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Soil Tests Required for Deep Foundations Popular Answers

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Structural  Soil tests required for deep foundation to ensure the bearing capacity of the

Engineering soil to support the loads from deep foundation. Deep foundations are those Form work stripping time Vs
where the depth of foundation is generally greater than two times of width Compressive strength of
Surveying Concrete
of footing (D = 2B).

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Deep foundations are required due to various reasons. Read here about why
deep foundations are required and types of deep foundations. Types of soil
tests for deep foundations are discussed.

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Soil tests required for deep foundations

While the composition and depth of the bearing layer for shallow
foundations may vary from one site to another, most pile foundations in a
locally encounter similar deposits.

Since pile capacity based on soil parameters is not as reliable from load
tests, as a �rst step it is essential to obtain full information on the type, size,
length and capacity of piles (including details of load – settlement graph)
generally adopted in the locality.

Correlation of soil characteristics (from soil investigation reports) and

corresponding load tests (from actual projects constructed) is essential to
decide the type of soil tests to be performed and to make a reasonable
recommendation for the type, size, length and capacity of piles since most
formulae are empirical.

Fig.1:soil tests for deep foundation

If information about piles in the locality are not available or reliable, it

may be necessary to drive a test pile and correlate with soil data. Generally,
the following tests may be required to obtain certain required data:

1. Direct shear test

It is conducted to estimated e�ective friction angle of cohesionless soil.

Nonetheless, there are correlations which are developed to evaluate
e�ective friction angle of cohesionless soil. for more information about
shear strength test of soil click here.

Fig.2:Direct shear test

2. Standard penetration test (SPT)

It is performed to determine the cohesion (and consequently the adhesion)

to determine the angle of friction (and consequently the angle of friction
between soil and the pile and also the point of resistance) for each soil
stratum of cohesion less soil of soil.

3. Static cone penetration test (CPT)

This test conducted to determine the cohesion (and subsequently the

adhesion) for soft cohesive soils and to check with SPT result for �ne to
medium sands. Hence for strata encountering both cohesive and cohesion
less soils, both SPT and CPT tests are required.

4. Vane shear test

it is used to estimated undrained in-situ shear strength of impervious clayey

soils.

5. Undrained triaxial shear strength

It is carried out on undisturbed soil samples (obtained with thin walled tube

samplers) to determine cohesion ( ) and angle of internal friction ( )

for clayey soils. Procedures for conducting this test is provided by ASTM D
2850-03, 2004.

In case of driven piles proposed for sti� clays, it is necessary to check with

the ( ) and ( ) from re-moulded samples. Drained shear strength

parameters are also determined to represent in-situ condition of soil at end

of construction phase. Details of this test procedure can be found in ASTM
D4767-02, 2004.

Fig.3:Triaxial shear test

6. Pressure meter test

It is performed to determine the stress- strain curve of horizontal loading.

The equipment is either inserted into pre-drilled borehole or a self-boring
pressure meter is used. Unless the soil is isotropic, the same value cannot be
adopted for the vertical direction. This test is performed speci�cally for
piles that subjected to lateral loading.

7. Ground water condition and permeability of soil

Ground water condition and soil permeability in�uence the choice of pile
type to be recommended.

Hence the level at which water in the bore hole remains are noted in the
bore logs. Since permeability of clay is very low, it takes several days for
water in the drill hole to rise upto ground water table.

Ground water samples need to be tested to consider the possible chemical

e�ects on concrete and the reinforcement. Result of the cone penetration
test for the same soil show substantial scatter. Hence, they need to be
checked with supplementary information from other exploration methods.

Read More:

Types of Soil Tests for Road Construction

Types of Soil Tests for Building Construction

Soil Tests Required for Shallow and Raft Foundations

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Gopal Mishra
ADMIN

Gopal Mishra is a Civil Engineer from NIT Calicut and has more than 10 years of
experience in Civil Engineering and Construction. He is the founder of The Constructor.

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9 Comments

Raveendran Civil

Added a comment on August 12, 2014 at 6:28 am

this information is useful but want more.

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Mmereki Kilego

Added a comment on July 17, 2014 at 1:27 pm

nice page

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Mohamad Roushen

Added a comment on July 15, 2014 at 6:18 pm

Need more notes about foundations

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Arief Wibowo

Added a comment on July 15, 2014 at 4:10 pm

The knowledge of:

SOIL TESTS REQUIRED FOR DEEP FOUNDATIONS

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Heriel Msangi

Added a comment on November 14, 2013 at 6:52 am

I like this blog assisting in my further study in civil engineering at

Mbeya University of Science and Technology in Tanzania.
Thanks,
Heriel Msangi.

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Saad Aladhami

Added a comment on October 17, 2013 at 12:56 pm

this page is best what you need

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Peter Mawa

Added a comment on September 10, 2013 at 1:22 am

I'm a 3rd year Civil Engineering students in PNG University of

Technology. These notes are really helping me with my studies here.

Thank you
Peter Mawa

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Aung Khaing

Added a comment on September 9, 2013 at 2:13 pm

brief testes required, thanks.

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Engr Dominic E O�ong

Added a comment on September 9, 2013 at 12:44 pm

wow, I love these page.

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