Tension piles, also known as uplift piles or anchor piles, are a type of pile foundation that is used to resist uplift forces that might otherwise cause it to be extracted from the ground. Uplift forces can develop as a result of hydrostatic pressure, seismic activity or overturning moments.

Anchor Piles are required to resist lateral loads with or without being braced depending on circumstances and an ordinary or standard house pile is required to carry a vertical load.