Micropiles Explained: Small-Diameter Piles for Tough Ground
Wholesale, mill-certified reinforcing steel — export-direct at mill prices.
What a micropile is
A micropile is a small-diameter (typically 100–300 mm) drilled-and-grouted pile that carries load through skin friction into competent strata. Because the rig is small, micropiles work where big piling plant can’t: restricted access, low headroom, underpinning existing structures, and difficult ground (fill, boulders, karst).
The self-drilling hollow-bar method
The fastest micropile in collapsing or water-bearing soil uses a self-drilling hollow bar: the bar is drill string, grout conduit and permanent reinforcement in one pass, so there’s no casing step. A sacrificial bit leads, grout flushes the cuttings and bonds the bar simultaneously. It’s the go-to for slope nails, tension piles and underpinning. See our hollow bar systems (R32–T111) with couplers, plates and bits.
Where micropiles shine
Underpinning settling foundations, seismic retrofit, foundations in fill or over voids, uplift/tension anchoring for towers and buoyant structures, and slope stabilisation. Groups of micropiles can match the capacity of a large bored pile while fitting inside a basement.
FAQ
How much load can a micropile carry?
From a few hundred kN to several thousand kN depending on bar size, grout bond and ground — hollow-bar systems span R32 (~280 kN) to T111 (3,600+ kN).
When are micropiles better than bored piles?
In restricted access, low headroom, underpinning, and difficult ground where large rigs can’t work.
What is a self-drilling hollow bar?
A hollow threaded bar that drills, grouts and reinforces in one operation — ideal in collapsing or wet soils.
Need micropile systems at export prices?
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