Abutment Design Example

Chris Byrum
Doug Parmerlee
Example Bridge
Evaluate Existing Test Hole Data

Not much before 1940

MDOT Housel Soil Mechanics 1940-80s
ASTM SPT N-modified values
Evaluate Existing Test Hole Data

Not much before 1940

MDOT Housel Soil Mechanics 1940-80s
ASTM SPT N-modified values
Evaluate Existing Test Hole Data

Not much before 1940

MDOT Housel Soil Mechanics 1940-80s
ASTM SPT N-modified values
New Test Holes
In-Situ Vane-shear and 3” Shelby Tubes
 Design Shear Strength Profiles
Vane only
4* Sc…old MDOT

Final Selection

UC only

Used for: Global Stability, Bearing Capacity, Piling Side Resistance, Pile Lateral…..
Used for Piling Tip Resistance
 External Stability
• Task 1: Lateral Squeeze
• Task 2: Global Stability
• Task 3: Settlement Analyses
• Task 4:Bearing Capacity
LATERAL SQUEEZE ANALYSIS

FS = 2*Cu + (4.14*Cu)
gama*Ds*tan(theta) H*gama

Also used in the past… H*gama < 3Cu, or 4Cu

Where, Cu = Undrained shear strength of soft layer, psf

Ds = Thickness of soft soil layer, ft
gama = Unit weight of fill soil, psf
theta = Angle of fill slope, degrees
H= Height of fill, ft
Primary Shear
“Secondary/Sympathy” Shear
Edge of Recent Fill
Laterally Squeezed
Bulging Uplift Area
Previous Scenario

H = 6 to 7 feet
Utility Contractor Adds Weight
 Reaches  F.S. = 1.0 Condition

Road Centerline E.O.M.

 Failure Backcalculation
FS = 2*Cu + (4.14*Cu)
gama*Ds*tan(theta) H*gama
Component 1 Component 2 FS
Cu = 180 psf 0.10 0.92 1.01
Ds = 30 ft
For FS = 1 gama = 125 pcf 3*Cu = 540
theta = 45 degrees 4*Cu = 720
H = 6.5 ft gama*H = 812.5
Example Bridge
FS = 2*Cu + (4.14*Cu)
gama*Ds*tan(theta) H*gama
Component 1 Component 2 FS
Cu = 2100 psf 0.01 1.58 1.59
Ds = 100 ft
gama = 120 pcf 3*Cu = 6300
theta = 88 degrees 4*Cu = 8400
H = 46 ft gama*H = 5520

Cu FS Lateral Squeeze
3
1600 1.91 2.75
1800 2.15 2.5 Abut. B
Calculated F.S.

2000 2.39 2.25

2200 2.63 2
1.75 Abut. A
2400 2.87
1.5
1.25
1
1500 1700 1900 2100 2300 2500
Undrained Shear strength, Cu, psf

Where, Cu = Undrained shear strength of soft layer, psf

Ds = Thickness of soft soil layer, ft
gama = Unit weight of fill soil, psf
theta = Angle of fill slope, degrees
H= Height of fill, ft
Abutment A GLOBAL STABILITY ANALYSIS
 Set 2% strain force > 1.1 FS force
Abutment A
 Set ultimate force > 1.3 FS force
Abutment A
Abutment A
Set Grid Limits > 1.54 FS force
Change in Plan

Decided to add-a-span, use

short pile-supported abutment,
on 25+ feet of fill instead of the
tall full-height abutment
Abutment A
Abutment B
Abutment B
Abutment B
Abutment B
 ARE SPREAD FOOTINGS OK?
• Bearing Capacity
 ARE SPREAD FOOTINGS OK?
• Bearing Capacity

……Factored B.C. = approx. 5000 - 6000 psf

Approach Embankment Weight next to Abutment:

Abut. A = 48*125 = 6000 psf  not likely!
Abut. B = 30 * 125 = 3750 psf  maybe
 ARE SPREAD FOOTINGS OK?
• Settlement Management

• Need to estimate settlement of footings caused

by approach embankments
• And Footing pressures causing settlement
serviceability-limit (1-inch and 1.5-inch limits)
• Pre-loads? Lightweight Fills? Pile Downdrag?
SETTLEMENT MANAGEMENT
SETTLEMENT MANAGEMENT
 Today’s Condition
Pressure, psf
0 3000 6000 9000 12000
615
Groundwater Table
Elevation, ft

590
P0, Overburden

565

540

515
 0 3000
Pressure, psf
6000 9000 12000
Lake Stanley Dry Period
615
Elevation, ft

590
P0, Overburden

Glacial Lake Stanley

565

Groundwater Table
540

515
 Preconsolidation
Pressure, psf
0 3000 6000 9000 12000
615
Pseudo-Pc
Elevation, ft

590 P0, Overburden

Glacial Lake Stanley

Pc Assumption

565

540

Ice Weight
on Hard Till
515
 Pressure, psf
0 3000 6000 9000 12000 Load Effects
615
Elevation, ft

590 P0, Overburden

Glacial Lake Stanley
Footing Pressure
Pc Assumption
P0 + DP

565

540

515
 Pressure, psf Settlement, in
0 3000 6000 9000 12000 0 2 4 6 8
615 615

Elevation, ft
Elevation, ft

Uc = 100%
590 P0, Overburden 590
Glacial Lake Stanley
Uc = 75%
Footing Pressure
Uc = 50%
Pc Assu mption
P0 + DP Uc = 25%

565 565

540 540

515 515
SETTLEMENT MANAGEMENT
Wick Drains
Wick Drains
Wick Drains
 Example Bridge

14” 10” (5-20 years w/o wicks) 6” 8”

Settlement Estimates – Soil Only, no footing pressures
Change in Plan

Wick Drains Installed through

Sand Drainage Layer
Change in Plan

Pre-Load to this Elev.

7” (6 month wait for T90)

Settlement Estimates
Change in Plan

EPS Block

H-Piles

Less than 0.4” remains  (ZERO Downdrag!!!!!)

Settlement Estimates
Placement of EPS and Geogrid behind sheeting.
Example Bridge
Wick Drains Installed through
Sand Drainage Layer
 Pre-Load to Full Height

(2 month wait) 7”
Settlement Estimates
 Remove Pre-Load, Piles, and Partial EPS

EPS
Block

Est. Settlement =60% of “all-sand” pre-load

 Piling Analyses
• Axial Resistance
• Lateral Resistance: batter vs COM624P
• Bridge Approach Fill Settlement
• Downdrag Negative Skin Friction
Axial Capacity: Driven into Shale Rock
With about ……

400 Kip Side Resistance

100+ kip Tip/Bottom Resistance

HP14x73
0.4” settlement
 Pressure, psf 0.4" Settlement, in
0 3000 6000 9000 12000 0 2 4 6 8
615 615

Elevation, ft
Elevation, ft

Uc = 100%
590 P0, Overburden 590
Glacial Lake Stanley
Uc = 75%
Footing Pressure
Uc = 50%
Pc Assu mption
P0 + DP Uc = 25%

565 565
250 kip

540 540
320 kip

350 kip
360 kip
515 515
 Pressure, psf 0.4" 0.5" Settlement, in
0 3000 6000 9000 12000 0 2 4 6 8
615 615

Elevation, ft
Elevation, ft

Uc = 100%
590 P0, Overburden 590
Glacial Lake Stanley
Uc = 75%
Footing Pressure
Uc = 50%
Pc Assu mption
P0 + DP Uc = 25%

565 565 220 kip

250 kip

310 kip
540 540
320 kip
340 kip
350 kip
355 kip
360 kip
515 515

An extra 0.1” allowance for elastic pile shortening….

For Rndr = 500 kip HP14x73, 25% settlement remaining:

Rn = 500 – 220(250/400) = 362.5 kips

Qp = 0.75(362.5) – 220 = 52 kips/pile OUCH!!!!

Drive 500 kip pile, only 52 kip available for bridge weight!!!

NO GO!!
PDA with Dynamic Signal Matching

Dynamic

Static Rs = 400 kips

Rsdd = 250/400(DD)…reduced side resistance during driving

 Pressure, psf 0.4" 0.5" Settlement, in
0 3000 6000 9000 12000 0 2 4 6 8
615 615

Elevation, ft
Elevation, ft

Uc = 100%
590 P0, Overburden 590
Glacial Lake Stanley
Uc = 75%
Footing Pressure
Uc = 50%
Pc Assu mption
P0 + DP Uc = 25%

565 565 220 kip

250 kip

310 kip
540 540
320 kip
340 kip
350 kip
355 kip
360 kip
515 515

An extra 0.1” allowance for elastic pile shortening….

 Pile Lateral Resistance
Lateral Deflection, in
-0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
0
• COM624P
20
• LPILE Lateral Load
40
9-kip
60 15-kip
Depth Below Footing, in
20-kip
80
25-kip
100 30-kip

120

140

160

180
From “LPILE” Technical Manual
 P = soil pressure

Q
M
V
W
p

From “LPILE” Technical Manual

 List of Recs Given To Bridge Engineer
• Global Stability
• Settlement Amounts and Rates
• Spreads versus Deep Foundations
• Lateral Resistances
• Special Provisions/Materials Specifications
• Construction Considerations
– Water control
– Surface preparation
– Temporary Walls
– Vibrations
– Geotechnical Instrumentation needed?
 Doug Parmerlee
• Overview of Abutment Design Concepts
Geotechnical Engineering During Construction
 Geotechnical Field Monitoring
• Pile Axial Capacity
• Settlement Rates and Amounts
• Geosynthetics: Limits/Continuity/Splicing
• Lightweight Fills: Limits/Materials
PDA with Dynamic Signal Matching
Static Pile Load Tests
Soil Pore Pressure Dissipation
Ancient Glacial Lake “Beach” on top of
Grand Portal Point, Pictured Rocks

Michigan’s State Fossil:

Mastodon

d 2z
M = EI 2
dx