Search Documents

By Jon E. Bischoff

Construction of a secondary clarifier on the banks of Rainy River, Northern Minnesota, required the driving of H-piles 14HP102 to a sloping, very strong bedrock through thick deposits of soft and medium stiff soils. Pile toe protection, APF Hardbite HP 77750, was specified to prevent damage to the pile toe and to enable the pile toe to bite into the bedrock surface. The toe protection worked well for bedrock sloping less than 2H:1V. However, where the bedrock was steeper, the piles experienced damage and failed to reach bearing. In most cases, the also the replacement pile failed. Pile Driving Analyzer measurements showed that on encountering the bedrock, the pile toe reflection, which at first was sound, deteriorated indicating pile toe damage. Extraction for visual inspection showed that the failed piles were bent and had deformed pile shoes. In areas of steeply sloping bedrock and for replacement piles, an alternative shoe, the Scanpile Herkules rock shoe, was employed. This pile shoe proved to be able to secure the pile toe into the rock and to eliminate the problem. The costs of the Herkules rock shoe considering price, shipping, and attaching, were about equal with the Hardbite shoe.

Jan 1, 1993

By Jeongbok Seo

This paper describes successful application of driven tapered-steel-pipe piles for two large-scale projects in the New York metropolitan area: Rego Park Mall, Rego Park, N.Y. and 164 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. The combination of side friction and end bearing resistance produced by tapered-steel-pipe piles has been well-recognized as greater than the side friction and end bearing resistance by pipe piles. Forty-four tapered piles were driven and tested at these two sites. Design pile load for the two sites was 260 kips for Rego Park Mall and 400 kips and 300 kips for 164 Kent Avenue. To measure the pile-drive hammer efficiency, the compressive stress in the pile, and to estimate the ultimate bearing capacity of the pile, dynamic load testing using a Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) was conducted on index piles at the sites. Subsequent to the field testing, data analysis using the Case Pile Wave Analysis Program (CAPWAP) was conducted. Restrike PDA analysis and full-scale static load tests were performed on the selected test piles. Test piles at the project sites exhibited significant time-dependent increases in bearing capacity caused by the effects of "set-up" or "soil freeze." The dissipation of excess pore-water pressure in the soil, which had been disturbed and remolded by driven pile, was generally considered the primary cause of set-up. The increase at the subject sites ranged from 100 to 300 percent of the capacity measured at the initial driving. This paper discusses the results of various types of load testing on tapered piles and the set-up effects by comparing PDA test results acquired during and after pile driving. Finally, an empirical relationship for the New York metropolitan area has been offered for quantifying set-up.

Jan 1, 2008

By A. Partos

It was decided to build a fourteen-storied office building over a six-storied garage and a four-storied office building. The high vertical and horizontal loads required foundations on rock approximately 18m below street level. Drilled piers (caissons) were selected. Eight caissons (1.98m diameter) were installed through the six-storied garage and four caissons from a temporary deck at the location of a former two-storied building. Excavations were done by the slurry method. Proof testing of rock was done before construction by test borings and during construction with a core barrel of small diameter. Quality control measures included telecommunications between ground crews and the equipment operator on the garage roof; records of field observations and testing of bentonite slurry and rock; and a continuous evaluation of all information. Instruments were installed in one caisson to monitor load distributions and curing of concrete.

Jan 1, 2010

By Ali Porbaha

In today's fast-track construction environment, owners are searching for non-conventional technologies to build their projects faster and safer while maintaining traffic flow during construction. To that end designers and contractors are providing solutions that incorporate many unique features to expedite construction processes. In addition to timely delivery of the finished highway products, there is an increasing interest in making the initial investment in applying innovative technologies and thereby minimizing costly maintenance of highway projects. Accordingly, the aim of this paper (along with the accompanying paper) is to examine innovative technologies, developed mostly in Europe, that accelerate construction of highway, runway and railway embankment foundations. For each technology, a basic concept, installation technique(s), and design considerations are discussed, along with the case history of a real-world project. The Geotextile Encased Columns (GEC), AuGeo, and Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) are presented in Part I. Deep Mixing (DM), Cut-Mix-Injection (FMI), Mass stabilization, and Combined soil Stabilization with Vertical columns (CSV) technologies are discussed in Part II.

Jan 1, 2002

By Garland Likins

The Texas Department of Transportation, now considering using Augered Cast-In-Place (ACIP) Piles (also known as Continuous-Flight-Auger or CFA Piles) in their foundations, awarded a research project to Professor Mike O'Neill at the University of Houston (UH) to study the advantages and potential difficulties with ACIP/CFA piles. ACIP/CFA piles were installed on three sites for UH; they had extra instrumentation and additional measurements by UH staff during installation which are beyond the scope of this paper. Independent visual logging of the pile was done by an experienced inspection firm. The main advantages of ACIP/CFA piles are their speed of installation and their economy. Potential savings are substantial. Disadvantages include an unknown structural condition of the shaft. Inspection is critical, but many simultaneous observations make accurate inspection difficult. Because of resulting uncertainty, many engineers have avoided ACIP/CFA piles in the past.

Jan 1, 1998

By Bernhard Bruggaier

Outside the oil and gas industry there is an increasing demand to install big piles for the foundation of ports, bridges, and wind-energy plants. This article introduces the design and techniques in using large MENCK pile driving hammers to install big foundation piles. Piles with a length up to 120 m, an outside diameter of 1.0 m to 3.15 m and weighing between 25t and 400t are being driven for these types of foundations. The required energy lies between 200 and 1700 kNm. Pile driving hammers that bring this amount of energy weigh from 38 to 300t and have a length between 10 and 20 m. Handling these big pile driving hammers requires a crawler crane on land or cranes on floating pontoons or jack-ups when working in water. Possible are either vertical or inclined piles, using a leader for inclinations up to 1:1.7 or up to 1:3 in a free riding version. Project descriptions demonstrate the versatility and practical use of the equipment under diverse operating conditions.

Jan 1, 2002

By Clifford J. Wren

A geotechnical foundation solution was required to halt and prevent further structural distress suffered by a residential four storey apartment building in Hamilton, Scotland. Residents of the ten year old building started to notice cracking and signs of distress approximately one year after moving into the property. A detailed intrusive inspection of the structure revealed that the building was moving and had suffered significant settlement and structural distress at the shared party wall between it and an adjoining building. Roger Bullivant Limited (RBL) was appointed Principal Contractor to carry out an agreed remedial works contract which included a complete structural ?strip-out? of the ground floor, underpinning, contiguous bored pile retaining wall and reinstatement. The paper describes how a proprietary pile and needle beam underpinning system was used to prevent further differential movement and provide a new secure foundation for the residential building. The case study illustrates how a flexible problem solving approach can be applied to a difficult and sensitive geotechnical project.

Jan 1, 2008

By Bill Paparis

The thirty year old wharf structures at the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey?s Port Elizabeth Marine Terminal are being modernized for the next generation of Post-Panamax container ships, which require deeper water and larger container cranes. The terminal operator is upgrading the wharf in order to remain competitive, now and into the future. The upgrade coincides with the Army Corps of Engineers? $733 million project to deepen the main shipping channel in New York Harbor. This paper focuses on the structural modifications to accommodate berth deepening and to support the heavier loads of the new cranes. An overview is provided of the design and actual construction, including typical problems encountered when combining new and existing structures. The wharf improvements included: ? Installation of a steel king pile/sheet pile cutoff wall along the face of the wharf to permit increasing the depth from ?12.2 m + 0.61 m to ?15.2 m + 0.61 m ( ?40 ft + 2 ft to ?50 ft + 2 ft) ? Removal of the existing crane rail support beams and installation of new piles and beams to support the increased crane loads ? Replacement of the existing timber fender system with a new system capable of resisting the berthing energy of a 152,000 MT displacement vessel, and having dedicated sections for berthing barges ? Replacing the existing overhead, landside crane electric feeder system with a waterside, cable reel trench system. The work included upgrading the transformer capacity at the terminal for increased crane power demands This paper provides a case history for port administrators, terminal operators, engineers, and shipping lines challenged with upgrading aging terminals.

Jan 1, 2013

By Peter J. Nicholson

Recognition of the liquefaction susceptibility of dam embankments has been heightened since the San Fernando Dam near failure incident in 1971. Both the downstream and upstream slopes of dams can be at risk for slope failure that can lead to breaching of the dam during or after a seismic event. Many dams have been remediated by various means such as the installation of stone columns or by excavation and replacement of the liquefaction susceptible material. Recent engineering and technology advances in equipment and materials has shown that construction of shear walls to the appropriate depths and at the right center to center spacing may be an economical alternative to the more traditional methods. Recently, the downstream embankments of at least 4 dams, from South Carolina to California, have been, or in the process of being remediated by the use of shear walls. The method of installation has been either multi-axis Cement Deep Soil Mixing walls or walls constructed by the use of trench excavation under self-hardening slurry. Four case histories of dam remediation are discussed, three by multi-axis paddle auger CDSM equipment one with the use of self hardening slurry trenches.

Jan 1, 2008

By J. W. Slatter

Cast in situ screw piling techniques (both displacement and non displacement) have seen considerable growth in recent years due to competitive production rates, low noise and vibration free installation. However the discussion on the mechanics of auger installation, which has implications on the installation effects and installation forces of screw piling augers, has been almost exclusively targeted towards non displacement techniques and in particular continuous flight augers (CFA). This paper discusses the historical development of the understanding of screw piling auger mechanics in sands and presents a new theoretical model to predict the soil transport and displacement characteristics of both displacement and non displacement augers with variable geometry.

Jan 1, 2000

By Darrell L. Beddard

The test program information provided for some immediate changes on the upcoming contracts and in contract administration for the I-880 Replacement Project. Plan sheet modifications included changes to the pile data tables showing the actual demand load required for structural stability. The normal class of pile with a minimum load carrying capacity was removed. This provided for substantial pile length reduction at several locations since the structural loading was much less than the predetermined pile class ultimate capacity. New specifications were developed and standard specifications were modified to accommodate the newer foundations, installation procedures and pile acceptance criteria. Current Caltrans specifications require that the Contractor provide bearing capacity at the specified tip elevation. This requirement was removed and pile acceptance was determined by the Engineer. Acceptance criteria was established by the State and was based on. set-up trend over time. Static loading tests were reduced especially in areas where testing was performed on the indicator program. Testing procedures were modified and set-up periods were established before piles could be tested. For the contract near the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge (Unit E) the FHWA 1000 tons (8.9 MN) test beam configuration was completely changed. This provided added safety and allowed more tolerance in the pile placement for the testing operations. Indicator piles were added as companion piles to the static loading test piles. These piles were used for restrike events which included collecting dynamic data for calibrating the wave equation analysis with static load test results. Indicator piles also provided quick access for restrike events, where as, the static loading test pile needed modification to perform the restrike operation. Penetration rates were recorded for these operations. Wave equation Analysis Program (WEAP) was used in developing the acceptance criteria. The standard Engineering News Record (ENR) formula in the current Caltrans' Standard Specifications was removed for the contracts. Contractors were required to submit, prior to driving piles, a driveability study for their contract. These studies required discussion of their operations, method of installation, effects of soil set-up, set periods, hammer settings, bearing graphs, inputs to the WEAP program and complete a "Pile and Driving Equipment Data" form. Dynamic monitoring was detailed in the specifications on how the monitoring process was to occur. Set periods were established and restrike events were called out with the frequency of these events.

Jan 1, 1996

By C. Guney Olgun, Fleur Loveridge, Tracy Brettmann, William Powrie

"Abstract Deep foundations are increasingly being used, not just to carry structural loads, but also to act as heat exchangers as part of a ground source heat pump system. Such foundations, often called energy piles, have the potential to make significant contributions towards meeting the heating and cooling demands of buildings, thus reducing the overall energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions during their lifespan. To ensure that the available energy from these systems is maximized, it is important to determine the thermal conductivity of the surrounding soils, a key design input parameter. In situ thermal response tests are commonly used to carry out this task for small diameter borehole heat exchangers. However, there has been debate over the applicability of these tests to energy piles due to their larger diameter and the consequent increased influence of the pile thermal properties on the test outcome. This paper examines the results of three thermal response tests carried out on piles of different diameters and thermal properties installed at the same site in Texas. Transient analysis of the test results, combined with comparisons to laboratory testing of soil samples from the site, is used to given an indication of the applicability of the thermal response test over different timescales for the different piles. It is concluded that the test is most suited to smaller diameter piles constructed with lower thermal diffusivity materials. Recommendations are given for the conduction of pile thermal response tests and interpretation of test data.INTRODUCTIONAs issues of energy security and scarcity become more important, the use of ground source heat pumps to provide renewable and sustainable heating and cooling to buildings is set to increase. Traditionally such systems use special purpose ground heat exchangers to extract and/or inject heat from/into the ground. The heat exchangers comprise a series of plastic pipes cast into the ground and then connected to the heat pump via a series of header pipes. In the case of building space heating, the heat pump then steps up the temperature difference to deliver the extracted heat at a useable level. However, financial and carbon savings can result by utilizing the building foundations as heat exchangers as well as to carry the building structural loads.Piles, often termed “energy piles”, are the most common type of foundation heat exchanger, and their construction has been increasing in recent years (Amis et al, 2009). However, while energy piles have the potential to make significant contributions towards meeting building heating and cooling demands, there remains scope for improving their thermal efficiency through improved analysis approaches (e.g. Loveridge & Powrie, 2013). In fact the greater diameter of many energy piles means they have the potential to deliver increased short term thermal energy storage compared to more commonly installed borehole heat exchangers."

Jan 1, 2014

By William Siegel

Kleinfelder provided foundation analysis and design for an expansion to a cement plant in Florence, Colorado. The expansion was a conversion from a horizontal wet process to a vertical dry process, and resulted in the construction of a number of structures with heavy foundation loads. [ ] The field investigation identified old fill and saturated sands and gravels above a shale/limestone bedrock environment. Based upon the anticipated loading, drilled piers socketed into bedrock were recommended. The structures were constructed in accordance with the design recommendations.

Jan 1, 2007

By Robert J. Carle

This paper reviews a variety of highway structures which have been built using steel sheet piling as the permanent structural elements of bridge piers, abutments and wingwalls. Those structures built over the past 20 years in Europe include major highway bridges over railroads, highways and waterways in both urban and rural locations. Most highway structures built in the United States using steel sheet piling have been limited to secondary roads in rural locations. The main thrust of this paper is the presentation of various design concepts for highway structures which utilize steel sheet piling. The main purpose is to challenge the profession to move forward from this conceptual presentation and to develop the details necessary to provide safe, cost-effective structures which go well beyond the scope of those being built in the United States today.

Jan 1, 1989

By Matthew C. Pierson

Due to space limitations for transportation projects, many times sound walls must be constructed above mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. These sound walls must resist lateral loads from wind or impact and must therefore be constructed on drilled shafts passing through the reinforced fill for the MSE Wall. Current design methods for the drilled shafts are believed to be overly conservative. Full scale lateral load testing of three foot diameter shafts contained within and solely supported by a 20 foot tall MSE block wall was conducted and the lateral capacity was evaluated. Shafts were tested individually and as a group. The data collected from full scale testing was then used to calibrate numerical models. This paper contains a discussion of how the facing type and stiffness affects the behavior of the numerical model as well as selected comparisons between the actual test data and selected model simulation results.

Jan 1, 2009

By I. K. Ozaydin

Analysis of piles groups loaded with large bending moments and both vertical and batter piles can be best performed by matrix analysis. In this paper, a case history about a tall marine control tower is presented. The soil conditions at the site and the results of the computer analysis of the piled foundation are summarized. It is shown that the pile loads are indeed less than the allowable load for a single pile. Pile head loads and moments are used in the analysis of the raft foundation.

Jan 1, 2010

By Martina Balic

Dynamic properties of the drilled shaft foundations supporting Doremus Avenue Bridge were determined by forced vibration testing. The main objectives of the substructure testing at Doremus Avenue Bridge were: (1) site evaluation with respect to the dynamic soil properties, and, (2) shaft evaluation for the purpose of definition of their dynamic stiffness. The site characterization entailed crosshole testing for the purpose of evaluation of the shear modulus profile. The drilled shaft impedance evaluation was done through forced excitation using an electromagnetic shaker. The responses of the tested shaft, as well as the response of adjacent shafts, were measured for the purpose of evaluation of the shaft interaction. To gain a better insight into the shaft dynamics, one of the shafts was instrumented with five triaxial geophones distributed along the full length of the shaft. The scope and results of the site characterization, shaft impedance and shaft interaction evaluation are presented.

Jan 1, 2004

By Gary M. Weinstein

Micropiles have seen increasing use for foundation support and slope stabilization applications over the past half century. Most often designed and installed in groups of vertical or battered elements or combinations thereof, continued applied research conducted through partnerships established between academia, government and industry has led to the recent development of practical engineering and design guidelines for such micropile systems. In contrast to a group of directly loaded micropiles, the micropile network relies on a three-dimensional array of reticulated elements to encompass and internally reinforce the soil, resulting in a network or "knot" effect. The potential for enhanced engineering behaviour of reticulated micropile network systems compared to that of a group of micropiles has been continually revealed by numerous researchers in the past. The concept is elementary - the roots of a tree interact with the soil to form a composite foundation capable of performance superior to that of the individual parts. However, given the large number of parameters which must be modelled and studied, experimental assessment and rational analysis of the soil-structure system has been difficult and therefore, in contrast to above, reliable design methods have not yet been forthcoming.

Jan 1, 2003

By Salim Mezazigh

Usually different methods for designing a single pile submitted to a lateral loading are available. They are based on theory of elasticity with the parameters E,v or subgrade reaction method using the p-y curves. The subgrade reaction methods are commonly used. They allow determining the efforts exerted along the piles and their corresponding displacements. Before any design the reaction curves P-y must be well defined for each foundation soil layer. These curves link the pile horizontal displacement y to the subgrade reaction of soil P. Different in situ tests such as the static penetrometer or the pressuremeter give a possibility to get the P-y curves in the case of a single pile installed in sand with an horizontal surface and statically laterally loaded. These ideal conditions are not always respected on the site around the pile if appear slopes, embankments, or buildings... The behaviour of such configurations of piles is more sophisticated due to the proximity ( slope, embankment, earthworks, buildings,..). A research program has been conducted to determine the influence of a slope on the P-y curves by centrifuge modelling. The centrifuge tests constitutes an experimental approach allowing parametric studies in respect with similitude laws in geotechnique. Before all, repeatable tests have demonstrated that the test conditions, the instrumentation equipment and the installation method for piles are well controlled. By this way, the obtained results from centrifuge tests can be transferred to the prototype i.e. the in situ piles. Many tests have been performed on piles in sand to determine the influence of a pile on the p-y curves. The main objective is to give for practice some coefficients to apply to p-y single pile curve to take into account the proximity slope effect. Here the experimental set up is described and in particular the proximity slope effect is discussed. Deduced subgrade reaction reduction factors are proposed for piles in sand under lateral loading.

Jan 1, 2002

By Colin Curtis

The City of Manchester is hosting the 2002 Commonwealth Games. A world class Stadium with a 38,000 capacity was commissioned for a site located close to the City Centre. The Stadium location is in an area that was derelict and in need of regeneration and it is envisaged that the Stadium will be the spur for this. The industrial and residential history of the site has left a legacy of buried foundations together with chemically contaminated soils. This Made Ground deposit overlies Glacial Deposits which in turn overlie bedrocks of the Central Manchester Coalfield. Coal mining has taken place from at least 1761 leaving several worked seams and shafts. In order to support the stadium, 1159 conventional augured piles of 600 to 1200mm diameters were used. This paper will deal primarily with the piling operations and testing, but will also discuss the coal seam treatment with respect to piling. A substantial trial pile test programme was carried out together with 11 static load tests on contract piles. The results of the pile tests will be discussed and conclusions drawn.

Jan 1, 2002