NPTEL ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-I

Module 9
(Lecture 38)
DRILLED-SHAFT AND CAISSON FOUNDATIONS
Topics
1.1 UPLIFT CAPACITY OF DRILLED SHAFTS
1.2 EXAMPLES & SOLUTIONS

NPTEL ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-I

UPLIFT CAPACITY OF DRILLED SHAFTS

Sometimes drilled shafts must resist uplifting loads. Field observations of drilled-shaft
uplift capacity are relatively scarce. The procedure for determining the ultimate uplifting
load for drilled shafts without bells is similar to that for piles described in chapter 9 and
will not be repeated here. When a short drilled shaft with a bell is subjected to an
uplifting load, the nature of the failure surface in the soil will be like that shown in figure
9. 22. The net ultimate uplift capacity, , is
=

[9.32]

Figure 9.22 Nature of failure surface in soil caused by uplifting force on drilled shaft with
bell
Where
= gross ultimate uplift capacity

= effective weight of the drilled shaft

The magnitude of drilled shafts in sand can be estimated by the procedure outlined
by Meyerhof and Adams (1968) and Das and Seely (1975):
=

[9.33]

NPTEL ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-I

Where
= breakout factor
= (/4)2

= Unit weight of soil above the bell (Note: If the soil is submerged, the effective unit
weight should be used).
The breakout factor may be expressed as

= 2 tan + 1 + 1

[9.34]

Where
= nominal uplift coefficient
= soil friction angle

= shape factor coefficient

The value of may be taken as 0.9 for all values of from 30 45 . Meyerhof and
Adams (1968) gave the variation of m as
Soil friction angle, (deg)
30

0.15

35

0.25

40

0.35

45

0.50

Experiments have shown that the value of increases with the / ratio to a critical
value, (/ ) , and remains constant thereafter. The critical embedment ratio, (/ ) ,
increases with the soil friction angle. The approximate ranges are
Soil friction angle, (deg)
30

(/ )

35

NPTEL ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-I

40

45

Hence drilled shafts with / (/ ) are shallow foundations, and shafts with
/ (/ ) are deep foundations with regard to the uplift. The failure surface in
soil at ultimate load as shown in figure 9.22 is for shallow foundations. For deep
foundations, local shear failure takes place, and the failure surface in soil does not extend
up to the ground surface. Based on the preceding considerations, the variation of
with / is shown in figure 9.23.

Figure 9.23 Variation of the breakout factor, , with / and soil friction angle

Following is a step-by-step procedure for the calculation of the net ultimate uplift
capacity of drilled shafts with bells in sand:
1. Determine , , and / .
2. Estimate (/ ) and hence cr .
3. If / (/ ) , obtain from figure 9. 23. Now,

NPTEL ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-I

= +

4. If / > (/ ) ,

= + + 0

( ) tan

[9.35]

The last term of equation (35) is for the frictional resistance developed along the soilshaft interface from = 0 to = and is similar to equations (77 and 78 from
chapter 9). The term is the effective stress at any depth , and and are taken from
figure 9. 36b and 9.36c from chapter 9, respectively.
The net ultimate uplift capacity of drilled shafts with bell in clay can be estimated
according to the procedure outlined by Das (1980):
= ( + )

[9.36]

Where
= undrailed cohesion
= breakout factor

= unit weight of clay soil above the bell

As in the case of , the value of increases with the embedment ratio to a critical
value of / = (/ ) and remains constant thereafter. Beyond the critical depth,
9. The critical embedment ratio is related to the undrained cohesion by

Where

= 0.107 + 2.5 7

[9.37]

is in kN/m2

In English units,

Where

= 0.738 + 2.5 7

is in lb/in2

[9.38]

NPTEL ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-I

Following is a step-by-step procedure for determining the net ultimate uplift capacity of
drilled shafts with bell in clay:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Determine , , , and / .
Obtain (/ ) from equation (37) or equation (38) and obtain .
If / < (/ ) , obtain the value of from figure 9.24.
Use equation (36) to obtain .
If / > (/ ) , = 9. The magnitude of may then be obtained from

(9 + ) + ( )( )

[9.39]

Figure 9. 9.24 Nondimensional plot of the breakout factor,

The last term of equation (39) is the skin resistance obtained from the adhesion along the
soil-shaft interface and is similar to equation (70 from chapter 9). The magnitude of
can be obtained from equations 71, 72, 73, and 74 from chapter 9).
Example 6
Refer to figure 9.22. A drilled shaft with bell has a shaft diameter of 0.76m, a bell
diameter of 1.85 m, and a length of 9.5 m. the bell is supported by a dense sand (
9.5 m) layer. However, a fine, loose sand layer exists above the bell (z = 0-9.5 m). For

NPTEL ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-I

this sand, = 16.4 kN/m3 , = 32 , and the approximate relative density is 30%. The
entire structure is located above the water table. Determine the net allowable uplift
capacity of the drilled shaft with a factor of safety of 3.
Solution
We begin with = 9.5 m, = 1.85 m, and / = 9.5/1.85 = 5.14. For =
30 , (/ ) = 4; and for = 35 , (/ ) = 5. By interpretation, (/ )
4.2 for = 32 . So = (4.2)( ) = 7.77. Because/ = 5.13 > (/ ) = 4.2, it
is a deep foundation.
According to equation (34),

= 2 tan

+ 1 + 1

Note that rather than / was used in the preceding equation because it is a deep

foundation. For = 32 , 0.17. Hence

= (2)(4.2)(0.9)(tan 32 )[(0.17)(4.2) + 1] + 1 = 0.09

From equation 35,

= = 0

( )( tan )

= + 2 tan( )2

= 4 ( )2 = 4 (1.85)2 = 2.687 m2
= 9.5 7.77 = 1.73 m

Also, from figure 9. 36b and 36c from chapter 9, for = 32 and relative density = 30%,
= 1.5 and / 0.73. Hence

= (9.09)(2.687)(16.4)(9.5) + 2 (16.4)(0.76)(1.5) [tan(0.73 32)](1.73)2

= 3805.4 + 37.96 = 3843.36 3843

So, the net allowable capacity = 3843/ = 3843/3 = 1281kN.

Example 7

Consider the drilled shaft described in example 6. If the soil above the bell is clay with an
average value of the undrianed shear strength of 95 kN/m2 , calculate the net ultimate
uplift capacity. For clay, = 17.9 kN/m3 .

NPTEL ADVANCED FOUNDATION ENGINEERING-I

Solution
From equation (37).

= 0.107 + 2.5 = (0.107)(95) + 2.5 = 12.67

This quantity is more than 7, so use (/ ) = 7. Hence, = (7)(1.85) = 12.95 m.

= 12.95 is greater than = 9.5 m, so this drilled shaft is a shallow foundation for
uplift consideration. For shallow foundations [equation (36)],
= ( + )

The magnitude of the breakout factor, , is determined from figure 9. 24:

9.5

1.85

= 0.734

So, /9 = 0.92, or = 8.82, and = (/4)2 = (/4)(1.85)2 = 2.688 m2. Thus

= [(95)(8.28) + (17.9)(9.5)]2.688 = 2571.5 kN.