In the common language of the construction industry, "piling" refers to pile foundations, which are deep foundations composed of piles and pile caps. (In foundation treatment, sand piles can also be considered as piling.) Based on the type of force, piles are divided into friction piles and end-bearing piles. Friction piles use the frictional force between the pile walls and the surrounding sediment to bear the weight of the superstructure. End-bearing piles are used to drive the piles into firm ground and transfer the load of high-rise buildings primarily to the firm ground through the pile body. The term "piling" refers to using a pile hammer's impact to overcome the soil's resistance to the pile, allowing the pile to sink to a predetermined depth or reach a bearing layer.

Piling should follow the principle of "heavy hammer, low impact" (for "piling"). There are several methods for driving precast piles to the predetermined depth or bearing layer, such as static pressure, vibration, and water jetting. Precast piles are commonly used in construction sites.

Natural foundations may include sandy soil, silt, debris, and other soil layers with little bearing capacity, and due to differences in composition and bearing capacity, they may also cause uneven settlement. However, if a building undergoes substantial settlement or deformation, it will neither meet usage requirements nor ensure safety. Therefore, various techniques must be employed to enhance the foundation's bearing capacity. Piling is one of the main methods to strengthen foundations. Piling enhances the stability of building foundations, ensuring the stability and reliability of buildings and preventing issues like foundation sinking. It also increases resistance to natural disasters like typhoons and earthquakes. The sequence of foundation design decisions should be shallow foundations, artificial (composite) foundations, and pile (deep) foundations; a shallow foundation should be chosen when there is a stable, firm, and relatively good modulus (matching the foundation pressure) bearing layer at the foundation bottom.

For smaller-scale buildings, foundation treatment methods are relatively simple, mainly involving reducing the weight of the building, increasing the foundation area, deepening the foundation depth, or compacting the foundation soil. For large and heavy high-rise buildings, this treatment is not enough. Piling is one of the main methods to strengthen foundations. Typically, if the building does not exceed 2 floors, piling is not required.

Crawler foundation pile drivers use a hydraulic walking chassis for the pile frame, offering a high degree of automation, capable of self-movement and rotation. It is equipped with hydraulic legs to assist in movement and rotation and increase the overall machine's stability during construction. The pile frame is designed with a traction device, allowing the entire machine to be transported.