Development of geotechnical resistance fgactors for piles designed using a direct CPT method

Steven Coulter, David Tara

In the proceedings of: GeoRegina 2014: 67th Canadian Geotechnical Conference

Session: Geotechnical Practice / Risk Assessment and Reliability

ABSTRACT: Pile design is generally carried out using static analysis based on traditional indirect methods or by directly using the results of CPT or CPTu profiling. With direct methods the cone resistance is used to infer the pile resistance, often with some additional knowledge of soil type interpreted from the CPT/CPTu. Two commonly used methods in Canada include the LCPC (or French) method and the Eslami and Fellenius CPTu method (EF). The LCPC method uses the cone tip resistance and soil type whereas the EF method includes pore pressure measurements taken at the shoulder of the cone. These methods calculate different estimates of resistance from each other. Our review shows that there is little information on the reliability of these methods and, in fact, most design methods. This paper proposes new resistance factors for use specifically with direct pile design using CPTu data. The resistance factors were evaluated using Monte Carlo simulation and the data included in the data set used to develop the EF method.

Please include this code when submitting a data update: GEO2014_277

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