existing buildings. The geotechnical report decides.
At a glance
| Point | Steel pipe pile | Bored pile |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Driven pile, open or closed ended | Replacement pile, cast in place |
| Material | Spiral (SSAW) or LSAW steel pipe, 273 to 3,600 mm OD | Reinforced concrete cast in a drilled hole |
| Installation | Impact or vibratory hammer; spliced by welding to reach depth | Drilling with casing or fluid, then cage and concrete |
| Speed | Fast; no curing before the next stage | Slower; concrete must cure |
| Vibration and noise | Higher during driving | Lower |
| Soft or waterlogged ground | Well suited; the pipe is its own casing | Needs casing or drilling fluid to hold the hole |
| Working over water | Common on bridges and jetties | Harder; needs a platform and full casing |
| Quality control | Factory made pipe tested at the mill; driving record per pile | Depends on site concreting; integrity tests after casting |
| Typical wall | TODOtypical piling wall per OD | Not applicable |
| Corrosion protection | TODOcorrosion allowance or coating | Concrete cover to the cage |
| Installed cost | TODOindicative BDT per m | TODOindicative BDT per m |
| Bangladesh reference | Padma Multipurpose Bridge, spiral and LSAW piling pipe from GBTL | Common on building sites in Dhaka |
What each pile is
A steel pipe pile is a driven pile. A length of spiral (SSAW) or LSAW steel pipe is driven or vibrated into the ground. Driven open ended it displaces little soil; driven closed ended or plugged it acts as a displacement pile. The pipe carries load through end bearing and skin friction, and it can be left open ended, plugged or filled with concrete as the design requires.
A bored pile is a replacement pile. A hole is drilled, the soil is removed, a reinforcement cage is lowered in and concrete is poured in place. The hole is held open by a temporary casing or by drilling fluid until the concrete is in.
Where steel pipe piles win
Speed and soft ground. Pipe piles arrive as factory made lengths, are driven in sequence and can be spliced by welding to reach depth. There is no curing time before the next stage. In the soft delta soils of Bangladesh, and over water, the pipe acts as its own casing, so the hole cannot collapse. This is one reason large river crossings such as the Padma Multipurpose Bridge used spiral and LSAW piling pipe.
Quality is easier to see. Driving records give a check on every pile as it goes in, and the pipe itself was hydrostatically and weld tested at the mill before it left.
Where bored piles win
Vibration and noise. Driving a pipe pile shakes the ground, so on a tight urban plot next to existing buildings, a hospital or old masonry, bored piles are often the safer choice. Bored piles can also be made in very large diameters and to great depth without a driving rig, and they work where a hard layer would stop a driven pile short.
Points to compare
Load capacity per pile: TODOindicative capacity range per pile diameter, or state that it is design dependent. Settlement: TODOsettlement expectation, or state that it is design dependent. Installed cost: TODOindicative BDT per m or cost ratio, steel pipe pile against bored pile, in Bangladesh. Programme: pipe piles are usually faster per pile because there is no concrete curing. Access: pipe piles need a driving rig and crane; bored piles need a drilling rig, casing or fluid plant and a concrete supply.
Specifying the pipe pile
The geotechnical design fixes the outside diameter, wall thickness, length and steel grade. GBTL makes spiral piling pipe from 273 to 3,600 mm OD in 3.0 to 25.0 mm wall and LSAW piling pipe from 300 to 2,500 mm OD in 3.0 to 17.0 mm wall. Typical wall for piling: TODOtypical piling wall per OD. Corrosion allowance or external coating: TODOconfirm the allowance or coating GBTL recommends for buried and marine piles. Lengths are cut to the design and spliced on site.
How GBTL supplies piling pipe
Send GBTL Engineering the pile schedule: OD, wall, length per pile, number of piles and total quantity in MT, plus the delivery site. Every batch is hydrostatically tested at the mill and mill test certificates are supplied on request. The plant runs under ISO 9001:2015 and BSTI. Indicative lead time: TODOlead time for piling pipe orders in weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, a steel pipe pile or a bored pile?
It depends on the site. Compare the installed cost per pile for your load and depth, not the material price alone. Pipe piles save programme time and need less site plant in soft or waterlogged ground. Bored piles need casing or drilling fluid, concrete and curing time.
What information does the piling contractor need to send GBTL?
The pile schedule: OD, wall, length per pile, number of piles and total MT, plus the delivery district. GBTL quotes pipe, cutting and bevelling to length.
Can pipe piles be spliced on site?
Yes. Pipe piles are joined by welding on site to reach the design depth. The weld procedure follows the project specification. GBTL cuts lengths to suit your driving rig and splice plan.
Were steel pipe piles used on the Padma Bridge?
Yes. Spiral (SSAW) and LSAW piling pipe from GBTL was used for foundation piling on the Padma Multipurpose Bridge.
Is a steel pipe pile filled with concrete?
It can be. Some designs leave the pipe open ended, some plug the toe and some fill the pipe with reinforced concrete after driving. The design engineer decides from the loads and the soil profile.