Chapter:7

Pier Foundation
Or
Drilled Shafts

Prepared by:
Avishek Shrestha
M.Eng in Geotechnical Engineering 1
 | Kathmandu University|

Introduction

• Drilled shafts are deep, cylindrical,

cast-in-place foundations poured in
and formed by a bored (i.e.
“drilled”) excavation.
• Can have dia. of about 750mm or
more, with or without steel
reinforcement and with or without
an enlarged buttom.

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 | Kathmandu University|

Uses of Pier Foundation

• There is no hammer noise during the construction of drilled shafts, as
there is during pile driving.
• When piles are driven by a hammer, the ground vibration may cause
damage to nearby structures, which the use of drilled shafts avoids.
• A single drilled shaft may be used instead of a group of piles and the
pile cap.
• Drilled shafts have high resistance to lateral loads and is better
considering the requirement of a scour depth.
Scour is the removal or erosion of soil around piles, shafts or shallow footings caused by high-velocity stream flows. It is
particularly aggravated by constricted flow caused by the presence of numerous bridge piers. The scour-mandated additional
foundation depth dramatically changes driven pile construction where piles cannot be driven deep enough without
overstressing the piles or without predrilling dense surficial layers.

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 | Kathmandu University|

Uses of Pier Foundation

• Because the base of a drilled shaft can be enlarged, it provides great
resistance to the uplifting load.
• The surface over which the base of the drilled shaft is constructed can
be visually inspected.

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 | Kathmandu University|

Types of drilled shafts

a) - Extends through the upper layer(s) and its tip

rests on a strong load-bearing soil layer or rock.

b, c) – A belled shaft consist of a straight shaft with a

bell at the bottom, which rests on a good bearing soil.
The bell can be a dome or an angle shaped.

d) – straight shafts can also be extended into an

underlying rock layer.

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 | Kathmandu University|

Estimation of load-bearing capacity

• Drilled piers on sand:
• The analysis of drilled piers in sand is similar to that for bored piles in sand
• The ultimate load of a drilled pier can be obtained from the following
equations.
𝑄𝑢 = 𝑄𝑝 + 𝑄𝑠
𝑄𝑢 = 𝑞𝑝 𝐴𝑝 + 𝑓𝑠 𝐴𝑠
𝑄𝑢 = 𝑞 ′ 𝑁𝑞 ∗ − 1 . 𝐴𝑝 + 𝑘𝜎𝑣 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛿 . 𝐴𝑠

• As for piles, while calculating the effective vertical pressure at the base, the
limits imposed by the concept of critical depth should be considered, if
applicable.
• The value of k is approximately equal to the coefficient of earth pressure at
rest (Ko). Thus, 𝑘 = 𝑘𝑜 = 1 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑

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 | Kathmandu University|

Estimation of load-bearing capacity

• The value of Nq for drilled piers is

generally lower than that for the
driven piles. The values given by
Vesic are approximately the lower
bound and are generally
recommended for drilled piers in
sand.

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 | Kathmandu University|

Load-bearing capacity based on settlement

• Touma and Reese (1974) suggested the following procedure for calculating the allowable load-
carrying capacity.
For L>10Db and a base movement of 25mm, the allowable point load,
0.508𝐴𝑝
𝑄𝑝−𝑛𝑒𝑡(𝑎𝑙𝑙) = 𝑞𝑝
𝐷𝑏
Where 𝑄𝑝−𝑛𝑒𝑡(𝑎𝑙𝑙) is in kN, 𝐴𝑝 is in m2, Db is in m, and 𝑞𝑝 is the unit point resistance in kN/m2.

The shaft friction resistance can be calculated as:

𝐿1
𝑄𝑠 = න 0.7𝑝𝜎𝑜 ′ 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜑′ 𝑑𝑧
0
𝐿1
= 0.7(𝜋𝐷𝑆 ) න 0.7𝜎𝑜 ′ 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜑′ 𝑑𝑧
0
𝐿1
= (2.2𝐷𝑆 ) න 𝜎𝑜 ′ 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜑′ 𝑑𝑧
0
Thus, for a base movement of 25mm,

𝑄𝑠
𝑄𝑛𝑒𝑡(𝑎𝑙𝑙) = 𝑄𝑝−𝑛𝑒𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙 +
𝐹𝑆

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| Avishek Shrestha, M.Eng, M.A|
 | Kathmandu University|

Load-bearing capacity based on settlement

• Reese and O’Neill (1989) also proposed a method to calculate the
load-bearing capacity of drilled shafts that is based on settlement.
The method is applicable to the following ranges:
1)Shaft diameter: Ds = 0.52m to 1.2m
2) Bell depth: L = 4.7m to 30.5m
3) Field Standard Penetration Resistance: N60 = 5 to 60
4) Concrete Slump = 100 to 225mm

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 | Kathmandu University|

Load-bearing capacity based on settlement

• Reese and O’Neill’s Following are the relationships for determining 𝑄𝑢(𝑛𝑒𝑡) in
granular soils. Based on equation,
procedure, gives
𝑁
𝑓𝑖 = 𝛽𝜎𝑧𝑖 ′ ≤ 192 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2

𝑄𝑢(𝑛𝑒𝑡) = ෍ 𝑓𝑖 𝑝∆𝐿𝑖 + 𝑞𝑝 𝐴𝑝 𝛽 = 1.5 − 0.244𝑧𝑖 0.5 (0.25 ≤ 𝛽 ≤ 1.2)

𝑖=1 Where 𝑧𝑖 is in m.
Where,
• 𝑓𝑖 = 𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟 𝑖
• P = perimeter of the shaft = 𝜋𝐷𝑠 𝑘𝑁 𝑘𝑁
𝑞𝑝 = 57.5𝑁60 ≤ 4310 2 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝐷𝑏 < 1.27𝑚
• 𝑞𝑝 = 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑚2 𝑚
𝜋
• 𝐴𝑝 = 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 = 𝐷 2
4 𝑏

If Db is equal to or greater than 1.27 m, excessive settlement

my occur. In that case, 𝑞𝑝 may be replaced by
1.27
𝑞𝑝𝑟 = 𝑞
𝐷𝑏 (𝑚) 𝑝
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 | Kathmandu University|

Load-bearing capacity based on settlement

• Following figures may then be used to calculate the allowable load
Qall(net) based on the desired level of settlement.

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 | Kathmandu University|

Estimation of load-bearing capacity

• Drilled piers on clay
• The analysis of drilled piers in sand is similar to that for bored piles in clay.
• The ultimate load of a drilled pier can be obtained from the following equations.
𝑄𝑢 = 𝑞𝑝 𝐴𝑝 + 𝑓𝑠 𝐴𝑠
ҧ 𝑠
𝑄𝑢 = 𝑐𝑁𝑐 𝐴𝑝 + 𝛼 𝐶𝐴
• The value of 𝛼 generally lies between 0.15 and 0.50.
• If the shaft is provided with a bell, only the straight portion is considered for friction
(adhesion).
• In the case of drilled piers, the value of Nc depends upon the D/B1 ratio of the pier,
where B1 is the diameter of the bottom.
D/B1 0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 4.0 and above
Nc 6.2 7.1 7.7 8.1 8.4 8.6 8.8 9

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 | Kathmandu University|

Estimation of load-bearing capacity

• Reese and O’Neill (1989) suggested the following procedure to
estimate the ultimate and allowable (based on settlement) bearing
capacities for drilled shafts in clay. According to the procedure,
𝑛

𝑄𝑢(𝑛𝑒𝑡) = ෍ 𝑓𝑖 𝑝∆𝐿𝑖 + 𝑞𝑝 𝐴𝑝
𝑖=1

• The unit skin friction resistance can be given as:

𝑓𝑖 = 𝛼𝑖 ∗ 𝑐𝑢

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 | Kathmandu University|

Estimation of load-bearing capacity

The following values are recommended for 𝛼𝑖 ∗ :
𝛼𝑖 ∗ = 0 for the top 1.5m and bottom 1 diameter, Ds,
of the drilled shaft.
If Db>Ds, then 𝛼 ∗ = 0 for 1 diameter above the top of
the bell and for the peripheral area of the bell itself.
𝛼𝑖 ∗ = 0.55 elsewhere
And
𝐿
𝑞𝑝 = 6𝑐𝑢𝑏 1 + 0.2 ≤ 9𝑐𝑢𝑏 ≤ 3830 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝐷𝑏

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 | Kathmandu University|

Estimation of load-bearing capacity

• If Db is large, excessive settlement will occur at the ultimate load per unit area, qp. Thus for Db>1.91m, qp
may be replaced by
qpr = Frqp
where
2.5
𝐹𝑟 = ≤1
ψ1 𝐷𝑏 𝑚𝑚 + Ψ2
𝐿
ψ1 = 2.78 ∗ 10−4 + 8.26 ∗ 10−5 ≤ 5.9 ∗ 10−4
𝐷𝑏
And
Ψ2 = 0.065[𝑐𝑢𝑏 (𝑘𝑁/𝑚2 )]0.5

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 | Kathmandu University|

Estimation of load-bearing capacity

These figures are used to evaluate the allowable load-bearing capacity, based on settlement.

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 | Kathmandu University|

Construction Procedures
• Can be divided into 3 stages:
• Excavation of piers
• Providing supports
• Concreting of piers

• Excavation or piers:
• Generally excavated using an auger drill or some other
type of drilling equipment
• For formation of a bell, the auger is replaced by an
under-reaming tool. The cutting blades are in the folded
position when the under-reamer is lowered into the
hole. On reaching the bottom of the hole, the blades are
spread outward. As the bell is formed and the loose soil
falls inside the cylinder, it is raised and emptied. The dia.
of bell is kept two to three times the dia. of the shaft.
• This method is suitable for hard clays where the hole can
be left open for a few hours without support. In
cohesionless soils the hole is prevented from collapsing
by providing casing or drilling in slurry.

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 | Kathmandu University|

Construction Procedures
• Providing supports
• A) Chicago method:
• a circular hole is excavated upto the depth at
which the soil will stand unsupported (about
0.5m for soft clays and 2m for stiff clay)
• Vertical boards known as laggings, are then set
in position around the excavated face and are
held tightly against the soil by steel rings.
• The shaft is then excavated further for 1 to 2m
and another setting of boards and rings is
made.
• The process is repeated until the desired level
is reached. The base of the shaft is then belled
out.

• B) Gow Method:
• Telescopic steel shells are used to support the
soil.
• The telescopic shells are extended as the hole
is deepened.
• The shells are removed as the concreting
progresses.
• The minimum diameter of the hole in this
method is about 1.25m.
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 | Kathmandu University|

Construction Procedures
• Concreting of piers:
• After the hole has been drilled to the required depth, the shaft is dewatered
• The casing, if used, is removed before the concreting is done.
• The reinforcement cage is then inserted and concreting is done.
• As far as possible, concreting should be done in dry. However, if dewatering is
not possible or slurry is used to support the shaft sides, concrete is placed
using a tremie.

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 | Kathmandu University|

Other Design Consideration

• Minimum reinforcement is 1% of the gross cross-sectional area of the shaft.
• For drilled shafts with nominal reinforcement, most building codes suggest using a
design concrete strength, fc, on the order of fc’/4. Thus the minimum shaft dia. becomes,

𝑄𝑤 𝑄𝑤
𝑓𝑐 = 0.25𝑓𝑐 ′ = =𝜋 2
𝐴𝑔𝑠 𝐷
4 𝑠

𝑄𝑤
𝐷𝑠 = 2.257
𝑓𝑐 ′
Where, Ds = diameter of the shaft
f’c = 28-day concrete strength
Qw = working load of the drilled shaft
Ags = gross cross-sectional area of the shaft

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 | Kathmandu University|

Other Design Consideration

• Depending on the loading conditions, the
reinforcement percentage may sometimes be too high.
In that case, use of a single rolled-steel section at the
center of the pier may be considered. In that case,
𝑄𝑤 = 𝐴𝑔𝑠 − 𝐴𝑠 𝑓𝑐 + 𝐴𝑠 𝑓𝑠
Where, As = area of the steel section
fs= allowable strength of steel = 0.5𝜎𝑦𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑

• If a permanent steel casing is used for construction

instead of a central rolled-steel section, above
equation may be used. However, fs, for steel should be
on the order of 0.4fs.

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| Avishek Shrestha, M.Eng, M.A|
Thank You
☺

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