CEG3203 Foundation design

Deep Foundations – Bearing Capacity - Tutorial

Consider a driven square concrete pile of breadth b = 400 mm, which is driven to a depth L =
10 m into a medium strength sandy CLAY overlying a medium dense gravelly SAND and carries
imposed loads Gk = 600 kN (permanent) and Qk = 200 kN (variable). The weight density of
reinforced concrete is γc,k = 25 kN/m3. The CLAY, which is t1 = 8 m thick, has characteristic
undrained strength cu,k = 45 kPa and a weight density γk1 = 18.5 kN/m3. Consider a coefficient
of adhesion α=0.8. The sand has drained strength parameters φk = 36° and c’k = 0 kPa and a
weight density γk2 = 20 kN/m3. Consider a contact angle pile-soil 𝛿𝛿=33° and a coefficient of
lateral earth pressure K = 1.6.

Groundwater has been found at a depth dw = 1 m and skin friction on the pile will be ignored
above that depth (to allow for whipping during installation, etc.).

Calculate the bearing capacity of the pile according to the Eurocode 7 Design Approach 1
Combinations 1 and 2 (use the partial factors of safety of the UK NA to EC7).

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CEG3203 Foundation design
Deep Foundations – Bearing Capacity - Tutorial

Solution:

Design Approach 1 Combination 1 - A1+M1+R1

Partial factors of safety

Actions and effect of actions

Characteristic self-weight of pile:

Design vertical action

Material properties

Clay

Sand
Bearing resistance of the pile

𝑄𝑄𝑢𝑢 = 𝑄𝑄𝑏𝑏 + 𝑄𝑄𝑠𝑠 = 𝑞𝑞𝑏𝑏 𝐴𝐴𝑏𝑏 + 𝑞𝑞𝑠𝑠 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠

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CEG3203 Foundation design
Deep Foundations – Bearing Capacity - Tutorial

Base in sand

Area of the base

Effective stress at the base of the pile

Base in sand

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CEG3203 Foundation design
Deep Foundations – Bearing Capacity - Tutorial

𝑄𝑄𝑝𝑝 = 𝐴𝐴𝑝𝑝 𝑞𝑞 ′ 𝑁𝑁𝑞𝑞∗ ≤ 𝐴𝐴𝑝𝑝 𝑞𝑞𝑙𝑙

Shaft in sand

𝑄𝑄𝑠𝑠,𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 = 𝑞𝑞𝑠𝑠 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠 = 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠 𝐾𝐾𝜎𝜎�𝑣𝑣′ 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡

Effective stress top of sand layer

Average effective stress in sand layer

Shaft in sand

Shaft in clay

𝑄𝑄𝑠𝑠,𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 = 𝑞𝑞𝑠𝑠 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠 = 𝛴𝛴𝑝𝑝∆𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑢,𝑑𝑑

Perimeter of the shaft in clay

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CEG3203 Foundation design
Deep Foundations – Bearing Capacity - Tutorial

Shaft in clay

Bearing resistance of the pile

𝑄𝑄𝑏𝑏 𝑄𝑄𝑠𝑠,𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑄𝑄𝑠𝑠,𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑄𝑄𝑏𝑏 + 𝑄𝑄𝑠𝑠,𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑄𝑄𝑠𝑠,𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐

𝑄𝑄𝑢𝑢,𝑑𝑑 = 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 � + ; �
𝛾𝛾𝑏𝑏 𝛾𝛾𝑠𝑠 𝛾𝛾𝑡𝑡

Overdesign ratio

𝑅𝑅𝑑𝑑
𝛤𝛤 =
𝐸𝐸𝑑𝑑

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CEG3203 Foundation design
Deep Foundations – Bearing Capacity - Tutorial

Design Approach 1 Combination 2 - A2+M1+R4

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CEG3203 Foundation design
Deep Foundations – Bearing Capacity - Tutorial

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CEG3203 Foundation design
Deep Foundations – Bearing Capacity - Tutorial

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