DESIGN OF DRIVEN PILE

FOUNDATIONS

Lecture 3

Source: George Goble,

PDCA Course

1
FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS

• Process is quite complex (unique)

• Not complete until driving criterion
established in the field
• Structural considerations often critical
– But structural properties known in
advance of pile installation
• Factor of Safety (resistance factor)
dependent on installation

2
FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS

• Combined effort of geotechnical,

structural and construction engineer
• Local contractor may provide input
• Large design capacity increases
possible
• Both design and construction
practice need improvement
3
 FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS
1
Establish requirements for structural
conditions and site characterization
Planning Phase

2 Obtain general site geology

3 Collect foundation
experience from the area

4 Plan and execute subsurface

investigation
4
FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS

• Preliminary loads defined by structural

engineer
• Loads will probably be reduced as
design advances
• Improved (final) loads must be used in
final design

5
 FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS

4 Plan and execute subsurface

investigation
Planning Phase

5 Evaluate information and

select foundation system

Deep Foundation Shallow Foundation

6
 DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

Deep Foundation Shallow Foundation

Planning Phase

Other deep
Driven Pile foundation type

Not discussed further

6
Select driven pile type
7
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

• Select driven pile type

– Challenging
– Depends on
• Local practice
• Project size
• Cost considerations

8
 FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS
7 Select capacity verification and Q.C.
methods, safety (resistance) factor

8 By static analysis, estimate unit shaft

Planning Phase

friction and unit end bearing with depth

9 Select pile cross section and length to

Satisfy loading conditions,
Structural Engineer?

10 Check group behavior and

serviceability requirements
9
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

• Capacity verification method

– More accurate method
• Justifies a smaller safety factor (larger
resistance factor)
• Choices
– Static load test
– Dynamic test
– Wave equation
– Dynamic formula

10
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

• Q. C. Method
– As Q.C. is increased - factor of safety
decreases (resistance factor increases)
• e.g., increased percentage of piles
dynamically tested
• Critical piles tested

11
 FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS
7 Select capacity verification and Q.C.
methods, safety (resistance) factor

8 By static analysis, estimate unit shaft

Planning Phase

friction and unit end bearing with depth

9 Select pile cross section and length to

Satisfy loading conditions,
Structural Engineer?

10 Check group behavior and

serviceability requirements
12
 DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

• Make pile static capacity prediction

– Predict unit shaft friction and end bearing
with depth
– Prediction should be best possible
• Do not adjust with resistance factor
– Note any minimum depth requirements
– Pile size determined with knowledge of
loads

13
 FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS
7 Select capacity verification and Q.C.
methods, safety (resistance) factor

8 By static analysis, estimate unit shaft

Planning Phase

friction and unit end bearing with depth

9 Select pile cross section and length to

satisfy loading conditions
Structural Engineer?

10 Check group behavior and

serviceability requirements
14
 FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS
7 Select capacity verification and Q.C.
methods, safety (resistance) factor

8 By static analysis, estimate unit shaft

Planning Phase

friction and unit end bearing with depth

9 Select pile cross section and length to

Satisfy loading conditions,
Structural Engineer?

10 Check group behavior and

serviceability requirements
15
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

• At this stage a proposed foundation

design is complete
• All other strength limit states must be
checked
• All serviceability limit states also
checked

16
 DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

11 Evaluate drivability

Design NO
Planning Phase

satisfactory?

YES

12 Prepare plans and specifications

13 Select Contractor
17
 DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

• Drivability usually evaluated by wave

equation
– Must satisfy driving stress requirements
– Blow count must be reasonable
– Hammer and driving system assumed
• If dynamic formula used it will determine
required blow count
– Dynamic formula will not detect excessive
driving stresses

18
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

• Design process summary

– Pile size selection should consider loads
– Structural limit state must be considered
separately
– Close structural and geotechnical coordination
necessary
– Maybe pile size selection by structural engineer
• Design process still not complete

19
 DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

11 Evaluate drivability

Design NO
Planning Phase

satisfactory?

YES

12 Prepare plans and specifications

13 Select Contractor
20
 DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

13 Select contractor
Construction Phase

14 Contractor advises proposed

Hammer and driving system

15 Perform drivability analysis

Hammer safe NO
and sufficient? 21
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

• This is the same as above except the

proposed driving system is now
supplied by the contractor

22
 DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS
Hammer safe
and sufficient?
Construction Phase

YES
16 Set driving criteria

17 Drive test pile to criteria

18 Verify test pile capacity

Capacity/stress NO
satisfactory? 23
 DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

Capacity/stress NO
satisfactory?
Construction Phase

YES

19 Drive production piles

20 Undertake construction control

and monitor installation

21 Resolve pile installation problems

and construction procedures 24
 Summary
Preliminary design and
subsurface evaluation
Planning
Phase

Foundation type selection, static

design and drivability analysis
Construction

Contractor selection, drivability

analysis, set criterion and test-piling
Phase

Production piling, construction control

and re-evaluation of driving criteria 25