Piles installed in soft clays: assessment of bearing capacity predictions using static load tests

Juliana Reinert, Andrea Sell Dyminski, Alessander Christopher Morales Kormann

In the proceedings of: GEO2011: 64th Canadian Geotechnical Conference, 14th Pan-American Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 5th Pan-American Conference on Teaching and Learning of Geotechnical Engineering

Session: Transportation Geotechnics

ABSTRACT: This paper describes a case study in a soil profile which is very common in the Brazilian coast, with layers of soft clays interspersed with fine sand strata. The analysis involves four concrete driven piles and two Franki piles. The piles were submitted to static load tests and three piles reach soil failure. In the research, the ultimate loads were predicted on the basis of three semi-empirical methods: Aoki and Velloso (1975), Décourt-Quaresma (1978) and Bustamante e Gianeselli (1982). CPT and SPT tests were carried out near the piles location. For predicted results were compared to load-settlement curves extrapolations. Comparatives graphs were obtained and the deviations between predicted and measured resistances were quantified. The limitations of conventional methods based on SPT and CPT results are assessed for soft soils foundation design.

RÉSUMÉ: Cet article décrit une étude de cas dans un profil de sol qui est très commun dans la côte brésilienne, avec des couches des argiles molles entrecoupées de couches de sable fin. L'analyse implique des pieux de différents types et diamètres, avec quatre pieux battus en béton et deux pieux Franki. Les pieux ont été soumis à des tests de charge statique avec trois pieux atteignent la rupture du sol. Poor cette recherche, la charge ultime, étaient prévus sur la base de trois méthodes semi-empirique: Aoki et Velloso (1975), Decourt-Quaresma (1978) et Bustamante e Gianeselli (1982). Les essais in situ CPT et le SPT ont été effectuée près de l'emplacement des pieux. Les résultats prédits ont été comparés aux courbes charge-déplacement des extrapolations. Graphiques comparatifs ont été obtenus et les écarts entre les résistances prédites et mesurées ont été quantifiés. Les limitation des méthodes basées sur les essais SPT et CPT sont évaluées pour les projets des fondations en sols mous.

Access this article:
Canadian Geotechnical Society members can access to this article, along with all other Canadian Geotechnical Conference proceedings, in the Member Area. Conference proceedings are also available in many libraries.

Cite this article:
Juliana Reinert; Andrea Sell Dyminski; Alessander Christopher Morales Kormann (2011) Piles installed in soft clays: assessment of bearing capacity predictions using static load tests in GEO2011. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Geotechnical Society.

@article{GEO11Paper634,author = Juliana Reinert; Andrea Sell Dyminski; Alessander Christopher Morales Kormann ,title = Piles installed in soft clays: assessment of bearing capacity predictions using static load tests,year = 2011}