Pile Foundation Notes Design
Pile Foundation Notes Design
– Design Verification Tests: carried out prior to and/or during construction stage
to verify the pile installation method and pile performance. The results are
used as part of pile acceptability assessments. The maximum test load is
optional however usually up to 1.5 to 2.0 times the serviceability loads. Usually
the maximum test load equals to the Design Verification Load, which is
accompanied by a settlement tolerance dictated in the design.
– Pile Load Tests (PLT) or Static Load Tests are regarded as destructive tests,
hence the test piles are not part of the foundation system. PLT are carried out
as Maintained Load Tests, in which the pile is loaded with stepped increments
of typically 25% of the maximum test load, with a waiting period at each load
step to account for time dependent response of the pile to the applied load.
Pile Settlement under Axial Loading
• Method of Load Application in a PLT
– Kentledge System: in this method a set of dead weights are applied on the
pile head and the corresponding settlement is measured.
Source: http://www.rakpilingbd.com/img/static_load_test.jpg
Pile Settlement under Axial Loading
• Method of Load Application in a PLT
– Kentledge System: continued.
Pile Settlement under Axial Loading
• Method of Load Application in a PLT
– Reaction Pile System: extra piles or anchors are installed around the test pile to
provide reaction against the load applied to the test pile.
Pile Settlement under Axial Loading
• Method of Load Application in a PLT
– Anchor System:
Source: https://www.baw.de/content/files/projekte/poster/0/pfahlprobebelastungen_3.jpg
Pile Integrity
• Non-destructive Testing of Pile Construction Performance
– Sonic Echo Integrity testing: all piles installed can be tested with ease using
this method which involves hitting pile head with a hammer and measuring
the reflection of stress waves down the pile using a sensor placed on pile
head. Significant defects can be detected from the analysis of the wave
data.
Source: http://www.esg.co.uk/media/28649/PIT-testing-2.jpg
Source: http://www.geotech-indonesia.com/image/product/pit03.jpg
Pile Integrity
• Non-destructive Testing of Pile Construction Performance
– Single or Crosshole Logging Integrity testing: the test piles are selected from
the working piles, not all piles can be tested, a pre-installed pile/tube access is
present in pile bore for a movable geo-phone which is sunk in the pile to detect
the waves generated. A continuous profile of the reflected waves across the
pile section can be obtained. The test can also be carried out in two access
tubes through the pile for better accuracy.
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/geotech/pubs/gec8/images/f126.gif http://www.ndt.net/article/ndtce03/papers/v024/fig1.gif
Pile Settlement under Axial Loading
• Pile Settlement has two components for bored and cast-in-place piles:
– Elastic Compression of the Pile itself and,
– Settlement due to ground displacement during mobilisation of pile
resistance. This component is further divided into two as; displacement
along the pile shaft and displacement at pile tip.
Exercises