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Jan 1, 1990

By Vahid Tajdar

The behavior similarity between pile and cone penetration test, has guided the researchers to use the CPT results in prediction of piles bearing capacity. In this article, artificial neural networks have been used to study about relation between cone tip and sleeve friction strength obtained from cone penetration test and ultimate pile bearing capacity, obtained from static pile load test. Artificial neural networks "ANNS" is a form of artificial intelligence. ANN tries to dramatize the human nerves & brain system biology structure in self-structure. In this article, the results of relevant studies about the prediction of ultimate pile bearing capacity in especial area of soils are presented by use of back - propagation neural networks. The results of static pile load test up to failure on 63 piles with closed end and CPT test results in the place of construction these piles use in order to confirm and creation ANN model. Comparing predicted ultimate pile bearing capacity by utilizing ANN with the numbers which are predicted by 5 common traditional methods shows that using of artificial neural networks is a suitable method for predicted ultimate pile bearing capacity in identified area of texture of soil moreover it has a better operation in comparison with common traditional methods.

Jan 1, 2006

By I. Stanculescu

The consolidation of thick and very compressible soil deposits by stone columns associated with cast-in-place plain concrete columns, has been performed for shallow foundations of some heavy industrial structures. The reduction of settlements and increase of soil bearing capacity were thus ensured as a result of soft soil interaction with stone and concrete columns. The results of model tests and in situ large scale applications are presented. A calculation procedure is also suggested for foundation bases improved by the proposed method.

Jan 1, 2010

By Amaneh E. Kenarsari

Among the different sources of uncertainty in pile bearing capacity prediction including inherent heterogeneity, measurement and model uncertainties, the inherent heterogeneity of soil properties is of particular interest and is considered in this study. Cone tip resistance data are utilized to calculate pile bearing capacity by considering vertical soil variability. In this regard, cone tip resistance component of CPT data is assumed as a random parameter. Realizations of this parameter are achieved with the aid of local average subdivisions and random field theories. Monte Carlo simulation is used to generate different realizations of CPT or CPT-u data. Pile bearing capacity was then calculated by the use of direct method. Pile bearing capacity are predicted for a project in south of Iran using this method and probability density function for the total bearing capacity of pile is plotted. Coefficient of variation of 33% for ultimate bearing capacity shows the variability of bearing capacity due to variation of soil strength in depth. Cumulative probability chart for the ultimate bearing capacity are plotted as an efficient tool for estimating ultimate bearing capacity of piles with different desired confidence levels for vertically variable soil strength properties. Significant difference between mean value of pile bearing capacity (18 MN) and limit with 95% confidence level (8 MN) emphasizes the importance of considering soil variability.

Jan 1, 2011

By Bengt H. Fellenius

The design of pile foundations is much more commonly verified by means of a full-scale test, than is the design of other foundation units. The reason is not that our knowledge of pile behavior is more uncertain than our knowledge of other foundation types making the verification necessary, but more that the loads in a structure are more concentrated to single foundations in a structure founded on piles as opposed to structures on footings or mats. Therefore, should a pile cap fail or move, the adverse consequence of this is often drastic, as the piled structure has little freedom to transfer its need for support to other foundation units. Consequently, it becomes important to assure the design of piled foundations. In many, maybe in most instances, the static pile loading test is routine and geared toward determining an at least capacity, only. However, in these times there is an ever increasing liability of the professional, demands for increased economy of the foundation, and frequent lack of the involvement in the test of the experienced old-timer exercising good judgment. Furthermore, modern pile design is leaving the single, simple concept of capacity and requires more information from the test to assist in determining aspects of long-term behavior and settlement. Therefore, even the straight forward, routine static loading test requires improved planning, execution, and analysis.

Jan 1, 1990

By Y. C. Han

The advances in seismic design considering soil-structure interaction or soil-pile-structure interaction are described using a substructure approach. The nonlinearity of soil is considered approximately using a boundary zone model with non-reflective interface, and computer programs are available for practical applications. The validation of model is confirmed with dynamic tests on piles in the field, and the results for a single pile are used to compare with the predictions in this study. The liquefaction for sand soil layer can be accounted for, and a case of liquefaction is discussed. Two practical examples are examined, a vacuum tower structure supported on foundation of steel pile group and a table top structure supported on foundation of concrete pile group. To illustrate the effects of soil-pile-structure interaction on the seismic response of vacuum structure, different base conditions are considered, rigid base, i.e. no deformation of the foundation; linear soil-pile system; and nonlinear soil-pile system. The method introduced can be applied to the design of tall buildings, bridges, industrial structures and offshore platforms with soil-pile-structure interaction under seismic or dynamic loads.

Jan 1, 2010

By Nuno Cruz, Saúl Rodríguez

"When executing offshore bored piles there are several specific factors and problems to consider in order to guarantee excavation stability. One of the methods employed to carry out this type of work consists in setting up a floating work platform, typically a barge, and implementing a soil stabilization system that combines a partial steel guiding casing with third generation polymeric drilling fluids. The main aspects to take into consideration when performing offshore pile boring works are soil stabilization, project design, work methodology and operational aspects. An example of a work methodology problem arises before any pile boring work takes place as the steel guiding casing contains water, sometimes salt water. What to do with this water in order to replace it by an adequate polymer fluid will determine the stabilization capacity as soon as the shaft advances below the protection of the casing. Another example of operational problem may derive from barge movements while executing boring activities. This study is the result of extensive field data collection and concrete logging analysis from marine projects using polymers in different continents. The bored pile stability target was set ranging between 2% to 15% of concrete overbreak. Values above 15% or below 2% mean that there is a stability problem. Then the off-target pile’s data is collected, analyzed and classified under categories. Thus, a direct correlation is established between the problem category and the final results. Modifying steps in the pre-established construction methods or operational variables guarantees target results without the need to replace the approved construction methods. As a general conclusion, the worldwide experience in large diameter marine works, allows to provide truthful information and solutions for these problems. In knowing how to follow a logical sequence of work and applying adequate work methodology will be the key for success.GENERALBackgroundTo carry out the drilling process of offshore bored piles there are two main options to take into consideration: drilling the pile by using full guiding casing until final depth; or using a combined system of partial steel guiding casing and support drilling fluids.The knowledge and situations described in this paper come from the experience acquired in different projects where the second method was employed. This construction method consists in installing a steel guiding casing by vibration and thus covering the water table and further stabilizing the soil below it with polymeric fluids until reaching the pile’s final depth. The Fig. 1 schematic shows an example of this method where H corresponds to the length of the steel guiding casing whereas the remainder of the shaft’s length is stabilized by polymer fluid. The entire bored length is full of slurry up to top of casing.In most cases this kind of civil works results from the need to build a bridge or executing port structures in places where the creation of temporary artificial peninsulas with fill material is impracticable or not allowed. Hence the need to use floating work platforms, commonly referred to as barges."

Jan 1, 2017

By Lianyang Zhang

For optimal design of rock socketed shafts used to support axial loading, it is important to predict the end bearing capacity. The existing empirical methods for determining the end bearing capacity of rock socketed shafts use the empirical relations between the end bearing capacity, qmax, and the unconfined compressive strength of intact rock, sc. Since rock socketed shafts are supported by the rock mass (both intact rock blocks and discontinuities separating them) not just the intact rock, one should consider not only the intact rock properties but also the influence of discontinuities when determining the end bearing capacity. Although the effect of discontinuities may have been implicitly (partially) included in the empirical relations derived from the results of load tests, it is not clear how big the effect is and how much of it has been included. In this paper, a database consisting of 50 test shafts, 25 of which contain the RQD (rock quality designation) value, is developed. Using the database, the applicability of the existing empirical relations is evaluated and two new empirical relations between the end bearing capacity, qmax, and the unconfined compressive strength of rock mass, scm, are derived. The new empirical relations explicitly consider the effect of discontinuities by using scm which is directly related to RQD. Finally, an example is presented to demonstrate the application of the newly derived relations.

Jan 1, 2008

By Satyajit A. Vaidya

This paper presents a case-study in the design and construction of deep foundation element supported mats for two residential towers on an18,000-square-foot site in Brooklyn, New York. Based on site sub-surface conditions, conventional mat foundations bearing on medium dense sand, having an allowable bearing capacity of 3 tsf, were originally anticipated for the 16 and 25-story towers. However, when the tower shear walls were relocated to the edges of the mat foundations due to architectural revisions, the significantly increased mat edge contact stresses applied to the soil subgrade resulted in calculated settlements of a magnitude that would adversely impact the proposed structures and the neighboring/bordering lot-line building and rail transit subway structures. To address this issue, deep foundation element supported mats were designed for the towers. The design was performed as an iterative process involving structural SAFE and geotechnical Plaxis finite element computer analysis to develop a coordinated geo-structural model of the foundation system. Initial presumptive design values of 45 pci and 445 kips/inch were used for the modulus of subgrade reaction and minimum deep foundation element stiffness, respectively. The designed foundation system consisted of 40 and 60-inch-thick mat foundations for the 16 and 25 story towers, respectively. Initially, the deep foundation elements were designed as 50-foot-long, 14-inch-diameter elements installed to sustain a maximum individual compressive load of 250 tons. The final deep foundation element design was subsequently refined to consist of a 48-foot-long, drilled and grouted IBO Titan 103/51 element designed to sustain a maximum load of 167 tons. Subsequent field load tests on the deep foundation elements confirmed element stiffness ranging from 1,040 to 1,530 kips/inch, with measured mobilized side shear of about 29 psi. The mat foundation reinforcement was adjusted for the pile stiffness values determined in the field load tests, and the deep foundation supported mats were constructed. The two towers were subsequently constructed, and have performed successfully.

Jan 1, 2010

By Camilla Favaretti, Benjamin Turner, Anne Lemnitzer

Pile foundations are extensively used in the construction of various types of superstructures, including tall buildings, bridges, freeways and offshore structures. A fully constrained tip embedment such as a rock-socket offers an attractive solution for achieving significant tip resistance and improving the load-carrying capability of the foundation element. In profiles with very soft surficial soil, rock-socketing often provides the only reliable source of axial and lateral resistance. In preparation of a large-scale testing program on rock-socketed piles at UC Irvine (UCI) geared towards studying the magnitude of shear amplification at the rock-soil boundary of pile foundations, a pre-test model-scale experiment was executed in the UCI Structural Laboratory. The objective of the model-scale experiment was to iterate and validate the test setup, study the influence of important boundary conditions, assess instrumentation techniques and sensor placement, and to gain preliminary insight into the small-scale specimen non- linearity. In addition, this model-scale study provides ample opportunity to compare lateral performance parameters with analytically predicted lateral load behavior using traditional soil resistance functions and limit state analyses and explore new techniques for the derivation of soil resistance functions. The pile specimen had a pile diameter (D) of 10 inches and a total pile length of 125 inches. The pile was embedded in a 40 inch simulated rock socket overlain by 52 inch of medium dense sand (DR~50%). The pile extended 32 inches above the soil surface, where cyclic lateral loading was applied. The pile was installed in a laminar metal frame box with inside dimensions of 39 inches in width (W), 73 inches in length (L) and 86.1 inches in height (H) as shown in Figure 1. During testing, the box was restrained using a rigid bracing system consisting of concrete reaction blocks, wooden braces and steel girders.

Jan 1, 2018

By Seung-hoon Lee

The use of piled raft foundations has been considered as an economical alternative to conventional piled foundations because a portion of the applied load is carried by the raft in the design of piled raft foundation. In analyzing the behavior of a piled raft foundation as a settlement reducer, an accurate estimate of settlements of the system should be made on the basis of the understanding of nonlinear behavior of piles in layered soils as well as the interaction between the raft, soils, and piles. Although the 3-dimensional finite element method and simplified analysis methods have been used for the design of piled raft foundations, these methods were found to be inadequate for the practical purpose or could not consider the interactions properly. This study developed an approximate hybrid method of analysis to be used for the practical design of piled raft foundations considering pile-soil, raft-soil, pile-soil-pile and raft-soil-pile interactions. In the presented method of analysis, the settlements of the system are estimated satisfying the compatibility of two separate models which are the flexible raft model consisting of 2-dimensional finite elements supported by springs representing soils and piles, and the group-pile model embedded in layers of soil having different properties. Comparisons with other analytical methods as well as a 3-dimensional FEM program were made to verify the sufficient capabilities of the proposed hybrid model for application to practical design and analysis of piled raft foundations.

Jan 1, 2008

By Martin D. Larisch

The construction of diaphragm walls and most large-diameter bored piles (piers) is often carried out under drilling support fluids to temporarily stabilise the excavation prior to concrete placement. In most cases such fluids are either mineral-based slurries (bentonite) or polymer support fluids. The working mechanisms of these two fluid types are fundamentally different. Designers need to consider possible fluid-related impacts on the permanent design performance of the project-specific deep foundations as well as for the temporary excavation stage during construction. Robust design methods for bentonite slurry-supported excavations have been developed in the last few decades and the working principles and associated risks of such mineral-based slurries are understood reasonably well. However, such meth-ods have not been developed in detail for polymer-based drilling fluids. This document provides a brief overview of the main characteristics of bentonite- and polymer-based drilling fluids as a guide for construction practitioners and design engineers alike. The paper also high-lights some common construction risks related to casing installation and the selection of suitable fluid systems for different ground conditions. Typical defects caused by the incorrect application of drilling support fluids, and their pro-active mitigation, are discussed, too. In addition, the basic concepts of sta-bility calculations for bentonite fluid-supported deep excavations are briefly introduced and their ap-plicability for other fluid types such as polymer-based support fluids or water are reviewed.

Nov 1, 2022

By William F. Anderson

A series of pile load tests (maintained load tests, constant rate of penetration tests at different rates, and statnamic tests) was carried out on an instrumented model pile installed in clay beds prepared by consolidation of a slurry in a calibration chamber. The total load, shaft resistance and end bearing during the pile load tests were investigated. Following this, alternative methods of deriving the static load-settlement curve from a Statnamic test in clay taking into account damping effects have been proposed. These methods have then been used to interpret a statnamic test on a full size instrumented pile installed in a stiff glacial till.

Jan 1, 2006

By Roger A. Bullivant

The introduction of this size and type of piling rig is intended to address a multipurpose foundation activity. The 8000 denotes the size of equipment that is attached to the mast, namely 8000 Kg. Larger equipment can be carried subject to adjustment of rig geometry. The 8000 series rig will easily accept hydraulic piling hammers and CFA equipment, but for the purpose of this discussion it will be equipped with an auxiliary power pack that is matched to twin vibrators. The design of the siamesed vibrators allows long tube equipment or piles to be driven with a short mast configuration that provides a lower overturning risk. It is easily adapted within minutes to carry out other foundation requirements that are required on the same contract. The piling and ground consolidation activities that can be undertaken by the 800 series machine are:-

Jan 1, 1995

By A. J. Partos

One Liberty Place, at 315 m is the tallest building in Philadelphia, PA USA. It is supported on drilled piers socketed in heterogeneous rock. 3832 kN/m2 end bearing and 383 to 766 kN/m2 shaft resistances were selected. Design load distribution was 40% on the base and 60% by shaft resistance. The maximum compression on the corner core columns is supported by clusters of 3 drilled piers. In order to confirm load distributions along shaft and at the base, Drilled Pier G-10 supporting T13-A type outrigger column was instrumented. This column supports 53,849 kN compressive load which includes 13,440 kN windload. This paper reveals details about the process to select the final design for One Liberty Place together with pertinent Information about site geology, foundation construction, quality control, and methods of steel erection. It also presents detailed Information on the type of Instruments, their calibrations, field fabrication, and installation in the shaft of Pier G-10. Readings of concrete temperatures, computed loads, and load distributions are presented for a period from October 1985 through May 1988. The building was completed in 1987.

Jan 1, 1989

By José L. M. Clemente, John R. Davie

"Abstract An extensive pre-production static and dynamic pile load testing program was conducted for a coal-fired power plant. The static load testing program included axial compression, uplift (tension), and lateral load tests. Three types of piles were tested: Monotube, closed-end pipe, and step-tapered. The load tests were used to (a) determine pile driveability characteristics for each pile, (b) verify pile load response behavior, and (c) provide data to support the selection of a cost-effective piled-foundation system for the plant. A recent publication (Clemente and Lewis, 2013) describes the compression load testing program, the interpretation of instrumentation measurement results, and pile selection criteria. This manuscript describes site subsurface and groundwater conditions and installation of probe piles for testing, focuses on the uplift and lateral load testing program, and provides a comparative interpretation of the load test results.INTRODUCTIONThe pre-production probe pile load testing program described here was conducted for a 202-megawatt, coal-fired power and steam generating (cogeneration) facility. A schematic layout of the main plant (power block area) is shown in Figure 1, which also includes the locations of clusters of preproduction probe piles and boreholes drilled near these clusters.The load testing program included 24 pre-production probe piles driven throughout the power block area. The probe piles were driven at locations T-1 through T-8, shown in Figure 1. Three types of piles were driven at each location: Monotube pile; closed end, straight shaft pipe pile; and step-tapered pile. At each location, the three piles were driven in a row with the pipe pile at the center, and the center-tocenter spacing between piles was equal to about 1.5 m (> 3.5 pile diameters for the largest pile). No pile cap was used to connect the three piles, and the three piles driven at locations T-1 through T-8 will be referred to as pile clusters. A complete suite of static load testing (compression, tension, and lateral) was performed on each individual pile at Cluster T-2 and on the step-tapered piles only at Cluster T-8, shown in Figure 1.Clemente and Lewis (2013) provide details of the compression load testing program, the interpretation of instrumentation measurement results, and pile selection criteria. This manuscript focuses on the uplift (tension) and lateral load testing program. A brief summary of the site geology and existing subsurface and groundwater conditions in the vicinity of the test pile clusters is presented, with emphasis on T-2 and T-8. Probe pile driving results at T-2 and T-8 are also presented. Descriptions of the static uplift and lateral load test program at T-2 and T-8 are given along with a comparative evaluation of the load test results."

Jan 1, 2014

By George J. Tamara

The urban environment presents special challenges for the design and construction of earth retention systems. Complications arising from difficult subsurface conditions are compounded by the presence of urban infrastructure and existing and prior construction. The proximity of adjacent structures as well as intense prior use can cause special concerns including the potential for archeological artifacts or contaminated ground or ground water. Utilities and structures may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of ground movement, dewatering and vibrations. Difficulty of access, congestion and limited work areas may severely restrict means and methods of construction. Dewatering may be limited or prohibited because of concerns for disposal of clean or contaminated water, depletion of aquifers, drawing of contaminants to the site or dewatering induced settlements.

Jan 1, 2003

By Zhang Jiaju

For the highrise buildings with deep foundstion of irregular plane shape, an appropriate calculate model to the heave of foundation soil after excavation is proposed and studied using analytic method and FEM (Finite Element Method) respectively to provide an effective way for solving this kind engineering problem. Also combined with the practice of construction deep foundation of Capital Mansion, calculation of the heave of foundation soil after excavation is given. Compared these results from above two methods with the results measured in situ, it is conformal on the whole, and the results by FEM are much closer with the measured.

Jan 1, 1991

By Ashutosh S. Dhar

Cast-in-place piles were examined in this paper from the viewpoints of construction quality, axial capacity, and load-displacement responses. The results of ten 450 mm diameter (18? f) bored piles, installed in a soil deposit of silt to medium dense sand using the method of percussion drilling, were tested under static loads. The results of the pile load tests were used for evaluation of various design methods of calculating pile capacity. The study revealed that the design methods based on the concept of critical depth underestimated the ultimate skin fiction. Thus, the applicability of the critical depth concept for design of bored piles under the soil condition considered may be unreliable. The estimated skin friction factor, ß, was too low in these methods. The Tomlinson method and the Neely method provided the best prediction of the ultimate skin friction. The methods used for calculating end bearing resistance were found to provide a conservative estimate of the resistance. During pile load tests, a settlement of 5 to 6 mm was required for full mobilization of skin friction for the piles in loose sand, while larger settlements (> 10 mm) were required for piles in denser soil. The ultimate skin frictional resistance was observed to be low for piles in loose sand.

Jan 1, 2006

By Ross T. McGillivray, David S. Graham, Dan A. Brown, Steven D. Dapp

"The Selmon Expressway includes an elevated structure extending across several miles of weathered karstic limestone geology, and represents a challenge for design because of the high variability of the material and the difficulty in characterizing the strength. The nature of the epikarst in this region of Tampa is such that variability can be extreme within distances of only a few feet. The weathered rock includes extremely soft soil infill within solution features on and within the formation. The limestone is so weathered that coring typically does not yield useful samples for strength testing, and in-situ Standard Penetration Testing (SPT) tests often encounter refusal blow counts. Thus the challenge for foundation design includes two components of reliability risks: the uncertainty associated with the ground conditions at a given foundation location plus the uncertainty associated with the foundation performance at a given location even when the stratigraphy is determined.This paper describes the design approach that has been implemented successfully for two projects at the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway (LRS) in Tampa, Florida: the assessment and remediation of the reversible elevated lane (REL) foundations constructed in 2004, and the elevated expressways widening project constructed in 2012. Included in this design approach is a method developed for computing axial resistance in this local geology. Design for axial loading relies primarily on the development of side resistance, which was considered less subject to performance risks than base resistance. The calculation method incorporates a statistical analysis of SPT data, tempered by engineering judgment, to characterize stratigraphy at a given location into either soil, intermediate geomaterial (IGM) or rock.IntroductionThe subsurface stratigraphy of sites underlain by weathered limestone formations can be highly variable with respect to material layer thicknesses and strengths, even over short horizontal distances. This is the case for much of Florida, and particularly the Tampa area. These conditions present a challenging environment for the design of drilled foundations because of the need for a reliable determination of subsurface conditions at each foundation location, as they relate to the expected axial performance. Contributing factors include:"

Jan 1, 2015