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TANGENT MODULUS OF PILES

DETERMINED FROM
STRAIN DATA
Bengt H. Fellenius, P. Eng.
University of Ottawa
FEI LFNIUS, B. H., 1989. Tangent modulus of piles
determined from strain data. The American Society of
Civil Engineers, ASCE, Geotechnical Engineering
Division, 1989 Foundation Congress, F. H. Kulhawy,
Editor, Vol. 1, pp. 500
-
510.
TANGENT MODULUS OF PILES DETERI.{INED FROM STRAIN DATA
Bengt H. Fel l eni us l ,
" . ASCE
ABSTRACT: When eval uat i ng measur ement s of st r ai n or t e1l Ca1e
s hor t eni ng of a pi l e s ubj ec t ed t o l oadi ng t eat , pr ec i s e k nowl edge of
t he
" el as t i c "
modul us i s nec es s ar y . By means of pl ot t i ng and
anal yzi ng t he i ncr ement of l oad ( or st r ess) over t he i ncr ement of
s t r ai n v er s us t he s t r ai n, i . e. , t he t angent or c hor d modul us of t he
st r ess- st r ai n cur ve, t he modul us can be det er mi ned. The paper
pr ovi des t he nat hemat i cal backgr ound t o t he anal ysi s and pr esent s
exampl es of t he met hod,
PRI NCI PLES OF STRESS_STRAI N ANALYSI S
Of t en i n a s t at i c pi l e l oadi ng t es t , t he pi l e i s i ns t r ument ed
wi t h s t r ai n gages or t el l t al es . The gages s er v e t o det er mi ne t he
ax i al s t r ai n i nduc ed i n t he pi l e by t he appl i ed l oad and t he s t r ai n
dat a ar e us ed t o ev al uat e t he l oad di s t r i but i on i n t he pi l e. The
ev al uat i on r equi r es t wo i mpor t ant as pec t s : one, k nowl edge of t he
t ' e1asEi c"
r nodul us of t he pi l e cr oss sect i on and, t r { o, measur emenEs
of hi gh ac c ur ac y .
Fi g. l A s hows a t y pi c al at r es s - s t r ai n di agr an of dat a f r om an
i ns t r ument ed l oadi ng t es t . The l i ne wi t h " dat a"
poi nt s t hat i s
cur ved near t he or i gi n and becomes l i near t owar d hi gher st r ai ns, t he
upper l i ne, i ndi c at es " neas ur ed" dat a. The l i ne whi c h i s s t r ai ght
f r om t he or i gi n, t he l ower l i ne, i s t he t heor et i c al el as t i c l i ne f or
a c ol umn wi t h equal pr oper t i es t o t hat of t he pi l e. The di f f er enc e
bet ween t he l i nes i s , of c our s e, due t o s haf t r es i s t anc e ac t i ng on
t he pi l e i n t he l oadi ng t es t .
At l s haf t r es i s t anc e has been ov er c ome i n t he t es t , when t he
" meas ur ed" c ur v e bec omes par al l el t o t he " t heor et i c al " . When
ev al uat i ng t he r es ul t s f r om a I oadi ng t es t , f i ndi ng t hi s poi nt i s
des i r abl e, al t hough, i n pr ac t i c e, i t s l oc at i on i s of t en di f f i c ul t t o
det er mi ne.
However , by pl ot t i ng t he t angent modul us of t he
" neasur ed"
c ur v e" , t he poi nt bec omes eas i l y di s c er ni bl e. The t angent modul us i s
t he s l ope of t he c ur v e and i t i s pl ot t ed as t he i nc r ement of l oad
di v i ded by t he i nc r ement of s t r ai n pl ot t ed agai ns t t he s t r ai n. The
t angent modul us pl ot of Ehe s t r es s - s t r ai n l i nes i s s hown i n Fi g. 18.
I
-
Pr of . ,
Ot t awa,
Dept . of Ci v i l Engng,
Ont ar i o, Canada, KI N
Uni v . of Ot t awa, 6l Loui s Pas t eur ,
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N A R T S
Fi gur e I Ty pi c al dat a f r om an i ns t r ument ed s t at i c pi l e l oadi ng
t es t on a pi l e wi t h a c ons t ant nodul us .
A. SEr es s - s t r ai n di agr an of t he pi l e head ( upper c ur v e)
and of t he c or r es pondi ng f r ee s t andi ng c ol unn.
B. Pl ot of t angenc modul us agai ns t s t r ai n.
As s hown i n f i g. 18, t he t angent modul us , or , nor e c or r ec t l y
t er med, t he c hor d ur odul us i ni t i al l y r - educ es wi t h i nc r eas i ng s t r ai n
t o bec ome c ons t anE at a c er t ai n amount of s t r ai n. Thi s oc c ur s when
al l t he s haf t r es i s t anc e has been ov er c ome and t he c ons t ant v al ue i s
equal t o t he pi l e modul us .
Of t en, t he ex ac t ur odul us of t he t es t pi l e i s not k nown. Then, t he
t angent nodul us pl ot bec omes a v al uabl e ai d i n det er mi ni ng t he
modul us , whi c h Ehen i s us ed i n t he c al c ul at i ons t o det er mi ne t he
di s t r i but i on of t he l oad i n t he pi l e.
B
A
A
A
'A.
a-
\ ^
A \ ^
- - a-
FELLENI US
AGTUAL TEST RESULTS
Fi g. 2 pr es ent e ac t ual t es t r es ul t s f r om a l oadi ng t es t t o
2, 670 KN ( 300 t ong) on an H- pi l e
( 310HP93; l 2HP63) i ns t al l ea at
J ones I s l and, Mi l wauk ee, Wi s c ons i n. The f i gur e ehows t he l oad-
mov ement di agr am of t he pi l e head, and t he mov ement of t he pi l e t oe
and t he c onpr es s i on of t he f u11 l engt h of t he pi l e ( r eal l y t he l oad
appl i ed t o t he pi l e head pl ot t ed agai ns t t he t oe mov ement and t he
c ompr es s i on) .
The pi l e was equi pped wi t h t wo t el l t al es , one upper t o a dept h of
39. 3 m ( f 28. 8 f eet ) and one t o t he t oe of t he pi l e at a dept h ot
48. 3 n
( I 58. 5
f eet ) . The t el l t al es wer e i ns er t ed i nt o a s t andar d
one- i nc h pi pe at t ac hed t o t he pi l e by oc c as i onal wel ds . The c r os a
sect i onal ar ea of t f , " pi l e r Jas neasur ed ( by
wei ghi ng a shor t
s ec t i on) t o 122. 0 c n' ( 18. 9 i n' ) , whi c h i s 3 7. l ar ger t han t hq
nomi nal , ar ea. The nomi nal . ar ea of t he gui de pi pes was 6. 5 c n'
( f . 0 i n' ) . Thue,
, t he
t ot al , c r os s s ec t i onal ar ea not i nc l udi ng t he
wel ds was 128. 5 c n'
( 19. 9
i n' ) .
A l oad c el l was us ed t o deEer ni ne l oad. The r eadi ng pr ec i s i on of
t he di al gages f or mov ement and s hor t eni ng due t o c ompr es s i on f or
t he appl i ed l oad was i n a gr adat i on of 0. 025 mm ( 0. 001 i nc h) .
0
MOVEM ENT (- -)
50 100 150
vl
c
o
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400
300
200
00
o
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200
A
A
A
A
A
I
A
O- O HEAD
o- o ToE
A- A
COMPRESSI ON
24
MOVEM ENT
a s t at i c l oadi ng t es t
t he pi l e head and t he
c ompr es s i on of t he
l oad.
3000
2000
1 000
on an H- pi l e
pi l e t oe, and
pi l e pl ot t ed
z.
\z
o
o
J
0 0
I 0 6
(i nches)
Fi gur e 2. Ac t ual r es ul t s f r om
showi ng movement of
and measur ed axi al
agai ns t t he appJ ' i ed
FELLENI US
Fi g. 3A s hows t he appl i ed l oad
meas ur ed s t r ai n ( i . e. , s hor t eni ng
t he upper and l ower t el l t al es and
t el l t al es , i . e. , t he s t r ai n al ong
t he pi l e.
at t he pi l e head pl ot t ed agai ns t
di v i ded by t el l c al e l engt h) f or
f or t he di f f er enc e bet ween t he
t he bot t om 9. 0 r n
( 29, 7 f eet ) of
400
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500
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100
3000
z.
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MI LLI STRAI N ( - . )
800
600
400
200
7000
6000
5000
^
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4000 E
\
3000 g
2000
1 000
0
0
0. 0
0. 2 0. 4 0. 6
0. 8 1. 0
MI LLI STRAI N ( r n. )
Fi gur e 3. Load- s t r ai n and modul us di agr ams f or t he pi l e dat a s hown
i n Fi g. 2.
A, Load- s t r ai n di agr am f or t wo t el l t al e l engc hs and f or
t he di f f er enc e bet ween t he t wo t e1l t a1e l engt hs .
B. TangenE nodul us di agr am f or t he t wo t el l t al e l engt hs
and f or t he di f f er enc e bet ween t he t wo t el l t al e
I engt hs .
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UPPER TELLTALE
O-O
LOWER TELLTALE
a- a
LOWER- UPPER
O- O
UPPER TELLTALE
O-O
LOWER TELLTALE
A- a
LOWER- UPPER
FELLENI US
I t i s v er y di f f i c ul t t o obt ai n any t hi ng quant i t at i v e f r om t he
di agr an i n Fi g. 3A. Howev er , when s t udy i ng c he di agr an i n Fi g. 38
showi ng t he t angent modul us pl ot ,
i t can easi l y be det er mi ned t hat
t he c ur v e f or t he upper t eI l t aI e i ndi c at es t hat a c ons t ant modul us
( a
hor i z ont al , s t r ai ght l i ne por t i on) dev el ops at a v al ue of
0. 3 ni l l i s t r ai n, whi c h oc c ur r ed when t he appl i ed l oad was I , 070 KN
( 120 t ons ) . For t he l ower t el l t al e, a c onat ant modul us i s i ndi c at ed
f or a s t r ai n of 0. 8 ni l l i s t r ai n oc c ur r i ng when t he appl i ed l oad was
2, 450 KN ( 275 t ons ) . Fi nal l y , t he c ur v e f or t he t el l t al e di f f er enc e
( bot t on por t i on of t he pi t e) i ndi c at es a c ons t ant modul us at a
s t r ai n of 0. 5 ni l l i s t r ai n at t he appl i ed l oad of 2, 490 KN
( 280 t ons ) .
The anal ysi s of t he t angent modul i f or a r ange of appl i ed l oad of
2, 518 KN t o 2, 670 KN
( 283
t o 300 t ons ) i ndi c at es a modul us f or t he
upper , l ower , and bot t om por t i on t el l t al e l engt hs , of 2. 776, 2. 785,
and 2. 847 MN, / s t r ai n
( 312,
313, and 320 t on/ ni l l i s t r ai n) . The
agr eement bet ween t he upper and l ower cel l t al e val uee i s excel l ent .
I t i s not s ur pr i s i ng t hat t he l ower por t i on v al . ue i e s l i ght l y of f as
any i nac c ur ac y i n t he t el l t al e r eadi ngs woul d be ex agger at ed when
t ak i ng t he di f f er enc e of t hem.
Thus, t he eval uat i on i ndi cat es t hat t he t angent modul us of t he
pi l e c r os s s ec t i on i s equal t o 2. 78 MN/ s t r ai n ( 312 t on/ ni l l i s t r ai n) .
By i nser t i ng t hi s val ue i nt o t he convent i onal r el at i on LOAD
=
AREA
t i nes MOPULUS t i ngs STRAI N l di t h t he cr oss sect i onal ar ea equal t o
128. 5 c n- ( 19. 9 i n- ) , an " el as t i c " modul us of 214 GPa ( 31, 000 k s i )
i s obt ai ned. I ns er t i ng t he us ual nodul us
, v a1ue
of 207 GPa
( 30, 000 k s i ) , an ar ea of 134. 2 c m' ( 20. 8 i n' ) i s c al c ul ar ed.
Obv i ous l y , i n t he c ont i nued ev al uat i on of Ehe dat a, one has t o l i v e
wi t h an i nac c ur ac y of t he r uodul us , or ac t ual c r os s s ec t i onal ar ea,
of about 4 % due t o t he unc er t ai nt y i n t he c al c ul at i ons . The Aut hor
f i nds t hi s mor e t han ac c ept abl e f or engi neer i ng pur pos es .
The anal y s i s bec ones a 1i t t l e bi t mor e di f f i c ul t when ev al uat i ng
s t r ai n dat a f r on ot her t han s t eel pi l es , i . e. , c onc r et e pi l es or
c onc r et e- f i 11ed pi pe pi l es . Cont r ar y t o c ompon bel i ef , a c onc r et e
c ol umn does not ex hi bi t a l i near s t r es s - s t r ai n r el at i on when l oaded.
That i s , t he Young' s modul us of c onc r et e r educ es wi t h t he appl i ed
l o a d . Fi g. 4A i l l us t r at es an as s umed s t r es s - s t r ai n c ur v e of a
c ol umn ( l ower l i ne) . I t has been as s umed t hat t he l i ne i s a s ec ond
degr ee c ur v e and t hat t be f i nal s l ope of t he l i ne i s 30 % of t he
i ni t i al s l ope. Thi s r educ t i on of t he s l ope, i . e. , t he modul us , i s
ex t r eme, and has been c hos en f or r eas ons of i ns Er uc Ei on c l ar i t y .
( An ex ampl e of an ac t ual c as e wi l l be gi v en l at er ) .
The upper c ur v e i n Fi g. 4A, t he l i ne wi t h t he dat a poi nt s , s hows
t he s ame c ol umn t ak en as a pi l e s ubj ec t ed t o s haf t r es i s t anc e. As
i n t he c as e of t he pi l e wi t h t he c ons t ant modul us i l l us t r at ed i n
Fi g. l , as s oon as al L t he s haf t r es i s t anc e has been ov er c ome, t he
t wo l i nes ar e par al l el . Due t o t he c ur v i ng of t he l i nes , i t i s v er y
di f f i c ul t t o t eI I when t hi s oc c ur s , howev er .
f n Fi g. 48, t he t angent nodul us of t he c ol umn l i ne i s pl ot t ed
agai ns t t he s t r ai n ( s ol i d l i ne) . Bec aus e t he s t r es s - s t r ai n r el at i on
f or t he c ol umn has been as s umed t o f ol l ow a s ec ond degr ee equat i on,
t he t angent modul us i s a s t r ai ght 1i ne, and, as t he modul us i s not
FELLENI US
c ons t ant but r educ i ng, t he l i ne s l opes downwar d wi c h i nc r eas i ng
s t r ai n. The l i ne wi t h t he
" dat a"
poi nt s i s t he t angent modul us l i ne
f or c he pi l e. I t bec omes par al l el wi t h t hat of t he c ol umn af t er t he
s haf t r es i et anc e has been ov er c one. As s hown, i t pl ot s s l i ght l y
bel ow c he c ol umn l i ne. Ex t r apol at i ng t he pi l e modul us l i ne t o t he
y - ax i s and i nt egr ac i ng i t , woul d r es ul t i n a " r es t or ed. c ol umn c ur v e"
l oc at ed mar gi nal l y bel ow t he t r ue c ol unn ac r es s - s t r ai n c ur v e i n
Fi g. 4A.
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STRAI N
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STRAI N
Fi gur e 4. Ty pi c al dat a f r om an i ns t r ument ed s t at i c pi l e l oadi ng
t es t on a c onc r et e pi l e wi t h a modul us r educ i ng wi t h
i nc r eas i ng s t r es s .
A. St r es s - s t r ai n di agr am of t he pi l e head ( upper c ur v e)
and of t he c or r es pondi ng f r ee s t andi ng c ol unn.
B. Pl ot of t angent modul us agai ns t s t r ai n.
6
B
4
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
FELLENI US
MATHEMATICAL RELATIONS
Mat henat i c al l y , t he l i nes and c ur v es
The equat i on f or t he t angent modul us
E
=
do/ d
=
A+B
f,
r dher e E,
=
t he t angent modul us, o
E
i nduc ed s t r ai n, A
=
t he s l ope of
B
=
t he Y- i nt er c ept ( i ni t i al
r angenr
( l )
=
t he appl i ed s t r es s ,
=
t he
t he t angent modul us l i ne, and
nodul us ) .
l i ne r es ul t s i n t he f ol l owi ng
( 2)
i nduc ed s t r ai n:
ar e ex pr es s ed,
l i ne i s :
as f ol l owe:
I nt egr at i ng t he t angent modul us
equat i on f or t he c ol umn l i ne:
q =+l e2+B
And t he s t r es s i n t he pi l e f or an
( 3)
( 4)
wher e E
=
t he
s
E=
s
EXAMPLE FROM A
s
secant modul us and
* l e+s
PI LE WI TH A NON- CONSTANT MODULUS
The c angent modul us met hod of ev al uat i on appl i ed t o pi l es of non-
c ons t ant
" e1as t i c " modul us i s i r l us t r at ed by t he r es ul t s f r om a
s t at i c l oadi ng t es t on a pr ec as t , pr es t r es s ed c onc r et e pi l e. The
pi l e i s a 62. 8 m ( 206. 0
f eet ) l ong 0. 42 m ( f 6. 5
i nc h) oc t agonal pi l e
i ns t al l ed f or t he Keehi I nc er c hange, HonoI ul u, Hawai i , and equi pped
wi t h el ev en t el l t al es t o meas ur e c or opr es s i on dur i ng t he l oadi ng
t es t . The appl i ed l oad at t he pi l e head i s meas ur ed by means of a
l oad c e11 and t he di al gages f or mov er nent and c ompr es s i on had a
gr adat i on of 0. 0025 nn ( 0. 0001
i nc h) . The t es r was c ar r i ed r o an
appl i ed l oad of 4540 KN ( 510 t ons ) at whi c h l oad t he pi l e br ok e.
The pi l e t oe mov ement at r he max i mum l oad was 6. 6 r nr n ( 0. 26
i nc h) .
Bear i ng f ai l ur e was not r eac hed.
Dat a f r om t wo t el l t a1es hav e been c hos en f or t he i l l us t r at i on:
Tel l t aLe 7 at a depr h i n r he pi l e of 38. 6 n ( L26. 64
f eet ) and
TeLl t al e 9 at a dept h of 50. 2 m ( L64. 62
f eet ) , wher e r he max i mum
mov ement s meas ur ed f or t he t el 1t al e poi nt s wer e l l . 3 nn ( o. 44 i nc h)
and 24. 9 mn ( 0. 98
i nc h) , r es pec t i v el y . Thes e t el l t al es wer e c hos en
f or r eas ons of ens ur i ng t hat al l or mos t of t he s haf t r es i s t anc e
ov er t he t er l t al e l engt hs had been ov er c ome at t he max i mum 1oad,
whi c h i s not t he c as e f or t he l owes t t el l t al e l engt hs .
Fi g. 5A, s hows t he appl i ed l oads pl ot t ed agai ns t t he neas ur ed
s t r ai ns ov er t he t wo t el l t al e l engt hs and ov er t he di f f er enc e
bet ween t he t wo t el l t al es . r t i s obv i ous t hat t he l i nes ar e c ur v ed.
FELLENI US
The ques t i on when s eei ng s uc h c ur v es i s
" ar e
t hey c ur v ed bec auee t he
s haf t r es i s t anc e i s not y ec f ul l y ov er c ome, or bec aus e t he modul us
i s r educ i ng wi t h i nc r eas i ng l oad, or bot h" ?
The ans v r er t o t he ques t i on i s gi v en i n Fi g. 58, s howi ng c he
t angent modul us pLot of t he daCa. I ndeed, l he t angent nodul us l i nes
ar e bec omi ng s t r ai ght at l ar ger s t r ai ns , whi c h s ugges t s a s ec ond
degr ee c ur v e f or t he s t r es s - s t r ai n r el at i on.
o
5
2oo
J
600
500
o
c 400
o
v
Joo
100
0
1 000
800
600
400
200
0
A
;-:;**
o-o TELLTALE
#7
o-o TELLTALE
#9
A- A
#9
-
#7
A
A .
5000
4000
^
z.
50oo 5
o
2ooo
6
J
1 000
0
u
E
z.
\Z
z
a
u.
F
q
x?
v c
- t -
- =\
\ c
o9
<i t
o
J
E
O
z
0. 0 0. 3 0. 6 0. 9 1. 2 1. 5
1. 5
MI LLI STRAI N
( - . )
B
o-o TELLTALE
#7
o-o TELLTALE
#9
A- A
#9
-
#7
A.
lo-
o.
J
0. 0 0. 3 0. 6 0. 9 1. 2
MI LLI STRAI N ( - . )
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
Fi gur e 5. Load- s t r ai n and modul us di agr ans f r om a s t at i c l oadi ng
t es t on a pr es t r es s ed c onc r et e pi l e.
A. Load- s t r ai n di agr am f or t wo t el l t al e l engt hs and f or
t he di f f er enc e bet ween t he t wo t el l t al e l engt hs .
B. Tangent modul us di agr am f or t he t wo t el l . t al e l engt hs
and f or t he di f f er enc e bet l deen t he t wo l engt hs .
FELLENI US
Tel l t al e 7 i ndi c at es a s t r ai ght l i ne at a s t r ai n of O, 2 ni l 1i -
at r ai n, i nduc ed at an appl i ed l oad of about 1070 KN
( 120 t ons ) .
Tel l t al e 9 i ndi c at es t he aane at a s t r ai n of 0. 4 ni l l i s t r ai n,
i nduc ed at an appl i ed l oad of about 2000 KN ( 225 t ons ) . The l i ne
f or t he bot t om por t i on i ndi c at es t he s t r ai ght l i ne r el at i on at a
s t r ai n of about 0. 8 ni l l i s t r ai n, i nduc ed ac an appl i ed l oad of about
3560 KN ( 400 t ons ) .
The t angent modul us l i neg ar e used t o eval uat e at what appl i ed
l oad t he s haf t r es i s t anc e al ong t he pi l e was f ul l y nobi l i z ed. As t o
det er mi ni ng t he l oad di s t r i but i on f or a par t i c ul ar appl i ed 1oad,
knowl edge i s r equi r ed of t he secant " el ast i c" modul us f or t he 1oad.
Li near r egr essi on of t he dat a poi nt s
naki ng up t he st r ai ght
por t i on of t he t hr ee l i nes nay be used t o pr ovi de t he equat i on of
t he modul us l i nes , i . . r t o det er ni ne t he c onat anc s A and B i n
Eq. l . Regr es s i on of t he modul us l i ne f or Tel l t al e 7 r es ul t s i n
t hat t he c ons t ant s A and B ar e equal t o
- 2. I 4
KN/ ni l l i s t r ai n
( - 0. 240 t on/ ni l l i s t r ai n) and 4, 877 KN/ mi l l i s t r ai n ( 548. 2 t on/ ni 11i -
s t r ai n) , r es pec t i v el y , l t i t h a l i near r egr es s i on c or r el at i on
c oef f i c i enr of 0. 9980.
Appl yi ng Eqs. I t hr ough 4, r esul t s i n t he f ol l owi ng val ues of
i ni t i al and f i nal t angent nodul i , and f i nal secant nodul us:
I ni t i al
Fi na I
and
E.
=
37. 8 GPa
( 5, 480 k s i )
E.
=
16. 2 GPa ( 2' 340 k s i )
E
=
27. 0 GPa
( 3, 900 k s i )
I nser t i ng t he val ues of A and B i nt o Eq. 2 gi ves t he aver age l oad
i n t he pi l e ov er t he l engt h of a t el l t al e as a f unc t i on of i nduc ed
s t r a i n:
a=
( Q=
- 1. 07
e2 + 4880
- O. 12
e2 *
5a8 e
KN
t ons
)
( 5a)
(
5u1
Nat ur al l y , t he t angent nodul us net hod i s not r es t r i c t ed t o t he
anal y s i s of t el l t al e dat a. I n f ac t , a c ons i der abl e i mpr ov ement of
t he ac c ur ac y of t he l oad det er mi nat i on i s obt ai ned by us i ng s t r ai n
gages di r ec t l y i n l i eu of t el l t al es .
One of t he most i mmedi at el y not i ced benef i t s of t he t angent
modul us met hod i s t hat i naccur aci es i n t he dat a becone r eadi l y
appar ent . For i ns t anc e, Fi g. 6A s hows t he r es ul t s f r om t es t i ng a
22 m ( 71
f eet ) l ong pi pe pi l e wi t h a di anet er of 273 mm ( 10. 75
i nc hes ) i ns t al l ed i n Ot t awa, Ont ar i o. The pi l e r das equi pped wi t h
one t el l t al e t o t he t oe of t he pi l e. The appl i ed l oad was
" c ont r ol l ed" onl y by means of t he
j ac k pr es s ur e ( a hi ghl y unr el i abl e
way of measur i ng t he l oad, but , unf or t unat el y, ver y comnon i n t he
engi neer i ng pr ac t i c e) .
0. 025 m ( 0. 001 i nc h) .
The gr adat i on of t he di al gages was i n
FELLENI US
0
MovEMENT (rn-)
20 40 60
400
?
300
c
o
-
zoo
5000
z
zooo 5
o
o
1000
J
o
9 1oo
0 0
1
MOVEMENT
800
600
400
200
7000
6000
5000
^
U
4000 E
\
sooo
=
\-/
2000
1 000
0 0
0. 0 0. 2 0. 4 0. 6 0. 8 . 0 1. 2
Mt LLt srRAt N (-. )
Fi gur e 6. Ac t ual r es ul t s f r om a s t at i c l oadi ng t es t on a pi pe- pi l e.
A. Mov ement of t he pi l e head and t he pi l e t oe, and
meas ur ed c ompr es s i on of t he pi l e pl ot t ed agai ns t t he
appl i ed 1oad.
B. Tangent nodul us di agr am f or t he c ompr es s i on of t he
f ul l pi l e l engt h.
Fi g. 64 does not i ndi c at e any i nac c ur ac y i n t he dat a. Howev er ,
t he t angent nodul us pl ot s hown i n Fi g. 68 ex hi bi t s an er r at i c pl ot
t hat woul d be v er y di f f i c ul t t o ev al uat e wi t h an ac c ept abl e ac c ur ac y
and no at t empt t o ev al uac i on was or wi l l be nade.
1
\
tn
\t""-"i \-"r."r"-",o-o.o_
iV
o
B
0 3 2
( i nches)
z
E.
F
v)
UP
\ c-
O9
5{,
J
E.
O
z
A
o-o PI LE HEAD
A-A
PI LE TOE
O- O COMPRESSI ON
O'O7O'O/O/"O
- q
-o' a
.o' a
OA
OA
OA
oAo
oa o
oa o
oa o'
oa o'
oa o
oao
oA o
6 0
6 0
6 0
( A- o
ao
l 0 FELLENI US
St r ai n meas ur ement s , us i ng t el l t al e dat a or s t r ai n gages di r ec t -
l y , c an be ev al uat ed as t o ac c ur ac y , at what appl i ed l oad t he s haf t
r es i s t anc e i s f ul l y r nobi l i z ed, and aa t o what v al ue of t he s ec ant
modul us t o us e f or det er ni ni ng t he l oad di s t r i buc i on i n t he pi l e i n
t he f ol l owi ng anal y s i s ( whi c h s houl d c ons i der f ac t or s s uc h as t he
r es i dual s t r ai n i n t he pi 1e, as wel l as v ar i at i on bet ween i ndi v i dual
gages ) .
To have any r easonabl e chance of obt ai ni ng dat a sui t abl e f or
anal ysi s any anal ysi s, i n f act
-
t he l oadi ng t est must i ncl ude
l oad measur ement s by means of a r el i abl e l oad ce11 and t he st r ai n
dat a be obt ai ned wi t h an accur acy bei ng about t en t i mes gr eat er t han
t he one us ual l y appl i ed i n engi neer i ng pr ac t i c e. As t o t el l t al e
dat a, di al gages or LVDTs whi c h gi v e a pr ec i s i on of 0. 0025 nn
( 0. 000I i nch) ar e pr ef er r ed over t he comnonl y used
" st andar d"
gages
hav i ng a gr adat i on of 0. 025 m ( 0. 001 i nc h) .
CONCLUSI ONS
When ev al uat i ng neas ur ement s of s t r ai n or t el l t al e s hor t eni ng of
a pi l e s ubj ec t ed t o l oadi ng t es t , pr ec i s e k nowl edge of c he
" el as t i c "
modul us i s necessar y bef or e t he i nduced l oad can be cal cul at ed f r om
t he measur ed st r ai n or shor t eni ng. By neans of pl ot t i ng and
anal yzi ng t he i ncr ement of l oad ( or st r ess) over t he i ncr ement of
s t r ai n v er s us t he s t r ai n, i . e. , t he t angent or c hor d modul us of t he
s t r es s - s t r ai n c ur v e, t he nodul us , E, c an be det er ni ned. For s t eel
pi l es, t he Young modul us of t he mat er i al i s of cour se known, but t he
exact ar ea i s r ar el y known. Then, t he t angent nodul us appr oach
as s i s t s i n det er ni ni ng t he AE- v al ue of t he pi l e c r os s s ec t i on. For
c onc r et e- f i 11ed pi pe pi l es and pr ec as t c onc r et e pi l es , whi c h may not
onl y have an unknown modul us and ar ea, but al so a modul us t hat
v ar i es wi t h t he 1ev el of s t r es s i n t he pi l e dur i ng t he t es t , t he
t angent modul us net hod det er mi nes t he act ual AE- r el at i on t o t he
st r ess or st r ai n. The paper pr ovi des t he nat hex0at i cal backgr ound t o
t he anal ysi s and pr esent s exampl es of t he net hod. An exar npl e i s
us ed t o s how t hat t he met hod al s o l ends i t s el f wel l t o ev al uat e t he
ac c ur ac y and r el i abi l i t y of t he meas ur ement s .
11 FELLENI US

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