BTN 2014 / 002 MAY 2015

BRIDGE TECHNICAL NOTE

Design Parameters for Driven Piles

2014/002
Version 1.1

1.

Introduction

This Bridge Technical Note (BTN) specifies the

minimum VicRoads requirements for the design and
specification of driven pile foundations for road
structures, including vehicle bridges, pedestrian
bridges, sign structures, noise barriers and similar.
It specifies the requirements for design of precast
concrete piles and steel piles (H section and shell
piles).
It
supersedes
BTN-1996/001
Design
Parameters for Driven Piles and BTN1999/018
Manufacturing Details of Precast Concrete Piles.
This BTN shall be read in conjunction with AS 2159:
Piling Design and Installation, AS 5100: Bridge
Design and VicRoads Standard Specification Sections
for Bridgeworks and shall take precedence over
these documents.

2. Materials
2.1. General
Reference shall be made to AS 2159, AS 5100,
VicRoads Standard Specification Sections for
Bridgeworks, other relevant Australian Standards
and this BTN to determine material properties to be
used for the design and manufacture of driven steel
and precast concrete piles.

2.2. Concrete
Concrete for precast reinforced and prestressed
concrete piles shall comply with the requirements of
this BTN, AS 5100.5 and VicRoads Standard
Specification Sections 610 and 620.

2.3. Structural Steel

Structural steel for driven piles shall comply with the
requirements of AS 5100.6 and VicRoads Standard
Specifications Section 630. Welding of structural
steel shall comply with the requirements of AS/NZS
1554.1.
Where welds are subject to an alternating or
fluctuating tensile and / or compressive stress they
shall comply with requirements of AS/NZS 1554.5.
The designer shall determine the appropriate
number of cycles to be used and stress limits for the
component detail under consideration. Reference
shall be made to the fatigue provisions of AS
5100.6.

2.4. Reinforcement
Reinforcing steel for driven precast concrete pile
shall comply with the requirements of AS/NZS 4671,
AS 5100.5 and VicRoads Standard Specification
Section 611. Welding of reinforcement shall comply
with the requirements of AS/NZS 1554.3.
Where welds are subject to fluctuating tensile or
compressive stress they shall comply with AS/NZS
1554.5.
The
designer
shall
determine
the
appropriate number of cycles to be used and stress
limits for the component detail under consideration.
Reference shall be made to the fatigue provisions of
AS 5100.5.

2.5. Other Materials

Other materials, not specified herein, shall comply
with the appropriate Australian Standard or if no
such standard is available, the Specifications or
Standards used shall be approved by VicRoads
Principal Bridge Engineer.

3. Pile Design
3.1. Ultimate Geotechnical Capacity
A static analysis shall be performed to determine the
ultimate geotechnical capacity of an individual pile
and of a pile group. The static pile capacity
developed from skin friction and end resistance shall
be estimated by geotechnical investigation and
analysis using:
(a) Shear strength parameters of soil and rock
(b) Standard Penetration Test (SPT)
(c) Cone Penetration Test (CPT) with or without
piezocone test (CPTU)

3.2. Serviceability
The design of pile foundations shall include
determining and specifying serviceability limit state
design pile loads.
The potential for settlement, differential settlement,
lateral deflection and rotation of both a pile and a
pile group shall be estimated using appropriate
geotechnical parameters to which no reduction
factor is applied.

32

3.3. Durability

3.6. Pile Driving Ring or Head Band

Specific reference shall be made to the requirements

of AS 2159, AS 5100.3, AS 5100.5 and AS 5100.6.
Where steel, composite or jointed piles are
anticipated the designer shall ensure that the
geotechnical information includes a report on soil
reactivity and ground water movement.

Pile driving rings shall be used to prevent splitting or

bursting of the top of precast concrete piles during
driving. Pile driving rings or head bands shall be
detailed using full penetration butt welds and
backing plates. The pile band shall be reinforced
with a steel strap not less than 6mm thick and
75mm wide cast with the pile.

The following factors may influence durability of

steel, composite or jointed piles and shall be
assessed by the designer:

4.

(a) Sites with possible electrolytic action due to stray

currents, very low soil resistivity, high soil
permeability or soils with very high or low pH;
(b) Where there is a proven occurrence of Sulphate
Reducing Bacteria (SRB) or where soils have a
pH-value above 9.5 or below 4.0 (Bowles, 1984).

Axial Capacity of Driven

Piles

4.1. General
The design of driven piles shall comply with the
requirements of AS 2159, AS 5100 except where
specified otherwise by this BTN or VicRoads
Standard Specification Sections for Bridgeworks.

Precast monolithic piles or individual segments of

jointed piles shall be classified as members in water
unless it is proven by geotechnical investigation that
no part of the member is below the permanent water
table level.

Particular attention shall be given to complying with

the requirements of pile foundations in AS 5100.3.
The design of driven pile foundations shall ensure
that all ultimate and serviceability limit state
requirements are considered as specified.

3.4. Concrete Piles

The design shall include taking into consideration

the uniformity of foundation material, soil-pile
interaction, negative skin friction and the use of
appropriate geotechnical strength reduction factors
when determining pile design axial and flexural
capacities and design toe levels.

Design Considerations
The minimum design requirements for reinforced and
prestressed concrete piles shall be in accordance
with the requirements specified in AS 5100.5
Concrete Strength Grade
The minimum concrete strength grade for reinforced
and prestressed concrete piles shall be VR400/40.
Concrete Cover
Minimum concrete cover shall comply with the
requirements specified in AS 5100.5 for the relevant
exposure conditions, method of manufacture and
concrete strength grade, except where specified
otherwise in Table 1 below.

4.2. Design Geotechnical Capacity

General
The designer shall calculate the design axial load
capacity

N*

at Ultimate Limit State (ULS), using

the equation:

N * = N . g

Table 1 Minimum cover to reinforcement

Exposure Classification as per AS
5100.5
(a) For piles cast in rigid formwork
and intense compaction
B1
B2
C
(b) For piles manufactured by
spinning or rolling
B1
B2
C

Conc. Strength Grade

VR400/40 VR450/50

30mm
45mm
-

25mm
30mm
-

30mm
35mm
50mm

25mm
25mm
35mm

3.5. Pile Toe Protection

All pile toes shall be protected to ensure that piles
can be driven through hard materials without
damage. The pile toe shall be made up from rock
shoe, cast iron shoe, cruciform driving shoe or
welded steel plate. The welded steel plate shall not
be less than 6mm thick. Pile toe protection fittings
shall be made integral with the pile by using anchor
bars welded to these fittings.

where

N* =
N=

design axial load of the pile at ULS

on the pile (i.e. factored)
ultimate geotechnical load capacity
on the pile (i.e. unfactored; the pile
test load to be achieved in the field)

g =

geotechnical strength reduction

factor

4.3. Geotechnical Strength Reduction

Factor for Axial Load Capacity
Geotechnical strength reduction factor g shall

be

calculated using the equation:

g = gb + ( tf gb ) K > gb

where

gb =

basic

geotechnical

Should step (iii) show inadequate load capacity

after testing, adjust driving criteria and/or pile
design and

strength

reduction factor

tf =

intrinsic

geotechnical

strength

(v)

Continue driving remaining production

using the confirmed driving criteria.

piles

reduction factor

K=

4.5. Acceptance Criteria for Pile Driving

testing benefit factor

The selection of basic geotechnical strength

reduction factor

gb

and testing

benefit factor K shall comply with

the requirements of AS 2159 based
on specific site conditions and test
regimes.

Dynamic testing and full wave equation analysis

shall be used for all pile driving except where
otherwise approved by VicRoads Principal Bridge
Engineer.
Use of Hiley formula to prove pile capacity may be
permitted by VicRoads Principal Bridge Engineer for
bridges of low significance, where soil types are
suitable and dynamic testing is not economically
justifiable. If the Hiley formula is to be used, a
geotechnical reduction factor

Intrinsic geotechnical factor

tf

shall be selected as

the following:

tf =

0.9 for static load testing

0.75 for rapid load testing
0.8 for dynamic load testing of preformed
piles
0.75 for dynamic load testing other than
preformed piles
0.85 for bi-directional load testing

g of

0.4 shall be

adopted irrespective of the requirements specified in

Clause 4.3.
Acceptance shall be given to the pile capacity when
the piles are driven to the design toe level and have
achieved the calculated set. If nominal refusal is
encountered above the design toe level, the required
pile capacity is deemed to be achieved.
Reference shall be made to VicRoads Standard
Specification Section 605.

Section 8 of AS 2159 shall be referred to definitions

and procedures of various types of pile testing.

4.6. Scour and Pre-boring

4.4 Dynamic Pile Testing

Where piles are located in an area of potential scour

the effects of both general and local scour shall be
allowed for in the design of the foundations.

Where nominated in the specification and/or shown

on the Drawings, pile testing shall be undertaken on
test piles or representative piles to:
(a) verify the ultimate geotechnical load capacity of
the nominated pile, and/or
(b) determine driving parameters for the piles being
represented.
Test piles which represent piles driven to a
resistance are also representative piles. Test piles
may be used as production piles subject to the
Superintendents approval.

Unless a rigorous analysis is used, a minimum local

scour allowance of 1.0m shall be used in addition to
the general scour allowance.
When conducting a pile test to determine the loss of
capacity due to scour, pre-boring to below the
estimated scour depth shall be specified.

5.

Design Bending Moment

Capacity of Driven Piles

Calculations of the design bending moments

Where dynamic pile testing is required to verify the
ultimate geotechnical capacity of a representative
pile, the following design and testing procedures
shall be followed:
(i) prior to any pile driving, preliminary driving
criteria shall be established by wave equation
analyses
using
results
of
geotechnical
investigation and parameters of the proposed
driving system
(ii) proceed with driving of the representative pile
based on the preliminary driving criteria
(iii) evaluate the representative pile load capacity by
dynamic testing (e.g. PDA) and full wave
equation analysis (e.g. signal matching by
CAPWAP).
(iv) Confirm the pile driving criteria if desired load
capacity is reached on the representative pile.

(M *)

at ULS shall include, in addition to determination of

other relevant design action effects, the following:
(i) The moment generated in a pile caused by the
specified out-of-position tolerance and other
specified tolerance or measured displacement
from the design location.
(ii) For piles with mechanical joints, a moment
effect about each principle axis caused by the
combination of the design axial load

(N *)

and

the offset resulting from an angle change of

1:100 at each joint.
(iii) A moment about each principal axis of N *
times

0.05 D

where

N*

is the design axial

load on a cross-section and

is the overall

width of the pile in the plane of the bending

moment and
(iv) Pile end fixity, soil-pile interaction and similar as
per AS 5100.3.

6.

Mechanical Joints for

Concrete Piles

All mechanical joints for precast reinforced concrete

piles shall comply with the requirements of AS
5100.3.

*Include where applicable (refer to Clause 4 of this Technical Note)

Geotechnical reduction factor

g and

associated design assumptions shall be shown on

the drawings as specified in Table 3.
Table 3 Geotechnical Reduction Factor and
Values for Design Assumptions
Geotechnical Reduction Factor g

Mechanical joints shall not be located within 5

metres of the underside of pilecaps, or in aggressive
groundwater, in accordance with Clause 3.3 of this
BTN.

Basic Geotechnical Reduction Factor gb

Mechanical joints shall be designed so that they

provide a permanent connection between the pile
lengths.

Percentage of pile to be tested

The designer shall specify the allowable range of

depths for the mechanical joints on the drawings.

7.

Handling of Concrete Piles

Piles shall be designed for handling stresses after

adding 50% to the static load to allow for impact
and shock or for the static load and mould adhesion,
whichever is greater.

values for

Intrinsic Test Factor tf

Testing Benefit Factor K

P*

* Refer AS 2159 Clause 4.3.1.

8.3. Pile Joint Loads

Where the designer proposes to use mechanical pile
joints the designer shall specify the allowable range
of reduced levels for the joint (refer Table 4).
The strength of the joint, as specified by AS 5100.3,
shall be not less than that of the lengths of pile
being joined.
Table 4 Pile Joints

Pile stresses during driving shall comply with the

requirements of VicRoads Standard Specification
Section 605.04.

8.

Information Required on
Drawings

Pile
Location

Joint
Minimum
Reduced
Level (m)

Joint
Maximum
Reduced
Level (m)

Description of
Environmental
Aggressiveness

8.1. Concrete Piles

The following information shall be shown on the
drawings for precast concrete piles:
(i) minimum characteristic concrete strength grade;
(ii) minimum concrete strength for lifting and
handling;
(iii) minimum concrete strength for driving;
(iv) minimum cover and exposure classification

8.2. Pile Test Loads

The designer shall determine the pile ultimate state
design loads based on structural requirements and
the site conditions. Test pile or representative pile
locations and the values of N and N * , shall be
shown on the drawings as per Table 2.
Alternatively within the limitations specified in
Clause 4 of this BTN, appropriate N values for use
with the Hiley formula may be specified on the
drawings.
Table 2 Pile Ultimate State Axial Design and
Test Loads

Pile
Location

Pile Axial Loads

Pile Test Loads N (kN )
Ultimate
Limit State
PDA Testing &
Hiley
Design Axial
Signal Matching
Formula*
Load / Pile

N * (kN )

8.4. Pile Toe Levels

Pile toe levels shall be shown on the drawings,
based on levels determined during design.

8.5. Foundation Settlement

The values of serviceability limit state loads,
settlements and differential settlements, used in the
design shall be shown on the drawings.

8.6. Concrete Pile Handling Diagrams

Diagrams specifying the allowable methods for
handling the piles shall be included on the pile
drawings.

9. Requirements for Design and

Proof Engineering
The design, selection, specification and proof
engineering of driven piles must be conducted by an
experienced bridge design engineer approved by the
Principal Bridge Engineer or an engineering
consultancy that is prequalified in accordance with
VicRoads Prequalification Scheme.

10. References
AS/NZS 1554.1 (2004), Structural Steel Welding
Welding of Steel Structures, Standards Australia,
Sydney, Australia
AS/NZS 1554.3 (2008), Structural Steel Welding
Welding
of
Reinforcing
Steel,
Standards
Australia, Sydney, Australia
AS/NZS 1554.5 (2004), Structural Steel Welding
Welding of Steel Structures Subject to High Level
of Fatigue Loading, Standards Australia, Sydney,
Australia
AS 2159 (2009), Pilling Design and Installation,
Standards Australia, Sydney, Australia
AS 4671 (2001), Steel Reinforcing Materials,
Standards Australia, Sydney, Australia
AS 5100 (2004), Bridge Design, Standards Australia,
Sydney, Australia
J. Bowles, Foundation analysis and design, 1984,
pp.227
Prestressed
Concrete
Institute
(1993),
Recommended Practice for Design, Manufacture
and Installation of Prestressed Concrete Piling,
PCI Journal Vol. 38 No. 2
Standard
Specification
B50
(2011),
Driven
reinforced concrete piles, Road Maritime
Services Standard Specification, NSW, Australia
Standard Specification Section 605 (2013), Driven
Piles, VicRoads Standard Specification Sections
for Bridgeworks, Victoria, Australia
Standard
Specification
Section
610
(2013),
Structural
Concrete,
VicRoads
Standard
Specification Sections for Bridgeworks, Victoria,
Australia
Standard Specification Section 611 (2014), Steel
Reinforcement, VicRoads Standard Specification
Sections for Bridgeworks, Victoria, Australia

Standard Specification Section 620 (2009), Precast

Concrete Units, VicRoads Standard Specification
Sections for Bridgeworks, Victoria, Australia
Standard
Specification
Section
630
(2013),
Fabrication of Steelwork VicRoads Standard
Specification Sections for Bridgeworks, Victoria,
Australia
Technical Standard MRTS65 (2011), Precast
Prestressed Concrete Piles, Transport and Main
Roads of Queensland

MARIO FANTIN
PRINCIPAL BRIDGE ENGINEER
VicRoads

Contact
For further information please contact:

Principal Bridge Engineer

3 Prospect Hill Road Camberwell Vic 3124
Telephone:
(03) 9811 8307
Facsimile:
(03) 9811 8329
Email:
mario.fantin@roads.vic.gov.au
Bridge Technical Notes are subject to periodic review
and may be superseded