A friction pile relies on soil friction to resist the lateral and vertical loads, while an end bearing pile transfers the load to a stronger layer of soil or rock at the bottom. In friction piles, the load is distributed through the length of the pile and the surrounding soil. In contrast, end bearing piles are designed to distribute the load to a more solid layer of soil or bedrock at the bottom of the pile. End bearing piles are more suitable for deeper foundations while friction piles are suitable for shallow foundations.
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