Efficiency of pile group bearing capacity of a pile

group in sand
SUBMITTED BY :
•VIHAAN (CO20249)
•YASH(CO20251)
•PAWAN(CO20246)
Efficiency of pile group
• The efficiency (η) of a group of piles is defined as the ratio of the ultimate load capacity of the group to
the sum of individual ultimate load capacities of pile in the group .
Thus η= X
Where =ultimate load of the group, ultimate load of the individual pile, = number of piles in the group, η=
efficiency of group of piles.

• The group efficiency of piles depends upon:

1. Characteristics of pile (i.e. length, diameter, material, etc)

2. Spacing of pile.
3. The types of soils in which piles are installed

• Ideally, the spacing should be such that the efficiency is 100%.

Generally, the minimum pile spacing for friction piles in sand when length of pile is less than 12 m is 3D ,
where D is the diameter of pile.
Pile groups in sand and gravel
• For piles driven in loose cohesionless soils,
the group efficiency is more than 1 at closer
spacing
• The soil between the piles is compacted due
to vibration caused during the driving
operation.
• In medium dense and very dense sand
group efficiency is less than 1
• For design purpose group efficiency is
usually taken as 1
 Formula's used in Pile group in Sand
IF PILES BEHAVE INDIVIDUALLY

• +

• IF THE PILES BEHAVE IN A GROUP

• ) + (4BL)

• The efficiency η=
• CRITICAL DEPTH =
(15*DIA)= For Loose to Medium Sand
(20*DIA)= For Dense Sand
Some of the commonly used methods for
determination of the efficiency of piles
(i) Feld's rule
• According to this rule, the load carrying capacity of a pile group is
obtained by summing up the effective load carrying capacities of the
individual piles of the group
• .The effective capacity of each pile is determined on the basis of the
assumption that, a reduction of 1/16th of the individual capacity
should be allowed for each adjacent pile.
• An adjacent pile is defined as the nearest neighbour of a pile along
the X-axis, Y-axis or the diagonal
Feld's rule
 (ii) Converse-Labarre's formula
In this method, the efficiency of a pile group is determined from:
η =1
Where, m= number of rows of piles in the group and
n = number of piles in each group. Where, d = diameter of each pile and
s = center-to-center spacing of piles.
• This formula can be used to determine efficiency of pile group and the
capacity of the pile group can be computed from equation
η=
Ques1:)A nine concrete pile group arranged in a square pattern is used
as a foundation for a column in loose sand (for 32°). Piles 300 mm in
diameter and 10 m in length are placed at a spacing of 900 mm in each
direction. Calculate the ultimate load capacity of the pile group. Assume
the unit weight of the soil as 18 kN/m³. ,Assume F.O.S=2.5 Show the
arrangement of piles.
• Sol
Given Data:
D=300mm = 0.3m
S=900mm = 0.9m
K= 1(loose sand), =33.3
Critical length of pile
=
Limiting vertical effective stress
From 4.5m to 10m unit point bearing resistance and skin friction
resistance remain constant at = 81 kN/
The ultimate pile load capacity is given by

, = 27

= 81 X 27 = 2187
OVER LENGTH 4.5m

Skin friction resistance = =75kN

OVER LENGTH 5.5m

Skin friction resistance = =187kN

B= 2187* *
+ = 154 + 263 = 417kN

ULTIMATE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE 9 PILES GROUP (assuming η = 1)= 9*417=3753kn
SAFE LOAD CAPACITY PER PILE =
Ques2:)It is proposed to drive 6 concrete piles up to a depth of 7 m at a construction
site ,400 mm diameter, spacing of 1200mm. The soil at the site is homogeneous sand
having an effective friction angle of 32 . The ground water table is at the depth of 2m below
the ground surface. The unit weight of the soil above and below gwt are 16 and 19 ,
respectively . Assume the earth pressure coefficient , K=1 , angle of wall friction = 23 and
bearing capacity factor ( ) = 27 . Calculate the ultimate load capacity of pile group .
Ans;
Given Data:
D=400mm = 0.4m
S=1200mm = 1.2m
K= 1(loose sand)
Length of pile below ground water table = 5m
Length of pile above ground water table = 2m
𝛿=23 0
L/D in 1st stratum= 2 /0.4 = 5≤15; thereforeincreases linearly with depth
L/D in 2nd stratum= 5 /0.4 = 12.5 ≤15; thereforeincreases linearly with depth
Total axial frictional resistance on the pile =
Intensity of stress at B = 16*2=32 kN/m2
Intensity of stress at C =16*2+(19-10)5= 77.95 kN/m2
For AB portion = 16 kN/m2
For BC portion = 54.97 kN/m2
17kN/m2
146.9

= Ab=77.95*27* *= 148.768kN

= 148.7+163.75kN =312.45

ULTIMATE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE 6 PILES GROUP (assuming η = 1)= 6* 271.45 =
1873.5 kN
Ques3:) Calculate the safe load capacity of pile of 3*3 pile group of 40 cm
dia driven concrete pile shown in figure bearing capacity factor ( ) = 27,
Assume F.O.S=2.5

Solution:
Skin friction capacity

Loose sand stratum:

= 0.75 = 0.75× 30° = 22.5° and K = 1

L/D in this stratum= 3 /0.4 = 7.5 ≤15; thereforeincreases linearly
with depth.
=24 kN/m^2
= K tan = 24 x 1 x tan 22.5°= 9.9 kN/m² < 100 KN/ m²,
The limit of maximum value of skin friction resistance in sands.
Skin friction resistance = =9.9 × 0.4 *× 3 = 37 kN.
(ii) Soft clay stratum

c = 15 kN/m², α=1.0
Skin friction resistance =
i)On basis of individual action

= α c= 1 x 15 x x 0.4×6= 113 KN
ii) On basis of block failure

=
Width of pile group = 2* 1.5 + 0.4 = 3.4
=4*3.4*6*15= 1204 kN
Taking the lower of the two values in individual action and block failure
= 113kn

(iii) Dense sand stratum:

It is necessary to understand that the arching effects would be present only in the sand stratum and hence the depth
of penetration in the overlying clay stratum is not to be considered in determining the critical length of the pile
and hence increases linearly with depth
at the top of sand stratum = 16 x 3+ (18-9.2) x6 = 100.8 kN/m²
at tip of pile = 100.8+(20-9.2) x 4 = 144 kN/m²
= 122.4 kN/m²
= 3/4 x 40 = 30° and K=2
=122.4 x 2 x tan 30° =141.3 kN/m²> 100 kN/m²
Hence = 100 kN/m² will be used.
Skin friction resistance = = 100 x x0.4x5=628 kN
Total skin friction capacity. =37+113+ 628 = 778 kN

Point Load capacity

At the tip of piles = 144 kN/m²

= 40° and 12.5 in the bearing stratum, = 160
= =144 x 160 = 23040 kN/m²> 11000 kN/m²
The limit of maximum value of unit point resistance in sands.
Hence =11000 kN/m² will be used.

Point load capacity,

= 11000 × π x = 1382 kN
Ultimate pile load capacity of 9 piles (assuming η = 1) + )9 =(1382+ 778)9 = 19440 kN

Allowable pile load capacity, per pile (assuming f.o.s=2.5) = = 864kN

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