ADVANCED NON DESTRUCTIVE

TESTING PRACTICES
FOR PILE FOUNDATIONS

By: Ravikiran Vaidya

Principal, Geo Dynamics (India)
 HIGH STRAIN
DYNAMIC PILE TESTING
 DYNAMIC PILE TESTING EQUIPMENT

APPARATUS

• Compact Pile Driving

Analyzer
• Sensitive Transducers
• Signal Cables
• Output Device
 PRINCIPLE OF
DYNAMIC PILE TESTING
STRAIN GAUGES ACCELEROMETERS

STRAINS ACCELERATION

VELOCITY
STRESS

DISPLACEMENT
FORCE

Pile Resistance = Function (Force, Velocity)

Rs = ( 1 – Jc )[ P1+ Z.v1 ]/2 + ( 1 + Jc )[ P2 – Z.v2 ]/2
Here,
Jc = soil damping
P1 & v1 = Force and Velocity at Time T1
P2 & v2 = Force and Velocity at Time T2
TEST SET-UP ARRANGEMENTS
 PREPARATION FOR FIXING SENSORS

•Drilling holes diametrically Sensors fixed on the pile

on either side
USE OF TRIPOD/CRANE FOR TESTING
PDA TEST IN PROGRESS
TEST SET-UP ARRANGEMENTS

• HAMMER WEIGHT = 1% - 2% OF TEST LOAD

• BUILD PILE HEAD = 1.6 x PILE DIAMETER

• PLYWOOD CUSHION = 25mm - 50mm

• STEEL PLATE = 25mm - 50mm

• GUIDE TO ENSURE VERTICAL FALL (Optional)

• MINIMUM WAIT PERIOD = 7 – 10 DAYS

PDA INPUT PARAMETERS
•Pile Properties (at Sensor Location)
• Area
• Length below sensors and in soil

• Material Properties
• Density SP
•Wave Speed WS
• Elastic Modulus EM
• EM = c2 = (SP/g) WS2

• Damping Factor Jc = 0.5 to 0.9

PDA OUTPUT GRAPHS
GEO DYNAMICS Pile Driving Analyzer ®
TP1
F1 (60000) A12 F12
F2 (60000)

TS: 204.8
TB: 0.0

V1 (4.76)
V2 (4.76)

TS: 204.8
TB: 0.0

68 @ 66.5 m
Project In form ation Qu an tity Res u lts
PROJECT: CSX 16.0 MPa
PILE NAME: TP1 CSI 19.7 MPa
PILE INFORMATION / RESULTS
68 @ 66.5 m
Project Information Quantity Results
PROJECT: CSX 16.0 MPa
PILE NAME: TP1 CSI 19.7 MPa
DESCR: 1300MM TSX 3.8 MPa
OPERATOR: GEO DYNAMICS EMX 146.3 kN-m
FILE: TP1.w01 FMX 21197 kN
9/4/2010 6:35:31 PM DFN 3 mm
Blow Number 4 RMX 6780 kN
RSU 12229 kN
Pile Properties DMX 10 mm
LE 71.5 m
AR 13273.23 cm^2 Sensors
EM 36076 MPa F1: [6346] 97.6 (1)
SP 24.5 kN/m3 F2: [B474] 92.5 (1)
WS 3800.0 m/s A1: [24207] 1035 g's/v (1)
EA/C 12601 kN-s/m A2: [24209] 1050 g's/v (1)
2L/C 37.62 ms CLIP: OK
JC 0.70 [] F1/F2: HIGH 1.60
LP 70.3 m V1/V2: OK 1.10
SOLUTION FOR SOIL PARAMETERS
From Field Data, we obtain
F measured V measured
F = V x Z, Fm = Vm x Z
Fm = Vm x (Zp + Rs)
= (Vm x Zp) + (Vm x Rs)
Here, Zp = Pile Impedance = EA/C, Rs = Soil Resistance

Consider, Fcomputed (Fc) = Vm x Zp

Hence Fm = Fc + (Vm x Rs)

• Only unknown is Rs, which is computed
• Discretize the pile into series of elements to
obtain Rs at various distances from top
 CAPWAP METHOD
Fm
vm
Fc
1 Set up pile model and assume
soil model for Rshaft and Rtoe
2 Apply one measured curve(vm);
Calculate complementaryFc
3 Compare Fc with measured Fm
Rshaft
4 Adjust Rshaft and Rtoe
5 Go to step 2 Repeat until match
is satisfactory
Rtoe
 SAMPLE OUTPUT OF CAPWAP
Pile: TP1; 1300MM; Blow: 2 (Test: 04-Sep-2010 18:35:) 23-Oct-2010
GEO DYNAMICS CAPWAP(R) 2006-2

30000 kN 30000 kN
Force Msd Force Msd
Force Cpt Velocity Msd

15000 15000

20 100 ms 20 100 ms
0 0
4 L/c 4 L/c

Pile
-15000 -15000
D is p la c e m e n t (m m )

Load (kN) 800

Pile Top
0 3750 7500 11250 15000 Shaf t Resistance
0.000 Bottom
600 Distribution

k N /m
400
Ru = 12624.5 kN
5.000 Rs = 10752.1 kN
Rb = 1872.4 kN 200
Dy = 15.0 mm
Dx = 17.0 mm 0
10.000 Pile Force
3750 at Ru
kN
7500
15.000
11250

15000
20.000

CAPWAP(R) 2006-2 Licensed to GEO DYNAMICS

OUTPUT QUANTITIES OF CAPWAP

• Static Capacity At Time Of Testing.

• Static Load Test Curve.

• Total Skin Friction And End Bearing.

• Skin Friction Variation Along The Pile Length.

• Compressive And Tensile Stresses Developed During Testing.

• Net And Total Displacement Of The Pile.

• Pile Integrity And Changes In Cross-Section.

RELIABILITY STUDIES
END-BEARING PILES
KURLA FLYOVER , MUMBAI
PILE DETAILS
Load in Tons

0 100 20 300 400 500 600

Pile Type R.C.Bored
0
0.0 Pile Dia. 1200mm
--Static Load Test Curve
Pile top settlement in mm

--Dynamic Load Test Curve Pile Depth 20.80m

Design Load 339.3Tons
1.0
Test Load 509.0Tons
Soil Type Weathered
2.0 Rock
PDA Test 28.09.98
Static Test 12.09.98
3.0
 JJ URBAN VIADUCT , MUMBAI
PILE DETAILS
Load in Tons

Pile Type R.C.Bored

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
0.0 Pile Dia. 1200 mm
Pile top settlement in mm

--Static Load Test Curve

--Dynamic Load Test Curve Pile Depth 7.0 m
1.0
Design Load 550.0 T
2.0
Test Load 1375.0 T
3.0
Soil Type Fresh Basalt
4.0
PDA test 21.05.99
5.0
Static Test 14.05.99
 BORIVALI NATIONAL PARK
FLYOVER, MUMBAI
Load in Tons PILE DETAILS

0 100 200 300 400 500

Pile Type R.C.Bored

0.0 Pile Dia. 1000 mm

--Static Load Test Curve
Pile top settlement in mm

--Dynamic Load Test Curve

Pile Depth 8.6 m
0.5
Design Load 235 T

1.0 Test Load 352.5 T

Soil Type Fresh Basalt

1.5
PDA test 23.05.99

2.0 Static Test 15.07.99

ELEVATED HIGHWAY PROJECT,
BANGALORE
Load in tons PILE DETAILS
0 200 400 60 800 1000 1200
Pile Type R.C.Bored
0 0
Pile Dia. 1200 mm
2
Pile Depth 18.0 m
Pile Top Settlement in mm

4 Design Load 675 T

6 Test Load 1012.5 T

8 Soil Type Indeterminate

Weathered
10 Rock

12 PDA test 24.01.08

14 Static Test 06.11.07-

07.11.07
16
RELIABILITY STUDIES
FOR FRICTION PILES
AHMEDABAD-VADODARA EXPRESSWAY
PHASE -II
Load in tons
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 PILE DETAILS
0
--Static Load Test Curve
--Dynamic Load Test Curve
1 Pile Type R.C.Bored
Pile Top Settlement in mm

Pile Dia. 500mm

2
Pile Depth 20.50m
3 Design Load 90.0Tons

Test Load 105.0Tons

4
Soil Type Silty Clay
5 Dynamic test 16.01.02

Static Test 31.01.02

6
CHENNAI BYPASS PROJECT
Load in tons
PILE DETAILS
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

0
Pile Type R.C.Bored
--Static Load Test Curve
--Dynamic Load Test Curve
Pile Dia. 1200mm
2
Pile Top Settlement in mm

Pile Depth 23.70m

4 Design Load 375.0Tons

Test Load 875.0Tons

6
Soil Type Dense Silty
Sand
8
PDA test 17.09.05

Static Test 14.08.05

10
 GCPTCL JETTY, DAHEJ
Load in tons PILE DETAILS
0 100 200 300 400 500
0
--Static Load Test Curve Pile Type R.C.Bored
--Dynamic Load Test Curve
1
Pile Dia. 1200mm
Pile Top Settlement in mm

Pile Depth 34.70m

2
Design Load 275.2Tons

Test Load 412.8Tons

3

Soil Type Dense Sand

4 PDA Test 17.09.05

Static Test 14.08.05

5
HEBBAL GRADE SEPARATOR, BLR
Load in tons PILE DETAILS
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
0
P i l e T o p S e t t l e m e n t i n mm

--Static Load Test Curve Pile Type R.C.Bored

--Dynamic Load Test Curve
2 Pile Dia. 1200mm
Pile Depth 34.70m
4 Design Load 275.2Tons
Test Load 412.8Tons
6
Soil Type Murum &
W.D. Rock
8 PDA test 17.09.05
Static Test 14.08.05
10
DMRC PROJECT, NEW DELHI
Load in tons
0 0
LoL
a od a d i ni n t ot on ns s
100100 200200 300300 400400 500500 600600 700700 800800
PILE DETAILS
0 0 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900
--Static Load Test Curve
t in

0 --Static load test curve

n nmm

--Dynamic Load Test Curve Type of Pile R.C.Bored

--Dynamic load test curve
5
eemt telne tmi e

2 2 Dia of the pile 1500mm

10
Pile Depth 37.15m
I lpe ST eo tpt lSmm
mm

Design Load 289.7Tons

4 15
4
Test Load 434.6Tons
20 Soil Type
6 6
To

Dynamic test 20.03.02

Pile P

25 --Static Load Test Curve

--Dynamic Load Test Curve
Static Test 17.02.02
8 30
8
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Project, New Delhi
PEEVEES COCHIN MALL PROJECT

PILE DETAILS

Pile Type R.C.Bored

Load in tons
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 Pile Dia. 1000mm
0

1
Static Load Test Curve
Dynamic Load Test Curve
Pile Depth 43.5m
2
Design Load 360.0 Tons
Pile Top Settlement in mm

4 Test Load 520.0 Tons

5

6 Soil Type
7
PDA test 11.05.07
8

9 Static Test 18.028.07-

10
19.02.2007
BENEFITS & APPLICATIONS
• Both PDA / PIT Have Proven Application Worldwide
• Applicable both Offshore & Onshore for Bored, Driven Concrete,
Steel, Timber Piles
• Generates Useful Information other than pile capacity
• More tests can be conducted & hence Better Quality Assurance
• Tests conducted by Independent Agency
• Requires Less space compared to Static Tests
• More Safety Compared to Static Testing
• Evaluates Pile Integrity Incl. Extent & Location of Damage
• Determines if Problem is Pile, Soil or Hammer
• Confirms Capacity, Even at Large Loads
CONCLUSIONS

• Expertise essential for interpretation and data collection CAPWAP

mandatory for all bored piles and atleast first few initial driven
piles

• Reliability studies important to assess knowledge of testing

company and in some cases to calibrate with soil.

• Method can be used for almost all pile types

• Technology is a part of IRC and various code provisions.

• Recommended on 2%-10% of total piles at the project site