Special Design and

Construction Considerations

2009 PDCA Professor Pile Institute

Patrick Hannigan
GRL Engineers, Inc.
SPECIAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

• Time effects on pile capacity.

• Pile driveability

• Scour

• Densification effects on pile capacity

• Additional design and construction topics in

FHWA Pile Manual Chapters 9.9 and 9.10
590

560

530

500
14” CEP

470

430
TIME EFFECTS ON PILE CAPACITY

Time dependent changes in pile capacity

occur with time.

Soil Setup Relaxation

 SOIL SETUP
Soil setup is a time dependent increase in the
static pile capacity.

Large excess positive pore pressures are often

generated during pile driving.

Soil setup frequently occurs for piles driven in

saturated clays as well as loose to medium
dense silts and fine sands as the excess pore
pressures dissipate.
The magnitude of soil setup depends on soil
characteristics as well as the pile material and type.
 Soil Setup

100 days

1000 days
1 day

10 days
a bl e
capacity

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Restrike testing generally performed
1 to 10 days after installation
log time
 SOIL SETUP FACTOR

The soil setup factor is defined as failure load

determined from a static load test divided by the
ultimate capacity at the end of driving.
 TABLE 9-20 SOIL SETUP FACTORS
(after Rausche et al., 1996)

Predominant Soil Range in Recommended Number of Sites

Type Along Pile Soil Set-up Soil Set-up and (Percentage
Shaft Factor Factors* of Data Base)

Clay 1.2 - 5.5 2.0 7 (15%)

Silt - Clay 1.0 - 2.0 1.0 10 (22%)

Silt 1.5 - 5.0 1.5 2 (4%)

Sand - Clay 1.0 - 6.0 1.5 13 (28%)

Sand - Silt 1.2 - 2.0 1.2 8 (18%)

Fine Sand 1.2 - 2.0 1.2 2 (4%)

Sand 0.8 - 2.0 1.0 3 (7%)

Sand - Gravel 1.2 - 2.0 1.0 1 (2%)

* - Confirmation with Local Experience Recommended

 RELAXATION

Relaxation is a time dependent decrease in the

static pile capacity.

During pile driving, dense soils may dilate thereby

generating negative pore pressures and
temporarily higher soil resistance.

Relaxation has been observed for piles driven in

dense, saturated non-cohesive silts, fine sands,
and some shales.
shales
 RELAXATION FACTOR
The relaxation factor is defined as failure load
determined from a static load test divided by the
ultimate capacity at the end of driving.

Relaxation factors of 0.5 to 0.9 have been reported

in case histories of piles in shales.

Relaxation factors of 0.5 and 0.8 have been

observed in dense sands and extremely dense
silts, respectively.
 TIME EFFECTS ON PILE
DRIVEABILITY AND CAPACITY

Time dependent soil strength changes that

affect the soil resistance at the time of driving
should be considered during the design stage.

• Remolded shear strength in clays

• Estimate of pore pressures during driving

• Soil setup / relaxation factors

 PILE
DRIVEABILITY
 PILE DRIVEABILITY

Pile driveability refers to the ability of a pile to

be driven to the desired depth and / or capacity
at a reasonable driving resistance without
exceeding the material driving stress limits.
 Soil Profile
Illustrating
Driveability
Considerations

Estimated Tip EL 14” Pipe

Estimated Tip EL 12” H-pile

 FACTORS AFFECTING
PILE DRIVEABILITY

• Driving system characteristics

• Pile material strength

Primary factor
• Pile impedance, EA/C controlling driveability

• Dynamic soil response

 PILE DRIVEABILITY

Pile driveability should be checked during the

design stage for all driven piles.

Pile driveability is particularly critical for closed end

pipe piles.
PILE DRIVEABILITY EVALUATION
DURING DESIGN STAGE

1. Wave Equation Analysis

Computer analysis that does not require a pile to be driven.

2. Dynamic Testing and Analysis

Requires a pile to be driven and dynamically tested.

3. Static Load Tests

Requires a pile to be driven and statically load tested.
Soil Profile – 12.75 In CEP
3 ft
Silty Clay
γ = 127 lbs / ft3
qu = 5.5 ksf
46 ft

Dense, Silty F-M Sand

20 ft
γ = 120 lbs / ft3
φ = 35˚
Student Exercise #2 Revisited

Static analysis indicates a 12.75 in O.D. closed-end

pipe pile driven to 63 ft below grade can develop an
ultimate capacity of 420 kips. A static load test will be
used for construction control. No special design
conditions exist (scour, downdrag, etc.). Therefore, a
maximum axial design load of _______210 kips can be
used.
Pick Pile Section – (Appendix C2-4)

Given: 12.75 in O.D. closed-end pipe pile

Select: wall thickness – try 0.109 in wall (lowest cost)

ASTM A-252 Grade 3 steel – FY = 45 ksi

28 day concrete strength – f’c = 5 ksi

Check Allowable Design Load (10-5)

Design Load = 0.25 (FY)(steel area) + 0.40(f’c)(concrete area)

= 0.25(45 ksi)(4.33 in2) + 0.40(5 ksi)(123.0 in2)

= 48.7 kips + 246.0 kips
= 294 kips

Yes
Is this section suitable for an 420 kip ultimate pile capacity? ____
 Check Pile Driveability

Driveability Requirements:
30 and ____
Driving resistance between ____ 120 blows/ft
(see pg 11-15)

40.5 ksi
Driving stress limit of 0.9(FY) = _____

(see pg 10-5)
 Check Pile Driveability

Determine Hammer Size:

38 ft-kips
Rated energy for 420 kip ultimate capacity ____
(see pg 21-36)

Delmag D-16-32 (ID #5)

Select trial hammer __________________________
(see Appendix D-1)

Perform Wave Equation Analysis

GRLWEAP
Driveability
Results
For D-16-32
Piles Subject to Scour
 Piles Subject to Scour
Types of Scour

Aggradation / Degradation Scour

- Long-term stream bed elevation changes

Local Scour
- Removal of material from immediate vicinity of foundation

Contraction and General Scour

- Erosion across all or most of channel width
 Pile Design Recommendations in
Soils Subject to Scour
1. Reevaluate foundation design relative to
pile length, number, size and type

2. Design piles for additional lateral restraint

and column action due to increase in
unsupported length

3. Local scour holes may overlap, in which

case scour depth is indeterminate and
may be deeper.
 Pile Design Recommendations
in Soils Subject to Scour
4. Perform design assuming all material above
scour line has been removed.

5. Place top of footing or cap below long-term

scour depth to minimize flood flow
obstruction.

6. Piles supporting stub abutments in

embankments should be driven below the
thalweg elevation.
Densification Effects on Pile Capacity
 Densification Effects on Pile
Capacity
Densification can result in the pile capacity as
well as the pile penetration resistance to
driving being significantly greater than that
calculated for a single pile.

Added confinement from cofferdams or the

sequence of pile installation can further
aggravate a densification problem.
 Densification Effects
on Pile Capacity
Potential densification effects should be
considered in the design stage. Studies
indicate an increase in soil friction angle of up
to 4˚ would not be uncommon for piles in loose
to medium dense sands.

A lesser increase in friction angle would be

expected in dense sands or cohesionless soils
with a significant fine content.
 Pile Driving Induced Vibrations
Vibrations from pile driving sometimes perceived as a problem.

Vibrations can cause damage.

Vibrations can cause soil densification and settlement.

Pile driving vibrations often a perceived problem than an actual

problem and can often be controlled by construction procedures

PDCA database – www.piledrivers.org

 • 220 piles monitored
Charleston SC Project
• 2 failed vibration criteria
• Hydraulic hammer (30 ft-kip)
• No significant movement (> 1 mm)
• HP 12 x53 H-piles recorded by crack monitoring devices
• Predrill 12” diameter hole to 40 ft. • No damage to masonry facade
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Any Questions