Low strain integrity testing

of bored piles
by JORN M. SEITZ", Dipl-Ing

Introduction (a) defined.

THE INCREASING USE of large diameter Mini Beside the particle velocity trace, the
bored piles as deep foundation elements computer indirectly measured wave velocity of the
requires definitive and economical test concrete is an important test result, from
procedures that can be used shortly after which the general condition of concrete can
construction to evaluate their structural be estimated.
integrity. Two formulae are used to calculate the
Low strain integrity testing requires the wave velocity and Young's Modulus for
recording of the pile top acceleration caused !
Pile driving
analyser
! p losco
Oscil pe- Magnetic
tape concrete at this low stress rate:
by a blow of a hand-held impact device.
Strains will be small, however, but c = 2 L/T(mls)
acceleration can be measured by very
sensitive motion transducers. E = m. c'kN/mm') — (2)
Large imperfections or irregularities in the I

pile may be detected and the wave velocity where c is the wave velocity in the concrete
gives a relative indication of concrete quality. medium,
Difficulties in record interpretation may arise L the pile length below the
from a lack of systematic investigations. accelerometers,
The low strain integrity testing technique is T the time difference between the
/
described in this Paper. Three examples are / first and the reflected maximum,
/
given that demonstrate the advantages and E the Young's Modulus and
benefits from wave propagation testing as a m the mass density of the pile
diagnostic tool. / material.

General Information To obtain reasonable wave speed results,

Low strain integrity testing of drilled cast-
in-place concrete piles with diameters up to
2.00m has been successfully applied to
assure a satisfactory pile construction in soil.
About 15 years ago the development of
this method started in Europe. For a long time
it has been a method that has gained
experience based on empirical data of the
users. After Steinbach Et Vey'tudied the
stress wave propagation method for the
detection of imperfections in caissons and
piles, it had been shown by other authors that
this method could lead to satisfactory
results"'. It is believed that this method
provides a simple and reliable means for the
evaluation of the structural integrity of all
kinds of bored piles shortly after
construction.
Limitations on the use of low strain
integrity testing depend, among others, on
the length/diameter ratio and the wave
dissipation due to soil resistance or concrete
damping. If this low strain method gives
insufficient results the high strain method is
employed by using higher impact energies
and additional measurements of the pile top
strain".
Quantitative analysis of the extension of an
irregularity are in most cases not possible.
Beside low strain testing, many other
different non-destructive methods have
been developed for the quality control of
cast-in-place piles. Best-known are test
loading, air drilling, coring, the sonic method,
vibration and nuclear testing.
Low strain integrity testing requires both a
variable field technique, which is described
herein, and well trained and conscientious
field personnel. Usually the interpretation of
the measured signals calls for field
experience.
'Foundation Engineer, Bilfinger Er Berger
Bauaktiengesellachaft, PO Box 5160, 6800 Mannheim 1,
Federal Republic of Germany.
Fig. Low strainintegrity testing
(a) Test set-up;
(bJ Wave propagation
Basics
Low strain integrity testing is a non-
destructive and simple wave propagation
method. It merely involves measuring the
time and the characteristics for a
compression wave to propagate axially
through the shaft from the pile top to the pile
tip and back to a receiver that is mounted at
the pile top (see Fig. 1).
The compressive wave is created by the
blow of a hand-held impact device. In most
cases a hand-held hammer is used. In this
investigation, emphasis was placed on the
verification of wave propagation velocity in
concrete and the comparison with concrete
strength data.
The basis for the low strain integrity testing
is the linear one-dimensional wave
equation4. The stress waves travel
unchanged along a uniform rod. Their
direction of travel is identical with the
direction of the particles'otions
compressive waves and opposite in tensile
waves.
For the field measurements a PDA (Pile
Driving Analyser) was used"'. This unit
integrates the acceleration signals picked up
at the pile top, with velocity, and displays
them simultaneously on an oscilloscope.
Both the measured acceleration and the
integrated velocity may be used for a check
on the structural integrity of a bored pile. In
most cases, a velocity-time-history is easier
to interpret than the acceleration-time-
history.
The travel time of the wave is measured
from the first maximum to the peak of the pile
tip reflection. The reflected rise of the velocity
is often smooth and therefore not well
lb) one must know the exact length of a pile (1)
or the Young's Modulus and the mass
density m (2). The assumption m = 2.4t/m is
often a good estimate.
If there exists an irregularity in the pile
shaft, a reflection of the primary compressive
wave is caused and therefore additional
signals are recorded before the first
reflection wave from the pile tip. Depending
on the kind of the irregularity either tensile or
compressive waves will be reflected to the
pile top'e.
Test equipment
Modern instrumentation and computation
technology have made this test procedure a
simple and rapid method. The major
components of the test set-up are;
Accelerometers —piezoelectric accelerome-
ters are used. They are of high natural
frequency. Sensitivity must also be high, as
the acceleration from the impact is low.
Signal Conditioning —the signal conditioning
equipment must be capable of providing
signals with frequency components of up to
5kHz. Acceleration conditioning usually
involves the immediate integration to
velocity. This is done by the pile driving
in analyser.
Recording —the recording of the original low
strain signals are essential. For further
interpretations and for quantitative
investigations it is important to use a
magnetic tape or storage oscilloscope, so
that the event can be recreated in the
laboratory. Further analyses and plotting can
be easily accomplished using a computer
and a variety of peripheral devices after
analogue-to-digital conversion of the
recorded signals.
Monitoring Equipment —during field testing
the display of both acceleration- and
velocity-time-history on an oscilloscope is
essential for an immediate interpretation.
Processing —computers allow further special
purpose analyses as well as plotting.

November 1986 25
 Fig. 2 (eftj. Vibro
driven castin-place
pile
strength values from 20-70N/mm'Fig. 2).
Such a range is normal compared with other
test results.
At the time of testing, the concrete had an
age of about 220-300 days. The concrete
velocity was evaluated, based on test results

'V i'b
= t,ms of the concrete samples, and on the velocity-
time history. For this kind of calibration, 16
piles were cored and/or drilled; the results
are also given in Fig. 2.
The range of wave velocity values varied
from 3 900 to 4 700m/s. An average value of
4 000m/s for concrete gives a fairly accurate
length of a sound vibro-driven pile.
The general condition of the concrete
could be classified by the wave velocities into
10m the quality groups" shown in Table I.
The concrete of the tested piles was in
(al Integrity test result
good to excellent condition.

/8=2s/
2. Large diameter bored pile
50- This pile was constructed by a hydraulic
casing machine; it had a diameter of 1.1m
and a length of 5.5m (Fig. 3).
Integrity tests were performed 200 days
after construction. On this site the soil
consisted of loose to dense well-graded
gravels. A concrete quality of B25 was used.
Young's Modulus was estimated to be
approximately 38kN/mm'or concrete of
such age.
Again R, means reflection of the first
compressive wave from the pile bottom. The
wave velocity had been calculated to be
4230m/s, assuming the pile length to be
accurate. No irregularities in the pile shaft
2.2 2.6 20 70 3 700 4 700 were detected.
N/mrns m/s Fig. 3 (belowj. In contrast to the signal of the vibro-driven
—
t/m'bl

Density Compressive
The basic test equipment for
measurements on site is shown in Fig. 1.The
test equipment includes one piezoelectric
accelerometer, the hand-held impact device,
pile driving analyser, storage oscilloscope
and a polaroid camera for the production of
an immediate photograph.
For the low strain test method only little
preparation of the pile top is required. The
accelerometer is mounted at the pile top. For
the impact it is important that the time of
blow is as short as possible.
strength Wave velocity Integrity test bored pile, the reflection of the compressive wave
pile (casi ngj for this large diameter bored pile from the
bottom was very strong. Among other
factors, concrete placement and compaction
are important reasons for such a good
transmission. Also damping due to soil
resistance and the concrete material was not
as high as for the vibro-driven piles. The
r, ms
length/diameter ratio was 5:1 as against
17:1 for the vibro-driven pile.
3. Bentonite slurry bored pile
The third study dealt with the testing of 48
bentonite slurry bored piles without casing.

'.
f.'~: 'o ; -. '. v . : . o '. After the piles had been constructed, a head
Case studies beam was built (see Fig. 4).
1. Vibro
'v

driven cast-in-place pile "oi. Low strain integrity testing was carried out
For the construction of a factory, by mounting the accelerometers on the pile
approximately 1 200 vibro-driven cast-in- top. The impact was induced both inside the
place piles were installed. The nominal surface of the recess (Fig. 4a) and on the
diameters of the piles were 0.5m and 0.6m, (continued on page 33j
and their overall lengths were about 10m. the pile.
About 15% of these piles were tested. The data been recorded by an
had
The soil conditions and pile data for this instrumentation recorder and the test
particular construction site are given in Fig. 2. records of all piles were compared in the
The piles were driven into a layer of well- laboratory using a computer. Velocity-time
graded sands and gravels; groundwater was histories as shown in Fig. 2 were typical for
encountered approximately 7m below grade. nearly 90% of this type of vibro-driven piles
The in-place properties of the soil were at that particular site. After integrity testing
determined by dynamic sounding (SRS- was done, additional laboratory t, ms
DIN 4094), and penetration resistances investigations of mass density m and
indicated that the soil was medium dense or compression strength or of some cores of the
dense. cast-in-place concrete were run. Densities o i'b 8
To obtain exact wave speed values of the ranged from 2.2-2.6t/m'nd compression
concrete, complete cores were drilled in
several piles. In the laboratory, the com-
pressive strength as well as the density of TABLE I: CONCRETE CONDITION AND WAVE
VELOCITY
individual samples were determined. B25
concrete was used. An example of a velocity- General condition Velocity (m/s)
time-history is shown in Fig. 2. R, indicates
the signal from the compressive wave after Very poor (1 920
reflection from the bottom of the pile, and r, is Poor 1 920-2750
a reflection from an irregularity —in this case Questionable 2 750 — 3 300
the change of well graded sands to gravels, Good 3 300 — 4 120 I 7.0m
which caused a somewhat larger diameter of Excellent )4 120 Fig. 4. Integrity test —bored pile (bentonitej
26 Ground Engineering
I IW : eae
k4h m,
Fig. 10. Example of sliding on base, due toinstability below wall Fig. 1 1. Example of distributed slidingin wall retaining sloping ground

As more data becomes available the probable that their long-term behaviour will walls.
simple analysis presented here can be also prove to be similar, differing only in
extended, not only to provide a more rational terms of wall compressibilities and
basis for dry-stone wall maintenance, but construction geometries. References
also to include consideration of the modern The aim of this initial review of dry-stone Jones, C J.FP. (1979): "Current practice in
successors of dry-stone walling, such as crib wall deformations however is to provide designing earth retaining structures." Ground
walls and high gabion structures. These some insight into how a full and careful Engineering Vol. 12, No. 6
modern flexible walls with little or no tensile consideration of the actual causes and Ticof, J. (1978): "Surface footings on sand under
strength gain their stability in a manner very mechanisms involved can promote more general planar loads." PhD Thesis, University of
similar to dry-stone walls and it seems efficient maintenance of deforming flexible Southampton

concrete placement and conditions and 10

/continued from page 26/
+t 0%y
head beam (Fig. 4b). Both characteristic installation method of the piles.
velocity-time histories are shown in Fig. 4. This Paper has attempted to show a
The pile length was calculated assuming number of different velocity-time histories ge ~
an average wave velocity of 4 200m/s. All the
piles were cored. Fig. 5 gives a correlation
and their characteristics. It is, however,
recommended that the method is only used p 1e y —10%
plot between the length measured by the low in connection with additional investigations
strain testing method and by coring. Fairly
accurate results for the determination of the
of pile concrete qualities and soil properties. Ie
s
0V ~~y'err
pile length could be expected within a range
of +10o/o. The concrete compressive References
strength was between 48N/mm'nd 1. Diem, P. (1982); Zerstorungsfreie
64N/mm', and mass density varied between Prufmethoden fiir das Bauwesen, Bauverlag.
Wiesbaden und Berlin
2.33 and 2.39t/m'.
The attenuation of the wave as it 2. Franke, E. (1982); Grundbautaschenbuch: [6=25(
propagates down a shaft is influenced by the Pfahle, 3. Auflage, Wilhelm Ernst+ Sohn, Berlin
construction method. It is believed that the 3. Gobie, G., Rausche, F. & Likins, G. (1980): "The 5 10
analysis of pile driving —a state of art". Int. seminar L inregriiy test Metres
slurry-cast pile had a very rough surface
compared to the large diameter bored piles, on the application of stress wave theory on piles, Fig. 5. Comparison of pile length
for which casing was used. The length/ Balkema, Rotterdam
diameter ratio was 7:1-10:1. 4. Graff K. (1975): Wave motions in elastic soils,
Clarendon Press, Oxford
Conclusions 5. Hearne, T., Stokoe, K. & Reese, L. (1 981):"Drilled measurements for capacity and integrity evaluation
The stress wave propagation method is a shaft integrity by wave propagation method." of piles and piers, ASCE, Philadelphia
simple, rapid, inexpensive arid reliable Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering Division B. Seitz, J. (1983)i "Dynamic measurements for
method that provides for initial qualitative (107) GT 10, 16582 integrity and bearing capacity of bored piles",
information about a pile. The basics for the 6. Middendorp, P. & Brederode, P. (1983):"A field Symposium, Messtechnik im Erd- und Grundbau,
application is the knowledge of the wave monitoring technique for the integrity testing of DGEG, Munchen
propagation behaviour in the shaft, which is foundation piles", Measurements in
9. Steinbach, J. & Vey, E. (1975): "Caisson
influenced by several factors including Geomechanics, Zurich evaluation by stress wave propagation method."
concrete quality, length/diameter ratio, 7. Rausche, F. & Sai tz, J. (1 983); "Integrity of shafts Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering Division
surrounding soil conditions, method of and caissons." Symposium on dynamic (10), GT4, 11245

November 1986 33