---
title: "Displacement and non-displacement piles"
subject: "Foundation Engineering"
chapter: 8
key: "semester_5/foundation_engineering:displacement-piles-compare"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/foundation_engineering/displacement-piles-compare
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Displacement and non-displacement piles

Foundation Engineering · Chapter 8: Pile Foundations

- Asked in: 2079 Bhadra, 2 marks
- Video: [Types of piles based on material and displacement | Deep Foundation |Geotechnical Engineering - GATE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqwt_7GW3vc) — Ekeeda GATE & ESE
- Answer checked by Claude Sonnet 5.5 on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/foundation_engineering/displacement-piles-compare
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_5/foundation_engineering/chapter-8

## Question

Compare among the large displacement piles, small displacement piles and non-displacement piles with suitable examples.

## Short answer

Large displacement piles (e.g., solid precast concrete, driven cast-in-situ) push aside large soil volume, compacts sand but cause heave and high noise. Small displacement piles (e.g., H-piles, open-end pipe) displace little soil, moderate noise. Non-displacement piles (e.g., bored piles) remove soil, may loosen sand, low noise, lower capacity.

## Answer

Piles are grouped by the amount of soil they displace when installed.

| Point | Large displacement | Small displacement | Non-displacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soil displacement | Large volume pushed aside | Small volume displaced | Soil removed, almost none displaced |
| Examples | Solid precast concrete, closed-end steel pipe, driven cast-in-situ (Franki), timber | H-piles, open-end pipe piles, screw piles | Bored cast-in-situ piles, drilled shafts, micropiles |
| Effect on sand | Compacts and densifies | Slight densification | Loosening of soil may occur |
| Effect on clay | Heave, remoulding, excess pore pressure | Little | None |
| Noise and vibration | High | Moderate | Low |
| Capacity | High per unit size in sand | Medium | Lower friction and base resistance |

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Which is a large displacement pile?
   A. Solid precast concrete
   B. H-pile
   C. Bored cast-in-situ
   D. Micropile
   Answer: A. Solid or closed-end piles push aside a large soil volume. (Key point: Large displacement)

2. Bored piles are:
   A. Non-displacement
   B. Large displacement
   C. Small displacement
   D. Screw piles
   Answer: A. Soil is removed during installation. (Key point: Non-displacement)

3. Large displacement piles in sand:
   A. Compact and densify it
   B. Loosen it
   C. No effect
   D. Create heave only
   Answer: A. Driving densifies loose sand. (Key point: Effect on sand)

4. In clay large displacement piles cause:
   A. Heave, remoulding and excess pore pressure
   B. Nothing
   C. Densification
   D. Reduced noise
   Answer: A. Soil pushed aside disturbs the clay. (Key point: Effect on clay)

## Related in other subjects

- [Large vs small scale models; propagation mechanisms](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fwireless_communication%3Alarge-small-scale-propagation) — Wireless Communication, chapter 3
- [Large scale path loss and small scale fading](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fwireless_communication%3Alarge-scale-loss-small-fading) — Wireless Communication, chapter 3
- [Displacement current density in transformer](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Felectromagnetism%3Adisplacement-current-density-transformer) — Electromagnetism, chapter 3
- [Strain-displacement relations and strain tensor](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fmechanics_of_solids%3Astrain-displacement-small-displacement) — Mechanics of Solids, chapter 3