Barrettes are load-bearing rectangular shaped piles used in foundations to resist significant verticle and horizontal loads.
Barette foundations’ distinctive features are the drilling method of construction, and shape of the cast in-situ reinforced members constructed in the subsoil. Drilling is done by the equipments such as hydraulic grab, mechanical grab and / or hydro-fraise. The dimensions of the equipment used governs the section dimensions of barette foundations. A single barette foundation which is constructed with a standard grab size could be typically 60 cm, 80 cm, 100 cm, 120 cm or 150 cm in width and 2.50 m to 2.80 m in length, depending on the equipment used. Depending on the intended load-bearing capacity, as it may be more on the longer edge, plus-shaped, H-shaped or T-shaped barettes can be constructed. The design of barette foundations and measuring methods are the same as standard circular cross-section bored piles.
