Geoss Guidelines On Local Practices For Pile Foundation Design And Construction (2025)

7.4 Pile load testing alternatives

The guidelines explicitly state: "Local practice is not a substitute for basic soil mechanics; it is a lens to apply them economically."

The guidelines prescribe specific pile types based on ground conditions and building sensitivity:

Integrates indigenous Sami and Inuit knowledge: wooden piles driven in frozen ground develop an "adfreeze bond" that vanishes upon thaw. The guidelines introduce based on mean annual ground temperature, not air temperature. For warm permafrost (0°C to -1°C), local practice of using thermosyphons is now a prescriptive requirement.