Introduction to Group Piles

David M. Marks, E.I.T.

Graduate Assistant
Rowan University
Group Piles
Piles used in groups to transmit structural
load to soil
Pile caps are used to tie piles together
Pile Cap
Load Bearing Capacity
Extremely complicated due to close pile
spacing and overlapping stresses
Minimum center-to-center spacing
D = 2.5 x diameter of pile
Efficiency of pile group
= Q
gu
/ Q
u
Q
gu
= Ultimate load bearing capacity of group
Q
u
= Ultimate load bearing capacity of each pile

Close Spaced Piles
Stress Bulb
Plan View









L
g
d
d
d
d
B
g
Number of Piles in
Group = n
1
x n
2
Note: L
g
>= B
g
L
g
= (n
1
-1)d + 2(D/2)
B
g
= (n
2
1)d + 2(D/2)
Simplified Analysis
Piles may act in 2 ways
As a block: L
g
x B
g
x L
As individual piles
As a block: Q
gu
= f
av
*p
g
*L
F
av
= Average unit frictional resistance
P
g
= 2(n
1
+n
2
-2)d + 4D
No. of piles = n
n
Spacing between piles = d

Simplified Analysis II
As individual piles: Q
u
= p*L*f
av
perimeter of cross section of each pile = p
= [2(n
1
+n
2
-2)d + 4D] [p*n
1
*n
2
]
Q
gu
= ([2(n
1
+n
2
-2)d + 4D] [p*n
1
*n
2
])Q
u
If > 1; piles behave individually
If < 1; then,
Q
gu
= Q
u
If >= 1
Q
gu
= Q
u
See Table 9.13 for other Group Efficiency Eqns.
Felds Method: Sand Embedded









d
d
d
d
C
C
C
B
C
B
B
B
A
Pile
Type
No.
Piles
No.
Adjacent
Reduction
Factor
Ultimate
Capacity
A 1 8 1- (816) 0.5Q
u
B 4 5 1- (516) 2.75Q
u
C 4 3 1- (316) 3.25Q
u
6.5Q
u
= Q
gu
= Q
gu
Q
u
= 6.5Q
u
9Q
u
= 72%
Ultimate Capacity of Group Piles
in Saturated Clay
Determine Q
u
= n
1
n
2
*(Q
p
+ Q
s
) (Eqn. 9.130)
Q
p
= A
p
(9c
u
)
Q
s
= pc
up
L, where c
up
= undrained cohesion at pile tip

Determine the ultimate capacity by assuming
the piles act as a block (L
g
x B
g
x L)
Skin Resistance
p
g
c
u
L = (2L
g
+ B
g
)c
u
L
Point Bearing Capacity
A
p
q
p
= A
p
c
up
N
c
= (L
g
B
g
)c
up
N
c
Ultimate Capacity of Group Piles
in Saturated Clay II
Q
u
= L
g
B
g
c
up
N
c
+ 2(L
g
+ B
g
)c
u
L (Eqn. 9.131)
Compare Eqn 9.130 and 9.131
The lower value is Q
ug
Consolidation Settlement of
Group Piles
Approximated stress distribution 2:1
Procedure:
Step1:
L = Depth of Embedment of piles
Q
g
= Total load acting on group
If pile cap is below surface, Q
g
is total
load minus effective weight of soil removed
Consolidation Settlement of
Group Piles
Step 2:
Assume load (Q
g
) acts 2L/3 from top of
piles
Load spreads out along 2 vertical: 1
horizontal
Consolidation Settlement of
Group Piles
Step 3:
Calculate the stress increase at the middle of
each soil layer.
p
i
= Q
g
[(B
g
+ z
i
)*(L
g
+ z
i
)]
Consolidation Settlement of
Group Piles
Step 4:
Calculate the settlement caused by the
increased stress.
s
i
= [e
i
(1 + e
0
)]H
i

Consolidation Settlement of
Group Piles
Step 5:
Total settlement of piles
s
g
= s
i