DRILLED SHAFT

TESTING

MICHAEL MORGANO
DRIVEN PILES

For driven piles, we

usually have a dynamic
loading system.
Although the PDA was initially
designed for driven piles, it is
also used for Bored piles!
Driven Piles
• Continuous monitoring of
hundreds/thousands of blows
• Entry of driving resistance
often entered in #blows /m (ft)
• Force measurement taken
from the pile top
Bored Piles
• Require as few blows as
necessary
• Set measured after each
blow
• Force measurements may
be taken various ways:
• On pile
• By load cell
• From ram measurements
 LAS TRUCHAS
MEXICO – JUNE 1974

First dynamic test on a shaft

(Barrette) !!! Testing Barrette
Another early test
Sensors preferably installed on pile shaft
surface smoothened with an electric grinder
Arbor Housing
Charleston WV
1977 CFA tests
--------------------------
Tampa, Florida
(early 1982)
“Sunshine Skyway”
(bridge collapsed
after impacted by
barge)
Melbourne, Australia 1982
“Westgate Freeway”

Client questioned adequacy of clean-out

Also questioned potential for relaxation in the
claystone

Tested 100 shafts

(1.5 m dia - 60 m long)
Socketed in Claystone
Ru = 2000 tons

Design and Performance of Dynamic Tests of Large Diameter Drilled Shafts, by: Rausche, F., Seidel, J.

Correlation of Static and Dynamic Pile Tests on Large Diameter Drilled Shafts; by: Seidel, J., Rausche, F.

Both papers presented at: Second Int’l Conference on Application of Stress Wave Theory on Piles:
Stockholm, Sweden, May 1984 .
Westgate Freeway,
Australia, 1982
PDA testing saved
$2,000,000
DYNAMIC TESTING OF CAST-IN-SITU PILES

Need large drop weight Prepare pile top Analysis method

Approximately 2% or more
of ultimate capacity
• e.g. 20 ton weight to assess 1000
tons capacity
• GRLWEAP to assess weight and
cushion
Top transducer CAPWAP®
• Excavate or build up pile top – use What is the reliability of
4 strains dynamic testing on drilled
shafts ???
• Flat top protected by cushion
 FHWA
Final Report 1975
Result showed a clear correlation of
dynamic results when compared to static
load results
 40,000

2004
Unconservative
30,000
(potentially unsafe) Correlation
CAPWAP [kN]

Study
20,000 N=303

Likins, G.E., Rausche, F. | August 2004

Correlation of CAPWAP with Static Load
Tests
10,000 Conservative (residual Proceedings of the Seventh International
Conference on the Application of
strength) Stresswave Theory to Piles 2004: Petaling
Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia; 153-165. Keynote
Lecture

0
0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000

Static Load Test [kN]

 2004 Correlation Study

Conservative (residual
strength)

Likins, G.E., Rausche, F. | August 2004

Correlation of CAPWAP with Static Load Tests
Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on the Application of Stresswave Theory to Piles 2004: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia;
153-165. Keynote Lecture
DLT ON DRILLED SHAFTS & CFA PILES

Standard Procedure:
Blows of increasing drop height until:

Permanent set > 3~4 mm (0.12 – 0.16”)

Stop if > 5 mm (0.2”) or more set
or
Stresses reach the limit
or
Capacity prediction > Required test load
Testing bored piles
• Placing minimal cushioning
between the transducer and the
pile allows them to ‘move as one’
as long as the two of them are in
compression.
• Cushioning placed on top of the
transducer will allow for ‘cleaner’
records. Thick cushion
 DLT ON BORED PILE
AND CFA PILES
CAPWAP must also model non-uniform pile

Know the area at sensor location

Consider casing if applicable
Know the total concrete volume
Shaft profile from SHAPE, calipers or TIP
Use soil profile information
Add impedance increases or shaft plug
CAPWAP and TIP on a 2.1 m diameter drilled shaft
CAPWAP
TIP Measurements
impedance

22
 PILE SET MEASURED
INDEPENDENTLY BY

Laser

Piano wire/mirror setup

Survey equipment
or

Set ideally between ¼” an 1/8” (6 - 3mm)

laser
Information of Performed High Strain Dynamic Tests
E-mail: HSDT4 Sheet 2/2
Existing Indlinometer Drop Hammer Pile
Top of pile CR L total Lp LE Set/Blow
Test # Date File Name Ground Depth * Blow # Height cushion cushion
Elevation (m) (m) (m) (m) (mm)
Elevation (m) (m) # #

January 23, 2001 1 0.50 1.44 5 8

ENP1
1 98.65 96.85 2.15 23.65 21.85 22.00 16.15 2 1.00 3.36 5 8

3 1.50 4.15 5 8

1 0.50 2.16 4 3
January 23, 2001

ENP2 **

2 1.00 4.05 4 3
2 98.65 96.95 2.11 21.15 19.45 19.60 16.15
3 1.25 4.50 4 3

4 1.25 5.50 4 3

1 0.25 0.92
January 23, 2001

ENP3 ***

3 4

3 98.65 96.90 1.60 21.15 19.40 19.60 16.15 2 0.50 2.10

3 4

3 0.75 3.30
3 4
Pile Initial Current
Total No.

Increase drop heights until either

Cushion # Diameter Thickness Thickness
of Hits
(cm) (mm) (mm)
1 60 60 46 12
2
3
4
60
60
60
60
60
12
42
45
8
6
7
12
stresses too large, or until achieve
5
6
8
60
60
60
12
60
60
7
44.6
45
10
4
3
at least 3 mm (0.12”) set.
1 45 60 43.6 4
2
3
45
45
12
12
9.6
9
4
3
Stop test if 5 mm (0.2”) or more set.
4 45 60 46 3
 PREPARATION OF
THE TOP
Build up pile top with steel casing

Reduces excavation

Protects reinforcing

4 strain transducers recommended

(2 or 4 accelerometers)
Traditional Top
F = ma
transducer

Single
mass only

Force F

Pile Velocity V

Accelerometer

Strain / Force

27
 Force
Transducer Ram

Pile
Instrumentation

Accelerometer
measurement
always taken
on the pile
29
Single mass ram
F = ma
Attach accelerometer to ram;
instead of strain for force
Attach accelerometers to the
pile for velocity

8000

7000 Force from Ram

6000 Force from Pile

5000

P ile Fo rce (kN )

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
0.015 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035 0.04
-1000
Time (s)
 FORCE
TRANSDUCER

Force is more accurate

No “windows” in casing
Area and modulus known

Less pile preparation

Eliminate excavations

8 strains (4 pairs: in/out)

Accelerometer on pile
 Force Transducer
8 Strain Sensors
• 4 Inside
• 4 Outside
Combining Cables used to average
diametrically opposite strain sensors
Acceleration measurement used to make
inertial force correction
TOP TRANSDUCER

F
A
 Keep in mind safety!
Sizing a drop hammer is just one aspect
1. Consider GRLWEAP Analysis for
adequate modelling
2. Adequate guides for drop hammer
3. Adequate soil support for frame
4. Properly align hammer and frame to pile.
5. One problem can affect the industry.
Pile Buildup is minimal to
reduce demands on the
contractor.
Lower buildup also reduces
the chance of pile damage
(flagpole loading due to
poorly centered hits)
Ireland - 3 ton ram Trinidad – 5.5 ton ram Bahrain - 25 ton ram Germany - 10 ton ram

DLT Systems from Around the World

Malaysia - 30 ton ram Thailand - 40 ton ram Portugal – 43 ton ram Venezuela - 60 ton
ram

DLT Systems from Around the World

Same Transducer covers
a range of Sizes
• Transducer can be used on shafts that are
within 50% of the transducer's impedance.
•
 Force Curves wrt Time
Comparison 2500

The graph displays a comparison

2000
between the measured force on
the pile and the measured force
from the top transducer. 1500

Force (kips)
Note that the inertial force 1000

correction improves results

500

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1

-500
Time (s)

LC Force no correction Favg Top Inertia corrected

Pile Top Measured Force Favg Top Inertia Corrected w V filter
DESIGNED FOR BORED PILE TESTING
 STRESS VALUES ON
THE PILE CAN BE
CALCULATED FROM
MEASUREMENTS MADE
ON THE LOAD CELL

Helmet mass allows for inertial correction

FORCE VS DISPLACEMENT PLOT
 Summary: Dynamic Testing of cast-in-situ piles

• Need large drop weight

• Approx 2% or more of ultimate capacity
• Must guide ram during release for safety
• Frame should have release mechanism
(do not release by crane)
• Prepare Pile Top
• Excavate or build up pile top, use 4 strain gages
• Use of top transducer gives more reliable force and
simplifies testing
• Flat shaft top protected by cushion
 Summary: Dynamic Testing of cast-in-situ piles

• Standard Test procedure:

• Blows of increasing drop height, until either:
• Permanent set of 3 to 5 mm (0.12 ~ 0.2 inches), or
• Stresses reach the limit, or
• Capacity prediction > Required test load
• Analyze with (CAPWAP®)
• Know the area at sensor location
• Consider casing (composite), if applicable
• Know the total concrete volume !
• Shape from calipers, SHAPE or TIP – recommended
• Use soil profile information to help with CAPWAP matching
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