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Behaviour of Piled Raft Foundation
Behaviour of Piled Raft Foundation
14.1. Introduction
This chapter describes the calculated and observed foundation behaviour of a large
building complex in Niigata City, Japan, completed in 1994 for hotel, office and retail
use. The building is supported on a raft foundation combined with friction piles, and its
behaviour has been monitored during construction and for a short period afterwards. A
simplified settlement analysis has also been carried out, based on a finite element struc-
ture on a layered elastic half-space. The results of this analysis, together with field
observations, are presented herein.
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394 D ESIG N AP PLIC A TIO NS OF RA FT FOU N DA TIO N S
GL
0
Silt
Medium
10
sand
20 Fine
30 sand
e GL–36 m a
40
Sand
50 and
Depth: m
sandy
60 silt
f GL–66 m b
70
Silt
80
g GL–85 m c
90
Silty
100 clay
110 h GL–110 m d
Sand
120 and Settlement measurement
silt
locations
(vertical extensometers)
(a)
95·4 m
Low-rise
High-rise section
36·1 m
Low-rise section
Pile
(b)
Figure 14.1. Building complex in Niigata City, Japan: (a) longitudinal cross-section and
soil profile; (b) foundation plan
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PIL ED RA FT FO R TA LL B UI LD IN G I N JA PA N 395
70
80 Silt
Dc
90
Silty
100 clay
110
Sand
Sl 10 20 30 40 50 1·7 1·8 1·9 2·0 2·1 10 20 30 40
120 and Internal friction
SPT Wet density ρ(g/cm3)
silt angle φ′(º)
N -value
Figure 14.2. Soil properties at site of building complex in Niigata City, Japan
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396 D ESIG N AP PLIC A TIO NS OF RA FT FOU N DA TIO N S
1
8
20 No.1
4
7
21 10
9 6
(1)11 (3)
22 (5)
No.2 2
No.4
(2) (4)
5
No.3
14 15 16 5 17 18 19
4 12
23 1 2 3
13 3
24
6
25
(a)
Main reinforcement
Concrete gauge
Steel bar gauge
Pile head
Plan Section
(b)
Figure 14.3. Instrumentation used in piled raft foundation for building complex in
Niigata City, Japan: (a) plan layout; (b) pile-head load measurement
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PIL ED RA FT FO R TA LL B UI LD IN G I N JA PA N 397
–30
GL–110 m
–20
Heave: mm
GL–85 m
–10
GL–66 m
0
Excavation depth: m
GL–36 m
10
June 1991
20
0 30 60 90 120 150
Time: days
(a)
0
GL–36 m
1993 1994
1992
4
Settlement: mm
GL–85 m
Concreting basement
16
Steel frame construction
Completion
GL–110 m
(Apr. 1993)
20
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540 600 660 720 780
Time: days
(b)
Figure 14.4. Measured vertical ground movements below high-rise section of piled raft
foundation for building complex in Niigata City, Japan: (a) excavation stage; (b) main
construction stage
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398 D ESIG N AP PLIC A TIO NS OF RA FT FOU N DA TIO N S
Pile
40
40
50 Dsc
60
60
70
80
80
Apr. 1992
90 Dc
Apr. 1993
Feb. 1994 100
100
110
120
(a)
Apr. 1992
Apr. 1993
5
14 Feb. 1994
15 Location of vertical extensometers
16
17
Settlement: mm
18
10
19 8
7
1 5 6
2 3 4
15
20
25
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Distance: m
(b)
Figure 14.5. Measured settlement profiles for piled raft foundation for building complex
in Niigata City, Japan: (a) settlement with depth; (b) raft settlement in longitudinal
direction
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PIL ED RA FT FO R TA LL B UI LD IN G I N JA PA N 399
200
2
3
160
Groundwater pressure: kPa
120
80
1993 1994
1992
40
Completion
1 (Apr. 1993)
0
(a)
80
1993 1994
1992
Effective raft contact pressure: kPa
60
(5)
40
(3)
20
(2)
Completion
(Apr. 1993)
0
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540 600 660 720 780
Time: days
(b)
Figure 14.6. Measured pressures beneath high-rise section of piled raft foundation for
building complex in Niigata City, Japan: (a) groundwater pressure; (b) effective raft
contact pressure
Measured groundwater pressures just below the base of the raft are shown in Figure
14.6(a), and depended on the number of pumps in operation. The pressure increase
between days 240 and 290 was aimed at controlling the settlement of the building
through buoyancy; this was reflected in a reduction in the rate of measured settlement,
despite the continuation of the steel frame construction. After completion of the building,
the measured pressures corresponded to a groundwater level at a depth of some 2 m
below the ground surface.
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400 D ESIG N AP PLIC A TIO NS OF RA FT FOU N DA TIO N S
1·5
1993 1994
1992
1
No.3
Concrete stress: MPa
0·5
No.2
No.4
0
–0·5
Completion
(Apr. 1993)
–1
(a)
20
1993 1994
1992
15
Main reinforcement stress: MPa
No.3
10
0
No.4 No.2
–5
Completion
(Apr. 1993)
–10
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540 600 660 720 780
Time: days
(b)
Figure 14.7. Measured pile-head stresses below high-rise section of building complex in
Niigata City, Japan: (a) stress in concrete; (b) stress in main reinforcement
Figure 14.6(b) shows the variations in effective raft contact pressure, obtained by
reducing the measured (total) earth pressure by the corresponding measured groundwater
pressure. Here it is noted that the effective pressures dropped after stopping the pumps
on the 240th day, reaching a minimum value on around the 260th day, before increasing
again as construction advanced.
Measured axial stresses (compression positive) in the pile heads are shown in Figure
14.7. Corresponding axial pile loads at the centre of the high-rise section were about
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PIL ED RA FT FO R TA LL B UI LD IN G I N JA PA N 401
2
1993 1994
1992
1·5
Load on piles
Vertical load: MN
Load on raft
0·5
Completion
(Apr. 1993)
0
(a)
100
1993 1994
1992
80
Pile-head load share: %
60
40
20
Completion
(Apr. 1993)
0
0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540 600 660 720 780
Time: days
(b)
Figure 14.8. Measured load share in piled raft foundation below high-rise section
of building complex in Niigata City, Japan: (a) pile-head and raft loads; (b) pile load
share
1.2 MN, and 2.1 MN at the corner, the latter value being about one-half of the design
load. Figure 14.8 shows the load share between piles 2 and 3 and the associated area of
raft. Thus the proportion of load carried by the piles remained fairly constant at around
65% until approaching the end of the main construction, after which it increased to about
80% when the last readings were taken.
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402 D ESIG N AP PLIC A TIO NS OF RA FT FOU N DA TIO N S
P
Building loads
P P
P P
P P P
P P
P P
P
Soil springs
Beam elements
Figure 14.9. Modelling of piled raft foundation as beam grillage supported on springs
of variable stiffness
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PIL ED RA FT FO R TA LL B UI LD IN G I N JA PA N 403
Concentrated load P = πa 2p
P
p
r
Young's modulus E
Poisson's ratio ν
z
R
z
∆σz
(a)
p
0
0·4
0·8
1·2
wπaE / P (1–ν2)
1·6
2·0
2·4
4·0
0 a 2a 3a 4a 5a 6a
Distance from load centre: r
(b)
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404 D ESIG N AP PLIC A TIO NS OF RA FT FOU N DA TIO N S
1
Normalised shear modulus λ
0·8
0·6
Average range
0·4
0·2
0
10–4 10–3 10–2 10–1 1
Shear strain γ: %
Figure 14.11. Typical relation between normalised shear modulus and shear strain
3. Calculate the vertical strain at the corner (e1) and centre (e3) of an equivalent
rectangular area using Steinbrenner’s method.
4. Set eave = (e1 + e3)/2.
5. Assume cave = (1 + v)eave, and obtain k1 from Figure 14.11.
6. Set G1 = k1G0 and E1 = k1E0.
7. Carry out steps 3–5 using E1.
8. Repeat steps 3–7 until the Ei-values converge (to within 1%).
In step 3, the building load Q is assumed to be uniformly distributed over a rectangle of
the same plan area as the foundation, and applied at the pile load transfer depth. Where
there is a buoyancy force Qb, then Q – Qb is used as the building load.
To take account of the stiffness of the structure above raft level, the moment of inertia
(I) of the beam elements representing the raft is increased to an appropriate level. This
equivalent value Ie is estimated as follows.
1. Calculate I for foundation beam only.
2. Using plane frame analysis, obtain deflection profile for foundation with super-
structure; Figure 14.12(a).
3. Obtain deflection profile for simple beam having moment of inertia nI; Figure
14.12(b).
4. Calculate n repeatedly until deflections in steps 2 and 3 are approximately equal.
5. Set nI = Ie.
The foundation was modelled using 220 beam elements, with Ie = 10I, as shown in
Figure 14.13. To simplify the analysis, there was only one pile at each node, an equiva-
lent pile diameter being used at the column locations with two piles. The load transfer
depth of each pile was taken as 32 m below ground level, equal to one-third of the pile
length above the pile base. Figure 14.14 shows the results of a pile load test carried out
on the site of the building, the pile diameter being 1.5 m. The axial load distribution is
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PIL ED RA FT FO R TA LL B UI LD IN G I N JA PA N 405
Foundation beam
(a)
(b)
Figure 14.12. Estimation of equivalent moment of inertia: (a) building model; (b) simple
beam model
7
Pile
6
Beam
element 5
14 15 16 17 18 19
4
1 2
3
Figure 14.13. Beam grillage modelling of piled raft foundation for building complex in
Niigata City, Japan
plotted for each increment of applied load, and the distribution of skin friction is shown
at 6 MN, which is similar to the design load. This latter result gives the equivalent load
transfer depth as 30.6 m, which is close to the assumed value. To calculate settlements,
the soil was divided into three sub-layers, and a rigid base was assumed to be located
105 m below the ground surface. Figure 14.15 shows the relation between the shear
modulus and shear strain for each sub-layer; these results were based on dynamic triaxial
tests, except for the first layer.
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406 D ESIG N AP PLIC A TIO NS OF RA FT FOU N DA TIO N S
De-bonded P = 6 MN P = 6 MN
10
17 m
19 m
20
25 m
30 31 m
36 m
38·5 m
Figure 14.14. Results of pile load test at site of building complex in Niigata City, Japan
0·8
Layer 3
λ (=G /G0)
0·6
Layer 2
0·4
0·2
Layer 1
0
10–6 10–5 10–4 10–3 10–2
Shear strain γ
Figure 14.15. Relation between normalised shear modulus and shear strain used in
foundation analysis for building complex in Niigata City, Japan
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PIL ED RA FT FO R TA LL B UI LD IN G I N JA PA N 407
Table 14.1. Assumed buoyancy values in foundation analysis for building complex in
Niigata City, Japan
Depth of foundation
Section (m) Case 1 (kN) Case 2 (kN)
Table 14.2. Assumed soil parameters in foundation analysis for building complex in
Niigata City, Japan
Thickness Poisson’s
Layer No. Depth (m) (m) Initial value Case 1 Case 2 ratio
Figure 14.16 shows the calculated raft settlements for Case 2(a), and gives the location
of the settlement measuring stations. Figure 14.17 shows the measured and calculated
raft settlement profiles for all four cases, while the principal values are given in
Table 14.3. Figure 14.18 compares the calculated variations of settlement with depth
below levelling station 5 with values observed in February 1994.
Table 14.3. Observed and calculated settlements of piled raft foundation for building
complex in Niigata City, Japan
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408 D ESIG N AP PLIC A TIO NS OF RA FT FOU N DA TIO N S
Settlement
50 mm
8 0
Scale
7
6
5
4
3
19 2 -rise
17
18 Low
16 1
15
14
-rise
High
Figure 14.16. Calculated settlements of piled raft foundation for building complex in
Niigata City, Japan
10 14
15
16
17 8
18
1 5 7
2 4 6
3
Settlement: mm
20
30
Case 1
40 Case 2(a)
Case 2(b)
Case 2(c)
Observed
50
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Distance: m
Figure 14.17. Observed and calculated raft settlement profiles for building complex in
Niigata City, Japan
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PIL ED RA FT FO R TA LL B UI LD IN G I N JA PA N 409
Settlement: mm
0 10 20 30 40
0
20
Depth below ground surface: m
40
60
80
Case 1
Case 2(a)
Observed
100
Figure 14.18. Observed and calculated settlement with depth below levelling station 5
(February 1994) for building complex in Niigata City, Japan
With regard to total settlements, the difference in the Case 1 and Case 2(a) results was
due to the different assumptions on buoyancy in the two analyses, the groundwater level
affecting both the stresses in the ground and the Young’s modulus of the soil. With
regard to differential settlements, both these analyses gave values smaller than those
observed. Possible reasons for this disparity are as follows.
1. The assumed equivalent moment of inertia of the structure was too large.
2. Young's modulus of the soil was not constant in any given horizontal plane, as
assumed in the analysis. In practice, the vertical stress in the ground beneath the
centre of the building is higher than at the sides, indicating that the soil stiffness
will be lower in the central region.
3. The settlement of the side of the building was affected by the basement wall, and
the depth of the foundation below ground level. In the former, edge loading on the
soil will be reduced by friction forces acting on the wall; in the latter, the
surrounding soil above foundation level will reduce settlements.
14.5. Summary
The main results of this investigation are as follows.
1. The maximum recorded raft settlement was 22 mm, including 4 mm during the
final nine months.
2. As settlements increased, the raft bearing pressures and pile-head loads were
redistributed.
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410 D ESIG N AP PLIC A TIO NS OF RA FT FOU N DA TIO N S
3. With increasing groundwater pressure, the load share ratio between the pile heads
and the raft varied from 2:1 to 4:1.
4. The maximum settlement calculated in the pre-monitoring analysis was 60%
higher than the measured value, mainly as a result of assuming a groundwater
level well below the actual level.
14.6. References
14.1. MAJIMA, M., ENAMI, A., NAGAO, T. and WAKAME, Y. Settlement behaviour of a tall building
supported by friction piles. J. Struct. Constr. Engng, AIJ, 1995, 467, Jan., 83–92 (in Japanese).
14.2. POULOS, H. G. and DAVIS, E. H. Elastic solutions for soil and rock mechanics. Wiley, New
York, 1974.
14.3. ARCHITECTURAL INSTITUTE OF JAPAN. Recommendations for design of building foundations. AIJ,
Tokyo, 1988, 156–163 (in Japanese).
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