Static Loading Test

and Prediction
Outcome
Bengt H. Fellenius
1
May 9 2015

A Prediction Challenge to All Delegates to the 2nd CFPB, Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Mario H. Terceros and Bengt H. Fellenius

We have constructed an instrumented pile and performed a static loading test that we intend to add a bit
of spice to the conference. To this end, we challenge everyone to submit a prediction of the test results.
Then, on Friday, we will start the day with a "Brief report on results of the static loading test and
outcome of the low-key prediction". The "Prediction" referred to is yours.

The Pile

The pile, TP1, is a 600 mm diameter, 16.4 m long, bored pile

Ground Surf ace
constructed on April 20 by pushing a 600-mm diameter, OD,
temporary casing into the ground while augering out the core as

1.8 m
the pipe is pushed down taking care not to auger beyond the toe Strain
of the pipe. Once the pipe reached the intended depth and had Gages
been augered out, concrete (cylinder strength 21 MPa) was
poured into the pipe while it was extracted always maintaining
an inside head of concrete. A 14.0 m long reinforcing cage
PILE
consisting of six 20-mm reinforcement bars placed in a circle
9.3 m

with an 450-mm outside diameter was then inserted into the pipe.
The cage had been instrumented with three levels of a single
13.8 m

strain-gage pair at depth 1.80, 9.30, and 13.80 m below the top of
the cage (i.e., at the ground surface). A 310 mm high hydraulic Strain
16.4 m

jack was attached to the bottom of the cage to serve as a Gages

bidirectional cell (BDC) in the first phase of the static loading
test. Thus, in the test, the pile would be separated in an upper
14.8 m length and a lower 1.6 m long length. Telltale guide
pipes were attached to the cage so as to measure the opening of
the BDC and movement of the lower end of the BDC.

The static loading test was performed in two phases. Phase 1

Strain
was performed on May 7, 2015, and consisted of a bi-directional Gages
test. In the bidirectional test, the BDC pushes the length above
the BDC (the "upper length") upward and the length below (the BDC
"lower length") downward. The load increments were 50-kN,
each with a 10-minute load-holding time. At the maximum load
of 700 kN, the lower length (1.6 m) plunged. No movement
occurred at the pile head and the net BDC opening was 60+ mm.
May 9 2015

Phase 2 test was performed on May 8, 2015. It consisted of leaving the BDC open (free-draining) and
performing a head-down test by means of a conventional reaction pile arrangement. The load increments
were 100-kN, each with a 10-minute load-holding time. The prediction event deals with Phase 2 test, only.

F.y.i., a companion pile, TP2, was constructed on the same day 5 m away from TP1. It was tested as a
full-length pile after the tests on TP1. Pile TP2 is not a part of the prediction event.

The Soil--CPTU and SPT diagrams

Sleeve Friction, fs (kPa) Pore Pressure (kPa) Friction Ratio, fR (%)
Cone Stress, qt (MPa)
0 100 200 300 400 0 100 200 300 400 0 1 2 3 4
0 10 20 30 40
0 0 0
0

5 5 5 5

10 10 10 10

DEPTH (m)
DEPTH (m)
DEPTH (m)
DEPTH (m)

15 15 15 15

20 20 20 20

25 25 25 25

The bar in the figure represents the N-indices and the bl/0.3m scale is numerically the same as the qt cone
stress, MPa. The SPT was performed with a constant height-of-fall. The soil profile consists of 9 m thick
layer of silty fine sand, followed by 6 m of fine sand on sand. A 0.2 m thick clay layer was encountered
at 15.0 m depth. The groundwater table is located at 5.0 m depth. The saturated solid densities of the
three soil layers are 2,100, 2,000, 2,100 kg/m3, respectively.

The Prediction Submission

The primary submission is a prediction of the load-movement of the pile shaft (Phase 2) and the capacity
of the shaft, as determined from that same load-movement curve. Submit the values in table showing two
columns, one for load (kN) and one for movement (mm). Use at least 8 load-movement points on the
curve to the maximum load. Give the evaluated capacity as a separate value. You can use either a Word
document or an Excel file. Please submit your prediction to Bengt by e-mail to address:
Bengt@Fellenius.net. The submission deadline is noon May 14.
2
3
 Soil Profile
Sleeve Friction, fs (kPa) Pore Pressure (kPa) Friction Ratio, fR (%)
Cone Stress, qt (MPa)
0 100 200 300 400 0 100 200 300 400 0 1 2 3 4
0 10 20 30 40
0 0 0
0

5 5 5 5

SPT
10 10 10 10

DEPTH (m)
DEPTH (m)
DEPTH (m)
DEPTH (m)

15 15 15 15

20 20 20 20

25 25 25 25

4
 Ground Surf ace

1.8 m
Strain
Gages

9.3 m PILE
13.8 m

Strain
16.4 m

Gages

Strain
Gages
BDC and
telltales “BDC” = Bidirectional Cell; a sacrificial
hydraulic jack
5
 Test Programme

Phase 1 Activate the BDC to perform a bidirectional test, pushing the

upper length upward and the lower length downward. This will
create an opening between the two pile lengths.

Phase 2 Activate the jack on the pile head to perform a head-down test
on the upper pile length with the BDC free-draining The pile will
then function in shaft-bearing only with no toe resistance until
the BDC opening is closed).

Phase 3 If the full resistance of the lower length was not engaged in
Phase 1, then , the jack at the pile head will be closed and the
BDC be re-engaged (The jack at the pile head will now provide
the additional resistance needed).

6
 Test Results
Phase 1
The bidirectional (BDC) test pushed the lower length
downward a distance of abut 60 mm at the 700-kN
maximum load---plunging type response. The
measurement is approximate, only, due to friction of the
telltales in the guide pipes. The pile head showed no
movement. Upward movement at the BDC level was
small representing the pile shortening for the load.

7
 Predictions
6,000
6,000
All Predictions Received with Capacity Interpretations
All Predictions Received
5,000
5,000

4,000
4,000
LOAD (kN)
LOAD (kN)

3,000
3,000
My Prediction
LOAD

2,000
2,000

1,000
1,000

0 00
0 00 1010
10 2020
20 3030
30 4040
40 5050
50 6060
60 7070
70
MOVEMENT
MOVEMENT
MOVEMENT (mm)
(mm)
(mm)
The circles are the capacities as interpreted
from each curve by the particular predictor
8
 6,000
with Measured Load-Movement
5,000

4,000
LOAD (kN)

3,000

2,000

1,000

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

MOVEMENT (mm)

Dashed curve is my prediction prepared with full benefit of the results

of the 2013 tests on similar piles in very similar soil—hardly Class A .

9
 Enlarged View of Predictions and Head-down Test on TP1 Upper Length
3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000
LOAD (kN)

1,500

1,000

500

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
MOVEMENT (mm)
10
 The pile is
assumed made
up of a series of
short elements,
each affected by
z rs = βσ'z soil resistance

rs = f(movement)
Movement =
function of
E-modulus

?
WHICH
TO USE
AND
HOW TO
MODIFY
11
The t-z functions actually
used for the fit

12
 The final fit

4,000
Load-Movement for the Upper Pile (14.8 m)
3,500
3,000
Head-down
2,500 UniPile
Simulation
LOAD (kN)

2,000 of Test
Head-down,
Test
1,500
1,000
500
0
TP1 Phase 2
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
MOVEMENT (mm)

13
 The Pile Stiffness (EA) Evaluated
from the Uppermost Strain-Gage
Unfortunately, the other strain-gages either did not
survive the construction or survived, but were
dislocated--–No usable strain-gage data were obtained
8
7
1.7 m
SECANT STIFFNESS, Q/μԑ (GN)

1.7 m

TANGENT STIFFNESS, ΔQ/Δμԑ

7
6
6
5
5
y = -0.0026x + 6.7169 4
4

(GN)
y = -0.0052x + 6.7904
3 Es (GPa) for zero strain = 23.8 GPa 3
Es (GPa) for 700 μԑ = 17.3 GPa Es (GPa) for zero strain = 24.0 GPa
2 2
Es (GPa) for 700 μԑ = 17.6 GPa
1 1
0
TP2 TP2
0
0 200 400 600 800
0 200 400 600 800
STRAIN (ԑ)
STRAIN (ԑ)

14
Now the results of Phase 1, the
bidirectional test
2,000
Bidirectional
Bidirectional
Downward
Downward
1,500
LOAD (kN)

1,000

500

0
TP1
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
MOVEMENT (mm)

The downward movements are unfortunately

impaired due to friction along the telltales
15
 Phases 1 and 2 together
4,000
3,500
3,000
2,500 Head-down,
Test
LOAD (kN)

2,000
1,500
1,000
Bidirectional
Downward
500
0
TP1
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
MOVEMENT (mm)

The blue curve is the probable load-movement

curve for the lower length; “Downward”
16
Combining the results to the load-movement curve
for a head-down test on the full length of pile

4,000
Full Length Head-down
UniPile Simulation
3,500
3,000
Head-down
2,500 UniPile
Simulation
LOAD (kN)

2,000 of Test
Head-down,
Test
1,500
1,000
Bidirectional
Downward
500
0
TP1
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
MOVEMENT (mm)

17
 The load-movement curves for the head-down
test on Pile 2 with a fit (UniPile) to the data
and a comparison to same for Pile 1.

4,000
Compression TP1
3,500 Head

3,000
UniPile
LOAD (kN)

2,500 Simulation

2,000
Measured
1,500

1,000

500
Toe TP2
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
MOVEMENT (mm)
18
 LOAD (kN)
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000
0
From fit to Load- Load distributions at the ≈5-mm
2 Movement Curve
CPTU E-F at 5mm element element movements for Phase 2
4 (TP1) combined with the
DEPTH (m)

6 distribution from CPTU and SPT

8
analysis of shaft resistance
SPT Decourt
10

12

14

4,000
16 Compression TP1
Load Distribution, TP2 3,500 Head
18
3,000
UniPile
LOAD (kN) 2,500 Simulation

2,000
Measured
1,500

1,000

500

0
Toe
TP2
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
MOVEMENT (mm) 19
Thank You