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Pages From BS5930

The document provides guidance on determining the appropriate depth of exploration for foundation investigations. It discusses factors to consider such as pile group stress distribution, presence of weak soils, establishing rock head, and accounting for settlement. Approximations for depth are provided related to pile length, imaginary raft dimensions, and proving continuity of strong strata.

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250 views1 page

Pages From BS5930

The document provides guidance on determining the appropriate depth of exploration for foundation investigations. It discusses factors to consider such as pile group stress distribution, presence of weak soils, establishing rock head, and accounting for settlement. Approximations for depth are provided related to pile length, imaginary raft dimensions, and proving continuity of strong strata.

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STD-BSI BS 5930-ENGL L999 ILh24bb7 08072bî 028

Section 2 BS 5930:1999

12.7 Depth of exploration Where piled foundations are considered a possibility,


a preliminary analysis of the possible lengths of
12.7.1 General different types and sizes of pile should be made
The depth of exploration depends on how new using the desk study information. In addition, the
building work significantly affects the ground and following factors should be taken into account when
groundwater, or is affected by them. Normally planning the depth of exploration.
exploration should be undertaken below all deposits 1) Pile groups stress the ground below the pile
that may be unsuitable for foundations purposes, points to a greater depth than will an individual
e.g. made ground and weak compressible soils, isolated pile. The depth of exploration should be
including weak strata overlain by a layer of higher sufficient to identify any weak strata beneath
bearing capacity. The exploration should go through the pile points, which might affect the bearing
compressible cohesive soils likely to contribute capacity of the pile groups.
significantly to the settlement of the proposed 2) Made ground, and weak compressible soils
works, normally to a depth where stress increases seldom contribute to the shaft resistance of a
cease to be significant, or deeper. If rock is found, a pile and may add down drag to the load on it.
penetration of at least 3 m in more than one borehole The whole pile load, possibly with the addition
may be required to establish whether bedrock or a of down drag, has to be borne by the stronger
boulder has been encountered, unless prior strata lying below the weak materials.
knowledge of the local geology obviates this. Three 3) In the case of end-bearing piles in strong
metres may be an insufficient penetration into rock rock, boreholes should be of sufficient depth to
in areas where the rocks have a massive structure establish conclusively the presence of rock
(see clause 44) or where large, apparently head. The rock should then be further explored,
undisturbed sedimentary masses underlain by till usually by means of rotary drilling, to such a
may occur as rafts in till deposits. No guidance can depth that the engineer directing the
be given in such cases, but where doubt arises, investigation is satisfied that there is no
consideration should be given to drilling a deeper possibility of weaker strata occurring lower
hole, or making an in-situ examination in an down, which could affect the performance of
excavation. More specific recommendations are the piles.
given in 12.7.2to 12.7.8. 4) Pile-supported rafts on clays are often used
It is not always necessary that every exploration solely to reduce settlement. In these cases, the
should be taken to the depths recommended depth of exploration is governed by the need to
in 12.7.2 to 12.7.8. In many instances, it is adequate examine all strata that could contribute
if one or more boreholes are taken to those depths significantly to the settlement. A commonly used
approximation in settlement calculations for
in the early stages of the field work to establish the
piled rafts is to assume that the whole of the
general ground profile, and then the remainder sunk load is carried on an imaginary raft situated at a
a little higher to explore more thoroughly the zone depth below the underside of the real raft equal
near the surface which the initial exploration had to two-thirds of the pile length. The size of this
shown to be most relevant to the problem in hand. imaginary raft is determined by assuming a
12.7.2 Foundationsf o r structures spread of load of 4: 1 (vertical:horizontal)
outwards from the edge at underside of pile cap
For these, the depth of exploration should be at least level of the rectangle containing the piles. In
one and a half times the width of the loaded area, theory, the depth of exploration should be
unless the imposed stress change becomes one-and-a-half times the width of this imaginary
insignificant when compared with the strength and raft below its base.
stiffness of the ground at a lesser depth, e.g. in In practice, on many occasions, this would lead
strong rock. For foundations near the surface, the to an excessive and unnecessary depth of
loaded area is considered as either: exploration and the engineer directing the
a) the area of a n individual footing; or investigation should terminate the exploration
b) the plan area of the structures, where the once relatively incompressible strata have been
spacing of foundation footings is less than about reached, provided that the depth of exploration
three times the breadth, or where the floor loading is sufficient to prove the strata well below the
is significant; or toes of the piles. Similar considerations apply to
groups of end bearing piles in coarse grained
c) the area of a foundation raft. soils, except that in this case the imaginary raft
In each case, the depth should be measured below should be assumed to be at the pile toe level,
the base of the footing or raft. with an area extent the same as the pile group.
5) In chalk and other weak rocks, the
exploration should be taken to the base of the
weathered materials and to a sufficient depth
into the unweathered rock to prove its
continuity.

O BSI 10-1999 13
COPYRIGHT British Standards Institute on ERC Specs and Standards
Licensed by Information Handling Services

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