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Chapter 2
Pile Caps Design
ABSTRACT
“Chapter 1 of Tower Design using Etabs” produced a full model with the
needed loads and parameters thus this series will discuss about
transferring the loads from the vertical structural elements to the
foundation. Our aim is to clarify why we are using piles, when they are
used and how to use them as a foundation for our structure.
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Table of Contents:
ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. 1
*Piles Concept:...................................................................................................... 3
-Definition of Pile: ............................................................................................. 3
-When Piles are used? ........................................................................................ 3
-Number of piles: ............................................................................................... 3
-Load Applied on pile: ....................................................................................... 4
-Capacity of pile due to soil: .............................................................................. 4
*Pile caps and Piles first Assumption: ................................................................... 6
*AutoCAD Stage:.................................................................................................. 9
-AutoCAD Drawing Steps: ...............................................................................11
*Etabs Stage: ........................................................................................................13
*Safe2016 Stage: ..................................................................................................14
*Modal Analysis: .................................................................................................26
-Piles Reaction Check: ......................................................................................26
-Pile Caps Design: ............................................................................................29
1. Punching Shear Check: .......................................................................29
2. Pile Caps Reinforcement: ....................................................................30
3. Pile Caps Typical detail Plan: ..............................................................35
Conclusion: ..............................................................................................................36
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Piles Concept:
Definition of Pile:
Piles are vertical elements used mainly to transfer loads of the structure to the soil or
rock. Piles material could be reinforced concrete, steel or timber and it depends on the
situation of the site or the decision of the structural engineer. The design of piles are
divided into two sections, short pile and long pile. When length of pile (L) over its
diameter (D) is less than 4, it is considered as a short pile and when its length (L) over
its diameter (D) is more than 4, it is considered as a long pile. It is the job of the sub-
Piles are used in areas where the bearing capacity of the soil is very low when
compared to the load applied from the structure. To illustrate, when the applied
vertical load (Reaction from the vertical super structural elements-walls or columns)
over the area of the structure is greater than the bearing capacity of the soil
𝑃 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑑
( ≥ 𝜎s). Thus, deeper foundation is required to reach to a higher
𝐴 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒
bearing capacity 𝜎 s.
Number of piles:
When the structural engineer determines to use the Piles as a foundation type for the
super structure, he has to determine the number of piles required. The piles number
𝑃 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑑
are determined by dividing the load applied over the pile’s capacity. 𝑁 = 𝑃 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
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From Etabs we can get the load applied on each column thus we can determine how
many number of piles needed under each column. The pile capacity is divided into
two capacities. First is due to its material and second due to soil. Since the pile
capacity due to material is more than the capacity due to soil, we have to take the
smallest value to ensure a safer design. To get the pile’s capacity due to soil we have
As we know, we have the factored load and the service state however, which one we
should consider in the design stage! We might think it is proper to take the factorized
loads but in case of pile caps and piles, the safest among these two is the SERVICE
LOAD STATE. The reason behind it is the difference between the Safety Factor of
loads applied and pile’s capacity. The average factor of safety considered for piles is
2.5 however, for the Ultimate Load Combination we have 1.2DL+1.6 LL. Such
noticable difference will reduce the amount of Safety Factor and in such cases; the
The relationship between the pile and the soil are friction and end bearing. Both
relationships gives the pile a capacity to handle the vertical load applied. There are
several theories to calculate the friction and the end bearing forces but as a structural
engineer, the soil laboratories will provide both forces depending on the type of the
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soil, the standard penetration test and many other factors. As a result, the total
capacity of the pile will equal to the capacity due to friction and end bearing.
The table below is an example of a pile capacity with reference to its length, depth of
boreholes and pile diameter. For example for a depth of 20 m, a pile length of 11 and
a pile diameter of 0.6m, the pile capacity due to skin friction is 2305 KN and 1018
KN from end bearing thus total capacity of the pile is equal to 3323 KN.
Figure 2: Soil Report example for a pile cap capacity due to soil
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Pile caps and Piles first Assumption:
In general, the Soil Report confirm about using Piles as a Foundation. As a result, the
first step is to draw the first assumption of the arrangement of the Piles and the Pile
Caps depths.
In order to show the Columns and Walls reaction you have to set the Plan to 3-d from
the tool bar on Etabs.
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Figure 4: Etabs-Column and Walls reaction
An Example on how to determine number of Pile needed below each column or wall
is as the following:
Using Table of Piles Capacity “Figure 2”, Pile diameter of 0.6m and z= 20m has a
capacity of 3323 KN which is more than the wall reaction thus one pile is used.
Several Parameters are used when drawing Piles and Pile Caps:
Pile Caps.
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3. The center of mass of Pile should be located at the center of mass of the
Column.
4. Tie Beams should be added in order to link the Pile Caps together.
5. Minimum Pile Cap Thick = 50 Ø (Pile Rebar Diameter) + 20cm Rebar Cover
+ 10 cm Pile embedment
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AutoCAD Stage:
One of the main part in the Design Process is AutoCAD as it is used to DRAW the
first assumption of the required Piles beneath each column and wall. The figure below
shows the application of the criteria mentioned previously. A Pile of 0.6m diameter
(green) is used to support a 2m Wall (yellow) with a cover of 20cm (red) at the first
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As shown in the figure above, the reaction from the wall resulted in three piles in a
diameter of 1.2 m. The min distance from c/c of piles was (2.5x1.2) =3 m.
Figure 7 shows the economical side of arranging piles. The Core wall is only carrying
five podiums thus only four piles needed with a diameter of 0.7m. The piles were
located at the inner edge of the core as they satisfy the regulation of min 2.5Ø
distance from c/c pile and as a result, the Pile Cap size has been reduced. In addition
the following steps below will help you to produce a neat and easy drawing to be
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AutoCAD Drawing Steps:
1. Arrange Pile Caps, Piles Diameter and Tie Beams in different Layers as
2. Make sure the Origin Points in your Drawings same as in your imported E2K
3. Make sure the Unit used in AutoCAD is “Millimeters” as in your E2K file.
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4. Save the Drawing into a DXF File Format in order to be read by SAFE2016
Figure 11: AutoCAD Final Stage DWG with Piles and Pile Caps
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Etabs Stage:
The first chapter of Tower design using Etabs modeled and analyzed a residential
tower. Our next aim is to design the foundation “Pile Caps” in order to support our
structure. The main step of the whole process is to export the reactions from the
Story: Base
Loads to Export: Export Floor Loads and Loads from Above
Select Load Cases: All
Select Load Combinations: Service Load Combos ONLY
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Safe2016 Stage:
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1. Define Material: Define Material Add new Material:
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Figure 15: SAFE2016, Slab Property Data
P is Pile Capacity
Define Point Spring: Define Point Spring Properties Add New Property:
Translation Z (Linear) = K
Translation X = 0.1K
Translation Y = 0.1K
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Figure 16: SAFE2016, Point Spring Property Data
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5. Start Drawing the Pile Caps using “Draw Slabs/Areas" Command in the left
bar tools.
Draw Slabs/Areas
Slab Thickness:
Blue: 3000mm
Yellow: 2000mm
Red: 1200mm
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6. To draw Piles that are represented by Point Springs as mentioned previously:
- Try to show each pile diameter in separate plans to ease assigning For
- In order to assign Point Spring you have to draw first a Point Draw
- Select the Points for Pi60 Assign Support Data Point Springs
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Figure 20: SAFE2016, Piles as Points Spring Plan
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7. Define Tie Beams: Define Beam Properties Add New Property:
Depth: 1000mm
- Draw Beam using “Draw Beams/Lines Command” on the left bar tools.
Draw Beams/Lines
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Figure 22: SAFE2016, Tie Beams Plan Extrude View
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8. Draw Design Strips: Design strips are drawn in order to check and design the
Pile Caps. Both direction (X&Y) should be added and they are represented by
Strip Layer Type. It’s the Engineer’s decision in defining the direction type.
Usually Layer A is considered the X direction and Layer B is the Y
Direction. Strip widths usually taken to be 3m.
- Start Width and End Width: used to define the width of the strip in which
it will study the slab area for the design process.
- Drawing design strips is like section cut but it covers more in width.
- Draw design strips for each pile cap separately in order to find the
reinforcement required for both directions.
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Figure 25: Pile Caps size
- Figure 25 shows a pile cap of 160x460 size
- To draw design strip for the pile cap of 160x460 size
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- Figure 26 shows the width taken to cover the slab in the Y direction as the
pile cap size is 1000mm thus the start and end with as taken as 0.5m and
strip layer type is B as we defined layer B to be Y direction. Then draw the
design strip at the middle of the pile cap “ Pink Line”
- To Show the width Set Display option
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Modal Analysis:
Piles Reaction Check:
After running the Model, display the reaction from Envelope Service Combination in
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- The two figures below show two different cases for the assumption of
pile’s capacity
Case 2
Case 1
Case 2
Case 1
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- Case 1: The Reaction from Envelope Service Combination= 1506.566 KN
- Follow the procedure for the rest of the piles until you end up with a safe
foundation.
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Pile Caps Design:
first step for the check of the cap’s thickness. However since our columns
are tied with “Tie Beams”, no punching check needed and the program
Tools:
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2. Pile Caps Reinforcement:
Fy = 420 N/mm2
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- Display Show Slab Design:
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Figure 33: SAFE2016, Layer A, Top and Bottom Flexural Reinforcement
- Using the cursor, the max number of Bars in Top is 15T20 and Bottom
15T32 “Long Rebar”, using “figure 37” you can check the typical detail of
pile cap reinforcement.
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For Shear reinforcement or face rebar check:
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- As shown in “figure 36”, the design strip A and B shows that the pile cap
is used.
- To check Spacing: the Pile Cap width = 1600 mm, cover of rebar = 150
bars is satisfied.
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3. Pile Caps Typical detail Plan:
Figure 39: Pile Cap Typical Section with Pile Lapping Reinforcement
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Conclusion:
The Manual explains the concept of transferring the load from the super
structure up to the soil throughout Piles, which has a capacity of (End bearing,
value from working loads that are estimated based on the unconfined
compressive strength of the rock cores extracted from various depths of the
drilled Boreholes in addition to its capacity in tension. At the end of this report,
you will be able to extract number of piles needed, sufficient pile cap
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