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Piled foundations
Adapted from the Foundation section of the GeotechniCAL Reference Manual Author: David Toll (Durham Univ.)
Piles generally used because adequate bearing capacity can not be found at shallow enough depths to
support the structural loads. It is important to understand that piles get support from both end bearing
and skin friction. The proportion of carrying capacity generated by either end bearing or skin friction
depends on the soil conditions. Piles can be used to support various different types of structural loads.
Types of piles
Pile construction
Displacement piles
Pile groups
1. Piles are frequently installed in groups.
2. A pile group must be considered as a composite block of piles and soil, and not a multiple set of
single piles.
3. The capacity of each pile may be affected by the driving of subsequent piles in close proximity.
4. Compaction of the soil between adjacent piles is likely to lead to higher contact stresses and
thus higher shaft capacities for those piles.
5. The ultimate capacity of a pile group is not always dependent on the individual capacity of each
pile.
6. When analysing the capacity of a pile group 3 modes of failure must be considered:
a. Single pile failure.
b. Failure of rows of piles.
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c. Block failure.
A pile loaded axially will carry the load partly by shear stresses, s,
generated along the shaft of the pile and partly by normal stresses,
qb, generated at the base.
Qf = Qb + Qs
= Ab . qb + (As . s)
The proportions of capacity contributed by skin friction and end bearing do not depend on the
geometry of the pile alone. The type of construction and the sequence of soil layers are important
factors.
Settlement
Full shaft capacity is mobilised at much smaller displacements than those related to full base
resistance. This is important when determining the settlement response of a pile. The same overall
bearing capacity may be achieved with a variety of combinations of pile diameter and length.
However, a long slender pile may be more efficient than a short stubby pile. Longer piles generate a
larger proportion of their full capacity by skin friction and so their full capacity can be mobilised at
much lower settlements.
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The base resistance, Qb can be found from Terzaghi's equation for bearing capacity,
The 0.4 B.N term may be ignored, since the diameter is considerably less than the depth of the pile.
The 1.3c.Nc term is zero, since the soil is non-cohesive (c=0).
qs = Ks . 'v . tan
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In soft clays, driving piles results in an increase in pore water pressure, u, causing a reduction in
effective stress. Ground heave also occurs. As the pore water pressure dissipates with time and the
ground subsides, the effective stress in the soil will increase. The increase in effective stress ( ' = -
u) leads to an increase in the bearing capacity of the pile with time. In most cases, 75% of the ultimate
bearing capacity is achieved within 30 days of driving.
For piles driven into stiff clays, a little consolidation takes place, the soil cracks and is heaved up.
Lateral vibration of the shaft from each blow of the hammer forms an enlarged hole, which can then
fill with groundwater or extruded porewater. This, and 'strain softening', which occurs due to the large
strains in the clay as the pile is advanced, lead to a considerable reduction in skin friction compared
with the undrained shear strength, su, of the clay. To account for this in design calculations an
adhesion factor, , is introduced. Values of a can be found from empirical data previously recorded.
A maximum value (for stiff clays) of 0.45 is recommended.
The undrained shear strength, su, frequently increases with depth. The value used to calculate the end
bearing capacity, Qb, should be that at the base of the pile. The value used to calculate the shaft
capacity, Qs, should be the average value, su(avg), take at mid height.
Qs = .su(avg) .As
Qb = su .Nc .Ab
Nc = 9.0 for clays and silty clays.
http://environment.uwe.ac.uk/geocal/foundations/piles.htm 10/08/2017