Lecture #5

Pile design

Bearing capacity of a single pile

> load settlement curve
F [kN]

REAL

IDEALIZED

F [kN]

~0.02D

Total
Total

Tip resistance
s
[cm]

~0.1D
s [cm]

Shaft resistance

Tip resistance

Shaft resistance

Bearing capacity of a single pile

> load settlement curve

Pile design > Settlement of pile groups

> Settlement of a single pile
F [kN]

q-z curve:
describes the relationship of
base resistance & displacement

~0.02D

consequently
o the mobilized base resistance is a
function of settlement
o the ultimate bas resistance develops at
a certain settlement

Total

t-z curve:
describes the relationship of
shaft resistance & displacement

~0.1D
s [cm]

Tip resistance

Shaft resistance

consequently
o the mobilized shaft resistance is a
function of settlement
o the ultimate shaft resistance develops at
a certain settlement

Pile design > Settlement of pile groups

> q-z & t-z curves for simplified design
SHAFT RESISTANCE
t-z curve
Unit shaft resistance

BASE RESISTANCE
q-z curve
Unit base resistance

qsmax

qbmax

D**
D*

Displacement between pile

shaft and the surrounding soil

Bored & CFA piles

D*

0.0150.03 D

Displacement between pile

shaft and the surrounding soil

Soil displ. piles

0.010.015 D

Bored & CFA piles

D**

~0.1 D

Soil displ. piles

~0.05 D

Pile design
> Settlement of pile groups

Pile design
> Settlement of pile groups
R

Stotal =
Ssingle + Sgroup
H

Ssingle: using t-z and

q-z curves
2D

p
B
ES

m0

Sgroup = pm0/2Es

Pile design > steps of design

Caculation of design load acting on pile

cap;
Choosing the type, number and
disitribution of piles;
Calculation of design load of a single pile;
Calculation of pile length;
Estimation of pile group settlement;
Modifying pile distribution or number if
neccesary.

Pile design > Design concepts

END BEARING PILES
at least 2/3 of total
capacity is provided by
base resistance;
Spacing

FRICTION PILES
at least 2/3 of total
capacity is provided by
shaft resistance;
Spacing

displacement piles: t 3D
replacement piles:

t 2.5D
recommended maximum
distance: 5D

Fgroup = n Fpile
The bearing capacity of
underlying weaker
layers must be checked.

t 3D
recommended maximum

distance: 5D

Fgroup < n Fpile

Shall not be used in
soft clays
Shall not be used in
case of large area
buildings

Pile design > Piled raft

Pile design
> Piled raft

Pile design > Piled raft

General idea:

Guidelines for design:

The large surface of the slab

provides the required bearing
capacity

If the distrance between the piles

is larger than ~5 times the
diameter of the piles (t>5D), the
group effect will become
neglectible.

BUT
Mobilizing this resistance requires
(unacceptably) large deformation
(settlements)

The larger the pile distance (=the

less the pile number), the larger
the required slab thickness and
the larger settlements.

SO
Piles are used as settlement
reducers (they take only a certain
part of the load)

OPTIMAZITAION IS NEEDED

Pile design > Piled raft

Pile design > Laterally loaded piles

Pile design > Laterally loaded piles

Free head

Short pile
(L/R < 2)

EI

R
kh

0.25

Long pile
(L/R > 4)

Fixed head

Pile design >

Laterally loaded piles
> Short piles

Cohesive soils:

Cohesionless soils:

Pile design >

Laterally loaded piles
> Long piles
Cohesive soils:

Cohesionless soils:

Laterally loaded piles > Ultimate horizontal resistance

> Cohesionless soils & short pile (Broms, 1964)

Laterally loaded piles > Ultimate horizontal resistance

> Cohesionless soils & long pile (Broms, 1964)

Laterally loaded piles > Ultimate horizontal resistance

> Cohesive soils & short pile (Broms, 1964)

Laterally loaded piles > Ultimate horizontal resistance

> Cohesive soils & long pile (Broms, 1964)

Laterally loaded piles > p-y curve

Laterally loaded piles > p-y curve

Nonlinear behaviour

Linear behaviour
Subgrade reaction

kh= p/y
Representative values of kh (after Analysis and design od
shallow and deep foundation, 2006. Reese et al.)

Soil type

kh [MN/m3]

Clay (cu=50-100 kPa)

~135

Clay (cu=200-300 kPa)

~270

Clay (cu=300-400 kPa)

~540

Loose sand (submerged)

~5.4

Medium sand (subm.)

~16.3

Dense sand (subm.)

~34

Loose sand (above GWL)

~6.8

Medium sand (above GWL)

~24.4

Dense sand (above GWL)

~61

Laterally loaded piles > p-y curve

The subgrade reaction depends on depth:

x
k x kh
L
where
kx
kh
x
L
n
0.

is the subgrade reaction at depth x

is the subgrade reaction at the pile tip
is the depth below ground surface
is the pile length
is a coefficient equal to or larger than

Generally n=1 is used, but previous

experiences have shown:
for sands
n>1
for clays
n<1
for clays (OCR>2) n=0

Pile design > Footing beams

Superstructure

Footing
beam

Pile foundations

Pile cap construction > soil excavation

Pile cap construction > forming bottom

level

Pile cap construction > formwork

Pile cap construction > reinforcement

Pile cap construction > completed pile cap

Mid-term questions
1.
2.

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
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18.

Types of precast piles, installation techniques.

Types and installation techniques of screw piles.
Types of soil replacement piles, excavation techniques, support of the drill hole.
Piling technique of CFA piles.
Micro piles.
Jet-grouting.
Vibro replacement technique.
Construction sequences of diaphragm (slurry) walls.
Advantages and limitations of diaphragm walls.
Caisson foundation.
Well foundation.
Components of pile capacity, pile types based on load transfer.
Pile load test types, determination (prediction) of pile capacity based on the
results.
Estimation of pile capacity based on laboratory test results.
Estimation of pile capacity based on in-situ test results.
Steps of pile design
Settlement of single piles and pile groups.
Laterally loaded piles, design based on p-y curves.