TANGENTMODULUSOF PILES

DETERMINEDFROM
STRAINDATA

BengtH. Fellenius,P. Eng.

University of Ottawa

FEI LFNIUS, B. H., 1989. Tangentmodulusof piles

determinedfrom strain data. The American Societyof
Civil Engineers, ASCE, Geotechnical Engineering
Division, 1989 Foundation Congress,F. H. Kulhawy,
Editor,Vol. 1,pp.500- 510.
 TANGENTMODULUSOF PILES DETERI.{INEDFROM STRAIN DATA

Bengt H. Felleniusl,
".ASCE
ABSTRACT: When evaluating measurements of strain or te1lCa1e
shortening of a pile subjected to loading teat, precise knowledge of
the "elastic" modulus is necessary. By means of plotting and
analyzing the increment of load (or stress) over the increment of
strain versus the strain, i. e., the tangent or chord modulus of the
stress-strain curve, the modulus can be determined. The paper
provides the nathematical background to the analysis and presents
examples of the method,

P R I N C I P L E S O F S T R E S S _ S T R A I NA N A L Y S I S

Often in a static pile loading test, the pile is instrumented

with strain gages or telltales. The gages serve to determine the
axial strain induced in the pile by the applied load and the strain
data are used to evaluate the load distribution in the pile. The
evaluation requires two important aspects: one, knowledge of the
t'e1asEic" rnodulus of the pile cross section and, tr{o, measuremenEs
of high accuracy.
Fig.lA shows a typical atress-strain diagran of data from an
instrumented loading test. The line with "data" points that is
curved near the origin and becomes linear toward higher strains, the
upper line, indicates "neasured" data. The line which is straight
from the origin, the lower line, is the theoretical elastic line for
a column with equal properties to that of the pile. The difference
between the lines is, of course, due to shaft resistance acting on
the pile in the loading test.
Atl shaft resistance has been overcome in the test, when the
"measured" curve becomes parallel to the "theoretical". When
evaluating the results from a Ioading test, finding this point is
desirable, although, in practice, its location is often difficult to
determine.
However, by plotting the tangent modulus of the "neasured"
curve", the point becomes easily discernible. The tangent modulus is
the slope of the curve and it is plotted as the increment of load
divided by the increment of strain plotted against the strain. The
tangent modulus plot of Ehe stress-strain lines is shown in Fig. 18.

I - Prof., Dept. of Civil Engng, Univ. of Ottawa, 6l Louis Pasteur,

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, KIN 6N5
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S T R A N

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S T R A N

Figure I Typical data from an instrumented static pile loading

test on a pile with a constant nodulus.
A. SEress-strain diagran of the pile head (upper curve)
and of the corresponding free standing colunn.
B. Plot of tangenc modulus against strain.

As shown in fig. 18, the tangent modulus, or, nore correctly

termed, the chord urodulus initially r-educes with increasing strain
to become constanE at a certain amount of strain. This occurs when
all the shaft resistance has been overcome and the constant value is
equal to the pile modulus.
Often, the exact urodulus of the test pile is not known. Then, the
tangent nodulus plot becomes a valuable aid in determining the
modulus, which Ehen is used in the calculations to determine the
distribution of the load in the pile.

FELLENIUS
AGTUAL TEST RESULTS

Fig. 2 presente actual test results from a loading test to

2,670 KN ( 3 0 0 t o n g ) o n an H-pile ( 3 1 0 H P 9 3 ; l 2 H P 6 3 ) installea a t
Jones Island, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. T h e f i g u r e ehows the load-
movement diagram of the pile head, and the movement of the pile toe
and the conpression of the fu11 length of the pile (really the load
applied to t h e p i l e head p l o t t e d a g a i n s t t h e t o e movement and the
compression).
The pile was equipped with two telltales, one upper to a depth of
39.3 m ( f 2 8 . 8 feet) and one to t h e t o e o f t he pile at a depth ot
48.3 n ( I 5 8 . 5 feet). The telltales w e r e i n s e r t e d into a standard
one-inch pipe attached to the pile by occasional welds. The crosa
sectional area of tf," pile rJas neasured (by weighing a short
section) to 122.0 cn' (18.9 in'), which is 3 7. larger than thq
nominal, area. The nominal. area of the guide pipes was 6.5 cn'
(f.0 in'). Thue, ,the total, cross sectional area not including the
welds was 128.5 cn' (19.9 in').
A load cell was used to deEernine load. The reading precision of
the dial gages for movement and shortening due to compression for
the applied load was in a gradation of 0.025 mm (0.001 inch).

ENT (- -)
MOVEM
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Figure 2. Actual results from a static loading test on an H-pile

showing movement of t h e p i l e h e a d a n d t h e p i l e t o e , a n d
and measured axial compression of the pile plotted
against the appJ'ied load.

FELLENIUS
 Fig. 3A shows the applied load at the pile head plotted against
measured strain (i. e., shortening divided by tellcale length) for
the upper and lower telltales and for the difference between the
telltales, i. e., the strain along the bottom 9.0 rn (29,7 feet) of
the pile.

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MILLISTRAIN

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(rn.)
MILLISTRAIN

Figure 3. Load-strain and modulus diagrams for the pile data shown
in Fig. 2.
A, Load-strain diagram for two telltale lengchs and for
the difference between the two te1lta1e lengths.
B. TangenE nodulus diagram for the two telltale lengths
and for the difference between the two telltale
I engths.

4 FELLENIUS
i
 It is very difficult to obtain anything quantitative from the
diagran in Fig. 3A. However, when studying che diagran in Fig. 38
showing the tangent modulus plot, it can easily be determined that
the curve for the upper teIltaIe indicates that a constant modulus
(a horizontal, straight line portion) develops at a value of
0.3 nillistrain, which occurred when the applied load was I,070 KN
(120 tons). For the lower telltale, a conatant modulus is indicated
for a strain of 0.8 nillistrain occurring when the applied load was
2,450 KN (275 tons). Finally, the curve for the telltale difference
(botton portion of the pite) indicates a constant modulus at a
strain of 0.5 nillistrain at the applied load of 2,490 KN
(280 tons).
The analysis of the tangent moduli for a range of applied load of
2,518 KN to 2,670 KN (283 to 300 tons) indicates a modulus for the
upper, lower, and bottom portion telltale lengths, of 2.776, 2.785,
and 2.847 MN,/strain (312, 313, and 320 ton/nillistrain). The
agreement between the upper and lower celltale valuee is excellent.
It is not surprising that the lower portion val.ue ie slightly off as
any inaccuracy in the telltale readings would be exaggerated when
taking the difference of them.
Thus, the evaluation indicates that the tangent modulus of the
pile cross section is equal to 2.78 MN/strain (312 ton/nillistrain).
By inserting this value into the conventional relation LOAD = AREA
t i n e s M O P U L U St i n g s S T R A I N l d i t h t h e c r o s s s e c t i o n a l area equal to
128.5 cn- (19.9 in-), an "elastic" modulus of 214 GPa (31,000 ksi)
is obtained. Inserting the usual nodulus ,va1ue of 207 GPa
(30,000 ksi), an area of 134.2 cm' (20.8 in') is calculared.
Obviously, in the continued evaluation of Ehe data, one has to live
with an inaccuracy of the ruodulus, or actual cross sectional area,
of about 4 % due to the uncertainty in the calculations. The Author
finds this more than acceptable for engineering purposes.
The analysis becones a 1ittle bit more difficult when evaluating
strain data fron other than steel piles, i. e., concrete piles or
concrete-fi11ed pipe piles. Contrary to compon belief, a concrete
column does not exhibit a linear stress-strain relation when loaded.
That is, the Young's modulus of concrete reduces with the applied
load. Fig. 4A illustrates an assumed stress-strain curve of a
column (lower line). It has been assumed that the line is a second
degree curve and that tbe final slope of the line is 30 % of the
initial slope. This reduction of the slope, i. e., the modulus, is
extreme, and has been chosen for reasons of insErucEion clarity.
(An example of an actual case will be given later).
The upper curve in Fig. 4A, the line with the data points, shows
the same column taken as a pile subjected to shaft resistance. As
in the case of the pile with the constant modulus illustrated in
Fig. l, as soon as alL the shaft resistance has been overcome, the
two lines are parallel. Due to the curving of the lines, it is very
difficult to teII when this occurs, however.
fn Fig. 48, the tangent nodulus of the column line is plotted
against the strain (solid line). Because the stress-strain relation
for the column has been assumed to follow a second degree equation,
the tangent modulus is a straight 1ine, and, as the modulus is not

FELLENIUS
constant but reducing, the line slopes downward wich increasing
strain. The line with the "data" p oints is the tangent modulus line
for che pile. It becomes p a r a l l e l with that of the column after the
shaft resietance has been overcone. As shown, it plots slightly
below che column line. Extrapolating the pile modulus line to the
y-axis and integracing it, would result in a "restored.column curve"
located marginally below the true colunn acress-strain curve in
Fig. 4A.

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STRAIN

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STRAIN
Figure 4. Typical data from an instrumented static pile loading
test on a concrete pile with a modulus reducing with
increasing stress.
A. Stress-strain diagram of the pile head (uppercurve)
and of the corresponding free standing colunn.
B. Plot of tangent modulus against strain.

6 FELLENIUS
MATHEMATICALRELATIONS

Mathenatically, the lines and curves are expressed, as followe:

The equation for the tangent modulus line is:

E = do/d = A+B (l)

f,

rdhere E, = the tangent modulus, o = the applied stress, = the

E
induced strain, A = the slope of the tangent modulus line, and
B = the Y-intercept (initial rangenr nodulus).

Integrating the tangent modulus line results in the following

equation for the column line:

q =+le2+B (2)

And the stress in the pile for an induced strain:

(3)
s

where E = the secant modulus and

s

E=
s
*le+s (4)

EXAMPLE FROM A P I L E W I T H A N O N - C O N S T A N T
MODULUS

The cangent modulus method of evaluation applied to piles of non-

constant "e1astic" modulus is irlustrated by the results from a
static loading test on a precast, prestressed concrete pile. The
pile is a 62.8 m (206.0 feet) long 0.42 m (f6.5 inch) octagonal pile
installed for the Keehi Incerchange, HonoIulu, Hawaii, and equipped
with eleven telltales to measure coropression during the loading
test. The applied load at the pile head is measured by means of a
load ce11 and the dial gages for movernent and compression had a
gradation of 0.0025 nn (0.0001 inch). The tesr was carried ro an
applied load of 4540 KN (510 tons) at which load the pile broke.
The pile toe movement at rhe maximum load was 6.6 rnrn(0.26 inch).
Bearing failure was not reached.
Data from two tellta1es have been chosen for the illustration:
TelltaLe 7 at a deprh in rhe pile of 38.6 n (L26.64 feet) and
TeLltale 9 at a depth of 50.2 m (L64.62 feet), where rhe maximum
movementsmeasured for the tel1tale points were ll.3 nn (o.44 inch)
and 24.9 mn (0.98 inch), respectively. These telltales were chosen
for reasons of ensuring that all or most of the shaft resistance
over the terltale lengths had been overcome at the maximum 1oad,
which is not the case for the lowest telltale lengths.
Fig.5A, shows the applied loads plotted against the neasured
strains over the two telltale lengths and over the difference
between the two telltales. rt is obvious that the lines are curved.

FELLENIUS
The question when seeing such curves is "are they curved becauee the
shaft resistance is not yec fully overcome, or because the modulus
is reducing with increasing load, or both"?
The ansvrer to the question is given in Fig.58, showing che
tangent modulus pLot of the daCa. Indeed, lhe tangent nodulus lines
are becoming straight at larger strains, which suggests a second
degree curve for the stress-strain relation.

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MILLISTRAIN

Figure 5. Load-strain and modulus diagrans from a static loading

test on a prestressed concrete pile.
A. Load-strain diagram for two telltale lengths and for
the difference between the two telltale lengths.
B. Tangent modulus diagram for the two tell.tale lengths
and for the difference betldeen the two lengths.

FELLENIUS
 Telltale 7 indicates a straight line at a strain of O,2 nil1i-
atrain, induced at an applied load of about 1070 KN (120 tons).
Telltale 9 indicates the aane at a strain of 0.4 nillistrain,
induced at an applied load of about 2000 KN (225 tons). The line
for the bottom portion indicates the straight line relation at a
strain of about 0.8 nillistrain, induced ac an applied load of about
3560 KN (400 tons).
The tangent modulus lineg are used to evaluate at what applied
load the shaft resistance along the pile was fully nobilized. As to
determining the load distribution for a particular applied 1oad,
knowledge is required of the secant "elastic" modulus for the 1oad.
Linear regression of the data points naking up the straight
portion of the three lines nay be used to provide the equation of
the modulus lines, i. .r to deternine the conatancs A and B in
Eq. l. Regression of the modulus line for Telltale 7 results in
that the constants A and B are equal to -2.I4 KN/nillistrain
(-0.240 ton/nillistrain) and 4,877 KN/millistrain (548.2 ton/ni11i-
strain), respectively, ltith a linear regression correlation
coefficienr of 0.9980.

Applying Eqs. I through 4, results in the following values of

initial and final tangent noduli, and final secant nodulus:

Initial E. = 37.8 GPa (5,480 ksi)

Fina I E. = 16.2 GPa (2'340 ksi)

and E = 27.0 GPa (3,900 ksi)

Inserting the values of A and B into Eq. 2 gives the average load
in the pile over the length of a telltale as a function of induced
stra in:

a= - 1 . 0 7 e2 + 4880 KN (5a)

(Q= -O.12 e2 * 5a8 e tons ) (5u1

Naturally, the tangent nodulus nethod is not restricted to the

analysis of telltale data. In fact, a considerable improvement of
the accuracy of the load determination is obtained by using strain
gages directly in lieu of telltales.
One of the most immediately noticed benefits of the tangent
modulus method is that inaccuracies in the data becone readily
apparent. For instance, Fig. 6A shows the results from testing a
22 m (71 feet) long pipe pile with a dianeter of 273 mm (10.75
inches) installed in Ottawa, Ontario. The pile rdas equipped with
one telltale to the toe of the p i l e . The applied load was
"controlled" only by means of the jack pressure (a highly unreliable
way of measuring the load, but, unfortunately, very comnon in the
engineering practice). The gradation of the dial gages was in
0.025 m (0.001 inch).

FELLENIUS
 (rn-)
MovEMENT
0 20 40 60
400
A 5000
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E. 1 B
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Figure 6. Actual results from a static loading test on a pipe-pile.

A. Movementof the pile head and the pile toe, and
measured compression of the pile plotted against the
applied 1oad.
B. Tangent nodulus diagram for the compression of the
full pile length.

Fig. 64 does not indicate any inaccuracy in the data. However,

the tangent nodulus p l o t shown in Fig. 68 exhibits a n e r r a t ic plot
that would be very difficult to evaluate with an acceptable accuracy
and no attempt to evaluacion was or will be nade.

l0 FELLENIUS
 Strain measurements, using telltale data or strain gages direct-
ly, can be evaluated as to accuracy, at what applied load the shaft
resistance is fully rnobilized, and aa to what value of the secant
modulus to use for deternining the load distribucion in the pile in
the following analysis (which should consider factors such as the
residual strain in the pi1e, as well as variation between individual
gages).
To have any reasonable chance of obtaining data suitable for
analysis any analysis, in fact - the loading test must include
load measurements by means of a reliable load ce11 and the strain
data be obtained with an accuracy being about ten times greater than
the one usually applied in engineering practice. As to telltale
data, dial gages or LVDTs which give a precision of 0.0025 nn
(0.000I inch) are preferred over the comnonly used "standard" gages
having a gradation of 0.025 m (0.001 inch).

CONCLUSIONS

When evaluating neasurements of strain or telltale shortening of

a pile subjected to loading test, precise knowledge of che "elastic"
modulus is necessary before the induced load can be calculated from
the measured strain or shortening. By neans of plotting and
analyzing the increment of load (or stress) over the increment of
strain versus the strain, i. e., the tangent or chord modulus of the
stress-strain curve, the nodulus, E, can be deternined. For steel
piles, the Young modulus of the material is of course known, but the
exact area is rarely known. Then, the tangent nodulus approach
assists in deternining the AE-value of the pile cross section. For
concrete-fi11ed pipe piles and precast concrete piles, which may not
only have an unknown modulus and area, but also a modulus that
varies with the 1evel of stress in the pile during the test, the
tangent modulus nethod determines the actual AE-relation to the
stress or strain. The paper provides the nathex0atical background to
the analysis and p resents examples of the nethod. An exarnple is
used to show that the method also lends itself well to evaluate the
accuracy and reliability of the measurements.

11 FELLENIUS