METHOD STATEMENT FOR CONDUCTING HIGH STRAIN DYNAMIC PILE TESTING OF

1200MM DIA R.C. BORED PILES

INTRODUCTION
High Strain Dynamic testing like a static load test can be used to evaluate pile capacity. The test
procedure is standardized as per ASTM D4945-2000 and also forms part of various specifications and
code provisions worldwide. The method is convenient, reliable and helps evaluate pile capacity and
integrity in quick time and one or more piles can be tested per day.
TM
The testing is conducted using Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) by obtaining and analyzing records of
force and velocity under drop weight impacts. The field results are further analyzed with a signal
matching technique (CAse Pile Wave Analysis Program – CAPWAP) to refine the soil parameter
assumptions. The output from the test result can be summarized as below.
1. Static capacity of the pile at the time of testing.
2. Simulated static load test curve
3. Total skin friction and end bearing of the pile
4. Skin friction distribution along the length of the pile
5. Compressive and tensile stresses developed in the pile during testing
6. Net and total displacement of the pile.
7. Pile integrity

The testing method and interpretation requires expertise and through understanding of wave
mechanics. The agency employed for testing shall prove its competency by submitting previous
reliability studies between static and high strain dynamic tests.

PILE AND TEST PREPARATION

1. The testing is conducted by fixing strain sensors and accelerometers to the sides of the pile at a
depth of at least 1.5 x pile diameters from top of pile and then connecting them to the PDA. For
large diameter piles having diameter of 1.3-1.5m and higher, the sensors maybe fixed at 1 x pile
diameters from the top.

2. For this it is desirable that the pile is extended to 1.6 times the pile diameter after chipping top
loose concrete. For large diameters, the pile maybe extended only by 1.1 x pile diameters. This
can be done either using formwork or permanent casing.

3. If it is a liner pile, two openings/windows approximately 300mm x 300mm and diametrically

opposite to each other shall be made into the liner at 1.5 x pile diameter from top for fixing the
sensor. For large diameter piles of 1.3-1.5m and above, windows shall be made at 1 x pile
diameters from the top.

4. The extended pile head shall be of same diameter, axial, flat and have same strength or
preferably one grade higher than pile concrete. The rebars and helical reinforcement shall also be
extended to avoid cracking of concrete under hammer impact. A rebar mesh shall be provided at
top as shown in Figure: 1. Note that the reinforcement in the extended pile and the diameter of
bars shall generally be the same as pile reinforcement. Further, the concrete at the sensor level
shall be smooth hard and uniform.

5. Instead of the arrangement mentioned in Para: 1 to 4 above, testing can also be done by
exposing the pile for 1.5 times the pile diameter. In such cases it may be required to cut the rebars
if they are projecting above the pile top. It is also necessary to ensure that the pile top has sound
concrete and it is made even and flat at top. The pile sides also shall be reasonably of uniform
diameter and grinding on pile sides is required to fix the sensors.
 6. A pile top cushion consisting of sheets of plywood with total thickness 30mm or as determined by
the Test Engineer shall be placed on the top of the pile before testing. Please refer table 1 given
below for thickness of plywood cushion for specified pile.

7. Steel helmet 30mm thick or as determined by the Test Engineer shall be kept ready at the time of
testing. Please refer table 1 given below for thickness of steel helmet for specified pile.

• All dimensions are in mm

• Clear cover to mesh reinforcement is
20 mm.
• Diameter of mesh reinforcement bars
is 8 mm.
• Spacing of mesh reinforcement bars
is 100 mm.

Plan of Test Pile Elevation of Test Pile

Figure 1: Details of Rebar cage for extended portion of pile for dynamic test

8. A hammer of suitable weight (1-2% of test load or 7-10% of the dead weight of the pile whichever
is higher) shall be used for testing the pile unless specified otherwise by the Test Engineer. The
fall height generally varies from 0.5m to 3m. Please refer table 1 given below for required hammer
weight of specified pile.

9. Wherever essential, a suitable guide shall be provided to ensure a concentric fall.

10. A suitable crane or equivalent mechanism capable of freely falling the required hammer shall be
arranged on site in consultation with the test engineer. Refer to Figure: 2 showing the setup
arrangements. Please refer table 1 given below for required crane capacity for specified hammer
weight.

11. A suitable power source supply shall be provided for fixing sensors and for the test equipment.

TABLE 1: TEST SET UP ARRANGEMENT

Sensor
Max. Test Pile Depth Length of Steel Plywood Min.
Suggested
Type of Pile load for Head from Pile from Helmet Cushion Capacity
Hammer
pile Diameter Routine Built Top of Cutoff Thick- Thick- Mechanical
Weight
pile Up Head Level ness ness Crane
Built up
700MT
Initial pile 12 tons
(2.5xDL) Suitable trip
1200mm 2.0m 1.8m 28m 30mm 30mm
420MT mechanism
Routine pile 6 tons
(1.5xDL)
 Figure 2: Typical sketch showing setup details for high strain dynamic pile testing

PILE MONITORING AND ANALYSIS

1. The testing may be conducted atleast 15 days after the pile is installed. Make sure that the pile
concrete as well as built up portion achieve the required strength before the test. The testing shall
be conducted using Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) and its associated strain transducers and
accelerometers only.

2. Dynamic pile testing (High Strain Testing or PDA Testing) is conducted by attaching strain
transducers and accelerometers to the sides of the pile. A pair of transducers is fixed onto
opposite sides of the pile so as to detect bending in the pile if any during testing.

3. These transducers are then connected through the main cable to PDA which is a State of Art
Computer System with ability to record strain and acceleration measurements and convert them
from analog to digital form and display them on screen.

4. The testing is conducted by impacting the pile with blows of the hammer generally starting with a
smaller drop height. This is to ensure the correctness of the data and the setup arrangements. For
each hammer blow, the strain transducers measure strains whereas accelerations are measured
by accelerometers connected on either sides of the pile. These signals are then converted to
digital form by the equipment and then converted to force and velocity respectively by integration.

5. For each hammer blow, the test system displays immediate field results in the form of the
mobilized capacity of the pile, pile top compression, integrity, stresses etc. The force and velocity
curve shall be generally as defined in ASTM D4945.
6. Testing is continued by increasing the hammer height by approximately 0.5m increment till the
time either the pile set or the pile capacity reaches the required or limiting values. A typical force
velocity response is presented in Figure 3.

Figure: 3 Typical Force Velocity Trace Generated by PDA

7. The pile capacity shall be generally considered to be fully mobilized if the energy levels due to
hammer impact are sufficient so as to cause a measurable net displacement of atleast 3-4mm per
blow for a minimum three successive impacts. If the pile set is less than 3-4mm per blow and the
pile achieves required capacity, then it implies that not all the static pile resistance has been
mobilized and that the pile still has some capacity that could not be measured or was not required
to be measured at the time of testing.

8. A typical blow is then selected for CAPWAP Analysis. The program is an analytical method that
combines measured field data with pile wave equation type procedures, to predict the pile’s static
bearing capacity and soil resistance distribution. Measured force and velocity data is directly input
as obtained from field measurements. Based on the measured velocity data, the program
computes force required to induce the imposed velocity. Both measured and computed forces are
plotted as a function of time and the iterative analysis is continued till there is good agreement
between both the curves. If the agreement is not satisfactory, the soil resistances at the pile point
and along the pile are adjusted until a good match is obtained. This gives better estimates of the
actual static pile capacity measured during field testing, and also the friction and end bearing
components.

9. A good match is obtained when match quality is less than 5 for bored piles. However, exceptions
shall be acceptable when justifiable.

REPORTING

On completion of all field work, the field datasheet shall be prepared in the format below.

Measured Capacity in Net

Pile No. Pile Depth
Drop tons settlement Pile top
& from test
Height Measured compression Comments
Diameter level
in m RMX RSU on field in in mm
in mm Le/Lp
mm
A graphical print out shall be provided on site which shall include input and output quantities. The
force/velocity response graph, the upward and downward wave time response graph, the static and
dynamic resistance-time graph, the energy time and displacement time graph shall be presented along
with following key input and output results.

Input Parameters
• Pile No.
• Date and time of test
• The pile length below gauges
• The adopted pile wave speed at the pile head and the overall wave speed
• The wave return time (2L/c)
• The pile modulus at the transducer location
• The pile specific weight
• The pile area at transducer location
• The pile impedance
• The Case Method damping factor

Output Parameters
• The maximum force applied to the pile head
• The maximum energy imparted to the pile
• The maximum displacement of the pile head
• The pile capacity estimate
• Force velocity proportionality
• The maximum compressive stress in the pile
• The maximum tensile stress in the pile
• The estimated final pile set

The final report shall be prepared within seven days covering all aspects of the pile monitoring. This
report will incorporate results of CAPWAP analysis and a plot of simulated static load test curve and all
the output mentioned at introduction thus satisfying all the requirements of a standard load test. The
following shall be tabulated.

Pile No.

Pile Capacity

Skin Friction

End Bearing

Net Displacement

Total Displacement

Compressive Stress

Tensile Stress

Pile Integrity from test level

(sensor level)
TEST LIMITATIONS

1.0 Although the method can be used to predict skin friction and end bearing along the length of
the pile, these values should be used with caution as the CAPWAP is an iterative procedure.
Further this separation also depends on pile geometry; reliability of soil bore log, and
movement of the pile under repetitive impacts.

2.0 Unlike static testing, evaluation of dynamic pile test results requires an experienced engineer
trained in interpretations of the results.

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