LCM19

Version:
Issue Date:
Review By Date:
Owned By:
Authorised By:

1.1
August 2006
June 2008
Engineering Manager D & P
Executive Manager D & P

LINE CONSTRUCTION MANUAL LCM19

PILE FOUNDATION TESTING

REVISION TABLE
Version No

Date of Revision

1.0

June 2006

1.1

August 2006

Details of Amendment
Initial Release
Numbering changed to represent previous version

The above table lists in summary the amendments which have been made with most recent issues of this standard.
The table is updated with each re-issue. The latest amendments within the documents are marked with a change
indicator (|) in the outer margin.

CONTACT
This standard is the responsibility of the
Development and Projects Division, ElectraNet.
Please contact the indicated owner of the standard
with any inquiries.

ElectraNet
52-55 East Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000
PO Box 7096, Hutt Street Post Office,
Adelaide, South Australia 5000
Ph (08) 8404 7966, Fx (08) 8404 7104

L I M I TATI O N O F L I A B I L I T Y AN D
D I S C L A I M E R O F W AR R A N T Y
ElectraNet makes no representation or warranty as
to the accuracy, reliability, completeness or
suitability for particular purposes of the information
in this document. ElectraNet and its employees,
agents and consultants shall have no liability
(including liability to any person by reason of
negligence or negligent misstatement) for any
statements, opinions, information or matter
(expressed or implied) arising out of, contained in
or derived from or for any omissions from the
information in this document, except in so far as
liability under any statute cannot be excluded.

2006 ElectraNet Pty Limited trading as ElectraNet. No part of this document may be reproduced
or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic, mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, taping or information retrieval systems) without the prior written permission of ElectraNet.

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ElectraNet

TABLE OF CONTENTS
19.1

SCOPE......................................................................................................................................................3

19.2

GENERAL...............................................................................................................................................3

19.3

STATIC UPLIFT & LATERAL LOAD TESTS...................................................................................3

19.3.1
19.3.2
19.3.3
19.3.4
19.3.4.1
19.3.4.2
19.3.4.3

GENERAL............................................................................................................................................3
LOAD TEST PROCEDURE.....................................................................................................................3
REACTION SYSTEM.............................................................................................................................4
ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA......................................................................................................................4
Axial Load Test...............................................................................................................................4
Lateral Load Test...........................................................................................................................4
Test Report......................................................................................................................................4

19.4

DYNAMIC PILE TEST..........................................................................................................................4

19.5

INTEGRITY TESTS...............................................................................................................................5

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19.1 SCOPE

determined in accordance with AS2159 unless

otherwise nominated by ElectraNet.

This section specifies requirements for testing

of pile foundations used for support of
ElectraNet transmission structures.

GENERAL
The purpose of foundation testing is to
confirm geotechnical and structural designs
and/or correlate foundation performance with
design expectations.
Test types may include

Static uplift (tension) load test;

Lateral load test;

Dynamic test;

Integrity testing.

Footing structural elements shall be designed

to withstand applied foundation test loads. The
loading system shall have sufficient capacity
for safe application of specified test loads to
foundation elements.
For insitu cast concrete piles or piers, the
period between installation of the test pile and
commencement of the pile test shall be a
minimum of seven days.

19.1.2
Load
Procedure

Test

The contractor may consult with ElectraNet

for selection of piles for load tests prior to
installation to facilitate arrangement of
reaction piles and installation of measuring
equipment.

ElectraNet may nominate any foundation

element at any site for inclusion in the test
program. A minimum of one static uplift test
will be required for each pile type and/or
geotechnical condition. Correlation of
performance of other similar piles using
dynamic pile tests may be permitted.
Testing and reporting shall be carried out in
accordance with AS 2159.
Test procedures including details of reaction
system and measurement equipment shall be
submitted to ElectraNet for approval not less
than three days prior to commencement of test.
Piles subjected to static uplift or lateral load
tests to assess ultimate foundation capacity
shall be excluded from final foundation
arrangement.

The incremental sustained load (ISL) test shall

be implemented in accordance with the
requirements of AS2159.
The measuring system shall be capable of
foundation movement (measured at the pile
head or cap) not less than 50mm for uplift
tests and 100mm for lateral load tests.
If specified for lateral load tests, foundation
elements embedded below ground shall be
fitted with adequate numbers of strain gauges
to determine bending stress profiles with
length of the element as directed by
ElectraNet.
Recordings during loading & unloading stages
shall be carried out as specified in AS2159.

The contractor shall supply all labour, plant

and materials required for pile testing and
reporting.

The contractor may elect to use a modified

foundation element for testing, eg smaller
piles for such purposes. If so, full size
foundation elements shall be subjected to a
static load proof-test up to specified design
serviceability loads.

STATIC
UPLIFT
LATERAL LOAD TESTS

19.1.3

19.1.1

&

General

The structure ultimate design action effect S*

shall be specified by the designer. The
specified foundation test load shall be

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Reaction System

The test reaction system shall be arranged to

minimise effects of interaction.
Piles within the same group or in adjacent
groups may be used as reaction piles subject to
approval. The contractor shall ensure reaction
piles are adequately strengthened if they are to

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be subsequently incorporated into the

foundation to ensure satisfactory performance.
The contractor may consult with the
Superintendent for selection of piles for lateral
load tests prior to installation to facilitate
arrangement of reaction piles.

19.1.4
Acceptance
Criteria
19.1.4.1

Axial Load Test

Unless otherwise specified, axial load tests

shall comprise uplift (tension) tests.
Foundation test performance shall meet
requirements of AS2159 and details specified
herein.
1.

Gross movement at nominal

design serviceability load shall
not exceed 10mm;

2.

After removal of nominal

design serviceability load net
pile movement shall not
exceed 5mm;

3.

Gross pile movement under

maximum test load shall not
exceed 20mm.

19.1.4.2

Lateral Load Test

In general, the lateral load test shall be used to

confirm predicted soil modulus from
geotechnical investigations and enable
correlation of soil tests at remaining sites and
not for pile performance criteria unless
specified.

The test report shall include relate measured

performance of pile foundation elements to
predictions of pile group capacity.

DYNAMIC PILE TEST

Dynamic pile testing shall be used to prooftest pile capacity under the design
serviceability load and evaluate the reserve of
strength above the specified ultimate design
action effect.
Results of dynamic tests shall be correlated
with static load tests undertaken on similar
piles & geotechnical conditions installed with
similar equipment.
Testing and reporting shall be in accordance
with AS2159.

INTEGRITY TESTS
Pile Integrity tests shall be used for assessment
of cast-insitu wet-shaft concrete piles to
prove:-

Structural integrity of the pile;

Physical dimensions of pile

particularly variations of shaft diameter.
Testing and reporting shall be in accordance
with AS2159.

Test Load results shall be used to backcalculate soil modulus in order to confirm
design bending stiffness of foundations.
Should actual conditions be worse than design
assumptions, the foundation designer shall
revise foundation designs to improve lateral
stiffness of the foundation.

19.1.4.3

Test Report

Test reports shall contain information listed in

AS2159.
A test report shall be furnished for all
foundation elements tested, whether for
development of design parameters or proof
testing of final arrangements.

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