DESIGN OF DEEP

FOUNDATIONS

George Goble
Goble PileTest, Inc.
In this lecture I will discuss the deep
foundations design process for
driven piles and to a lesser degree
cast-in-place systems,
both geotechnical, structural aspects
and some other topics within time
limitations
 MY BACKGROUND
Structural Engineer – Minor in Soil Mechanics
Experience in Construction and Several Years as a
Structural Designer
Designed Several Large Pile Foundations
Thirty Years as a College Professor Teaching
Structures and Mechanics, Emphasizing Design
Research on Minimum Cost Structural Design
and on the Dynamics of Pile Driving
Managed the Research that Developed Dynamic
Methods for Pile Capacity Prediction
Founded PDI and GRL
Now Have a Bridge Testing and Rating Business
In Goble Pile Test, I’m Developing an Easy to Use
Dynamic Pile Testing System
WHY MAKE THIS PRESENTATION?

• Driven Pile Design is Often Not Well Done

– Not dangerous but excessively conservative
– Design process not clearly understood
– Large cost savings possible
– Capabilities of modern hammers not recognized
– Drivability analyses not competently done
– Many job specs are poorly written
 THE ADVANTAGES OF THE
DRIVEN PILE
• We know the material that we put in the
ground before we drive
• Because it is driven each pile
penetrates to the blow count necessary
to get the required capacity
• Capacity can be determined quite
accurately by driving observations,
usually conservative (setup)
FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS

• Process is Quite Complex (Unique)

• Not Complete Until the Driving Criterion is
Established in the Field
• Structural Considerations can be Critical
– But Structural Properties Are Known in Advance of Pile
Installation
• Factor of Safety (Resistance Factor) Dependent
on Methods of Capacity Determination and
Installation Quality Control
 BASIS FOR DESIGN

Since Early in the 19th Century a

Design Approach Called Allowable
Stress Design (ASD) Has Been and
Is Still Used in Some Codes.
The Fundamental Basis?
 ASD HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

• Rational Linear Elastic Analyses

Appeared Early 1800’s
• Linear Elastic Analysis Based on Steel
• Well Developed by Late 1800
• Basic Concept – Do not Exceed Yield
Stress
• Produced an Orderly Basis for Design
 ASD BASIS
STRESS

y

a

STRAIN

Define an ALLOWABLE STRESS

a = C  y
For Steel Beams C = 0.4 to 0.66
Factor of Safety? How is Stress
Measured?
ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN

• “Safe” Stress or Load Permitted in Design

– Allowable Stress Determined by
Multiplying the Yield Stress of the
Material by a Safety Margin that is Less
than One
– The Factor Provides Safety Margin
– Factor Selected by Experience of about
150 Years
 STRENGTH DESIGN
• Not All Structures Have Linear Load-Stress
(or Load-Strength) Relationship
• Example – Columns, or Concrete
• Behavior Understood by Late 1800’s
• But for Columns, Strength is Non-Linear and
Dependent on Slenderness Ratio and Can Be
Calculated
• Factor of Safety Introduced
• Universally Used in Geotechnical Design
• Still Called ASD
 WHY LRFD?
• First Adopted by ACI Building Code – 1956 in
an Alternate Appendix (Strength Design)
• Adopted 1963 as Equal to ASD
• Strength Design Necessary for Particularly for
Concrete Columns
• Desirable to Split Safety Margin on Both Loads
and Strength
• Adopted Different Factors on Different Load
Types
• Adopted in Practice in about Two Years
• All Factors Determined Heuristically
 ASD
Qi = Rn/F.S.

LRFD
γij Qij = k Rnk

Gravity Loads
ASD - D + L
LRFD - ACI: 1.2D + 1.6L
LRFD - AASHTO: 1.25D + 1.75L
 UNDERSTAND THE
LIMITATIONS

• Load and Resistance Factors not Unique

– Several Factors Selected Based on One Condition
• Design Process Must Be Well-Understood by
Code Developers
• Strength Data May Be Dependent on
Undefined Variables
 FROM THE HANDLING
OF THE LOADS ALONE
IT
IS A BIG IMPROVEMENT
OVER ASD
 But
There Are Many Loads
And Load Combinations
For Instance,Two Important Ones
In AASHTO

Str I = 1.25D + 1.75 L + …

Str IV = 1.50 D
 SUMMARY
• LRFD Is an Improvement Based on
the Split Safety Margins Alone
– Both between Load Types and
between strength types Strength
• Load and Resistance Factors non-
Unique
• Clearly Written, Unique Codes
Necessary
FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS

• Combined effort of geotechnical,

structural and construction engineer
• Local contractor may provide input
• Large design capacity increases
are often possible for driven piles
• Both design and construction
practice need improvement
FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS
Establish requirements for structural
conditions and site characterization

Obtain general site geology

Collect foundation
experience from the area

Plan and execute subsurface

investigation
FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS

• Preliminary loads defined by the

structural engineer
• Loads will probably be reduced as
design advances
• Improved (final) loads must be used in
final design
• (Anaheim Example)
FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS

Plan and execute subsurface

investigation

Evaluate information and

select foundation system

Deep Foundation Shallow Foundation

 COST EVALUATION

A Cost Evaluation Should Always

Be Made If More Than One Deep
Foundation System Is Possible. It
Is Not Difficult For Deep
Foundations And Cost Savings Can
Be Very Large.
 Foundation Design Process

Deep Foundation

Driven Pile Drilled Shaft

Select Drilled Shaft

 Foundation Design Process

Drilled Shaft

Select Shaft Type and

Factor of Safety or Resistance Factor

By Static Analysis, Estimate Unit

Shaft Friction and End Bearing

Select Cross Section and

Length for Required Capacity
(Structural Engineer?)
Foundation Design Process

Prepare Plans and Specifications

Select Contractor

Verify Shaft Constructability

and Capacity

Install and Inspect Production

Shafts
 QUESTION

Where does the Strength

Variability come from?
 Foundation Design Process

Deep Foundation

Driven Pile Drilled Shaft

Select Driven Pile

 FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS
Define Subsurface Conditions
Select Capacity Determination Method
Select Quality Control Procedures
Determine Safety Factor or Resistance Factor

Determine Working Loads and Loads Times Factor of Safety

Gives Required Ultimate or Nominal Resistance for ASD
For LRFD Determine Loads Times Load Factors
Get Factored Load - Multiply by  Factor to
Get Required Nominal Resistance

Penetration Well Defined Penetration Not Well Defined

 DRIVEN PILE DESIGN
PROCESS
Penetration Well Defined

• Pile Depth is Defined by a

Dense Layer or Rock
• The Length is Easily Selected
Based on the Depth to the
Layer
• Select pile type oirjmoi;ernj;som
FOUNDATION DESIGN PROCESS
Penetration Not Well Defined

Select Pile Type and Size

Determine Unit Shaft Friction and
End Bearing With Depth By Static Analysis
Estimate Required Pile Length
Do a Preliminary Drivability Check
Can The Pile Be Driven To The Required
Depth And Capacity
Is The Pile Satisfactory Structurally
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS
GENERAL

• Capacity Verification Method

– More Accurate Methods Justify a Smaller
Safety Factor (Larger Resistance Factor)
• Choices
– Static load test
– Dynamic test
– Wave equation
– Dynamic formula
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS
GENERAL

• Q. C. Method
– As Q.C. is Improved, Factor of Safety
can decrease (Resistance Factor can
Increase)
• e.g., Better Capacity Determination Method
• Increased Percentage of Piles Statically or
Dynamically Tested
• Critical Piles Tested
 DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS
GENERAL

• Make Pile Static Capacity Prediction

– Predict Unit Shaft Friction and End Bearing
with Depth
– Prediction Should Be Best Possible
• Do Not Adjust with Resistance Factor
– Note Any Minimum Depth Requirements
– Pile Size Determined With Knowledge of
Loads (Costs??)
 DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS
GENERAL

• Pile Size Selection Should Consider Loads

• Structural Limit State Must Also Be Considered –
Lateral Loads
• Close Structural and Geotechnical Coordination
Necessary
• Maybe Pile Size Selection by Structural Engineer
– Foundation Engineer
• Length Will Be Obvious if Piles to Rock or Dense
Layer (Howard Franklin)
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

• At this stage a proposed foundation

design is complete
• All other strength limit states must be
checked
• Drivability must be checked
• All serviceability limit states also
checked
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

Evaluate Drivability

Design NO
Satisfactory?

YES

Prepare plans and specifications

Select Contractor
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

• Drivability usually evaluated by wave

equation
– Must satisfy driving stress requirement
– Blow count must be reasonable
– Hammer and driving system assumed
• If dynamic formula used it will determine
required blow count
– Dynamic formula will not detect excessive
driving stresses
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS
Change
Select Contractor Driving
System

Contractor Advises Proposed

Hammer and Driving System

Perform Drivability Analysis

Hammer NO
Satisfactory?
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS
Hammer
Satisfactory?
YES
Set driving criteria

Drive test pile to criteria

Verify test pile capacity

Capacity/stress NO
satisfactory?
DRIVEN PILE DESIGN PROCESS

Capacity/stress NO
satisfactory?

YES

Drive production piles

Undertake construction control

and monitor installation

Resolve pile installation problems

and construction procedures
 QUESTION

Where does the Strength

Variability come from?
THE END