Can bored piers be specified with a belled (widened) base for extra bearing?

Yes, genuinely an available option — a belled base widens the bottom of the pier, increasing the bearing area in contact with the soil, sometimes specified where higher capacity is needed without simply drilling a wider shaft throughout.

This is a specific engineering technique used where it genuinely offers a real advantage for your soil conditions and loads, not a default approach on every pier.

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