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International Conference on Case Histories in (1993) - Third International Conference on Case
Geotechnical Engineering Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Jun 1st

Case Histories of Pile Foundations in Bombay

Region
K. R. Datye
Consulting Engineer, Bombay, India

J. R. Patil
Civil Engineering Department and College of Engineering, Sakharale, District of Sangli, India

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Datye, K. R. and Patil, J. R., "Case Histories of Pile Foundations in Bombay Region" (1993). International Conference on Case Histories
in Geotechnical Engineering. 7.
http://scholarsmine.mst.edu/icchge/3icchge/3icchge-session01/7

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 Proceedings: Third International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering, St. Louis, Missouri,
June 1-4, 1993, Paper No. 1.54

Case Histories of Pile Foundations in Bombay Region

K. R. Datye J. R. Patil
Consulting Engineer, Bombay, India Civil Engineering Department and College of Engineering,
Sakharale, District of Sangli, India

SYNOPSIS : Piles in Bombay region are bored cast-in-situ installed by bailor and chisel boring or
direct mud circulation with drop chisels. In weak and weathered rock interpretation of core drilling,
SPT, CPT, pressuremeter tests are subject to several limitations, hence design parameters based on
conventional so i 1 investigation methods are subject to uncertain it i es. The past practice has been
empirical and the designers relied mainly on load tests and failures have occured in areas subject to
considerable variation in rock characteristics and large depth of soft clay overburden. Recently
improvements in investigation and design methodology have been introduced based on postulated
relations of design paramters with energy inputs in chisel penetration. Concurrently, construction
methods have been modified comprising air lift clean up, use of fabric liner and grouting of tip
zone. The case histories provide load test and pile performance data for validation of postulated
design parameters and evaluation of efficacy of construction methods.

1.0 PILING TECHNIQUES satisfactory basis for evaluation of design

parameters. Current piling practice has been
Piles in Bombay region are mostly end bearing based on conservative provisions regarding socket
pi 1 es resting on rocks having a wide range of length and comparatively low values of end
characteristics. In some cases the bearing bearing are used. e.g. Broms & Reese as reported
stratum consists of sound basalt with high by Van Impe (1991). When rotary hydraulic
percentage of recovery in coredrilling. The equipment is available, this difficulty is over
equipment used for boring consist of conventional come by providing relatively longer socket. In
drop chisels and flap value bailors, direct mud Bombay this has been often difficult to adopt the
circulation or reverse mud circulation equipment. socketing length worked out according to end
Boring equipments with hydraulic drive are not bearing parameters recommended by Reese. Apart
preferred because of the comparatively high from socketing length there are other factors
capital cost. Several contractors have winches, such as installation effects, i.e. consequences
bailors and chisels that have been procured many of lowering in-situ effective stresses near the
years ago consequently their fixed charges are tip zone.
very low. This makes the chisel boring
competitive, although imposes some limitations on Settlement during load transfer in end bearing is
the depth nf socketing. In some of the weathered increased due to accumulation of cutting in the
rocks the socketing operation is time consuming tip zone and particularly lumps of weathered rock
and it is extremely difficult to socket the pile with plastic fines or stiff clays. Because of the
in sound hard rock to specified depths. limitations of bailor boring and direct mud
circulatioon this accum1.1lation is not uncommon
and this is believed to be a major cause of poor
2.0 DESIGN PROBLEMS AND CAUSES OF FAILURES pile performance. The designers have addressed
these problems either by using long sockets or by
In some cases the sound rock is overlain by soft reducing the values of design parameters for end
compressible deposit of clay and sand. The load bearing. Designers have generally relied on load
transfer to these soft strata is therefore tests to verify parameters used for design.
insignificant. The pile length within the
overburden is often be subject to negative skin Failures have been due to the subjective element
friction. Adequacy of short sockets sometimes in clafssification of rock, choice of design
only O.SD (D=Diameter of pile), is matter of parameters and the socket length. Pile capacity
concern and doubts arise regarding such piles in was offten lowered due to inadequate socketing or
sound rock with high recovery. Another common accumulation of clay lumps or soft rock fragments
situation is piles bearing on a weathered rock under the pile tip. Consequently there is a
which is subject to considerable variation. These hazard of failure if the design load is exceeded.
arise from the nature of the parent rock which In many cases the earthquake and wind load have
can be volcanic tuff or breccia or basalt never been imposed, however failures have occured
weathered along joint or fractures with when the structure was fully loaded such as in
unweathered blocks or boulders in between. liquid retaining structures or the load increase
Conventional methods of investigation such as due to negative skin firction, local overloading
SPT, static cone penetration test, core by foundation structure interaction. Some of the
drilling or pressuremeter tests do not provide a investigated failures are in areas with large

Third International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Missouri University of Science and Technology 235
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depth of soft soil, which has been a cause of
negative skin friction or irregularities in the
rock formation resulting in significant
differential settlement.
3. 0 IMPROVEMENTS ~IN CONSTRUCTION METHODS
METHODOLOGY OF INVESTIGATION AND DESIGN
Improvements in construct ion has been proposed
and have been implemented successfully. These
consists of
- use of bentonite and geofabric liner to prevent
collapse and accumulation of material at the
pile tip.
improved clean up of the pile tip zone by using
the tremie pipe for removal of accumulated
material by reverse circulation with the help
of air lift. This clean up operation has been
carried out after lowering reinforcement cage
and flushing the hole by bentonite clay slurry
circulated through tremie pipe.
by use of geofabric liner, negative skin
friction has been reduced wherever required,
further by use of filter fabric skin friction
mobilisation can also be attained as required
in the more compact zone which are not subject
to cons6lidation settlement after installation.
tip zone grouting to restore the initial
stresses prevailing in-situ prior to pile
installation. The grouting pressure used was
considerably higher than in-situ
(preinstallation) effective overburden
pressure.
Concurrently with the upgradation of construction
technique, methodology of investigation and
choice of design paramters has also been
improved. Review of experience of implementation
of the design and investigation method is
presented in an other paper K.R. Datye & J .R.
Patil (1992). Basic principles has been to relate
the design parameters to response of strata to
energy inputs in ch~sel penetration.
4.0 CASE STUDIES PRESENTED
The main object of this presentation is to
furnish data regarding performance of piles
installed according to improved construct ion
method and also where the design parameters were
~etermined on the basis of the suggested
1ethodology.
te bore log (Fig.l to Fig.5) and load test data
ig.6 to Fig.lO) are presented for piles which
~form satisfactorily as well as piles which
s not meet specification required. The
struction details are given in Table-1.
building for which load test have been
rted are under construction. Initial
cations are favourable with regard
lement behaviour. It is expected that results
onitoring of ~he settlement of the structure
rds the end of construction and thereafter
.d be available for presentation at the
'erence.
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5.0 CONCULSION
The cases presented validate the investigation
and design methodology with regard to piles
bearing on weak and weathered rocks with non
plastic fines. The recommended design values for
AND piles with comparatively short socket lengths are
higher than recommended by Reese. The improved
installation methods especially tip zone cleaning
and grouting at pressures higher than existing
over burden stress have contributed to over
coming the limitations arising from installation
effects. Limited experience of piles which short
length of socket in sound rock with high recovery
does not justify generalisation of the design
method. The benefit of grouting is evident,
however verification by load test is essential
for piles with short sockets i.e. 0.5 D or less.
Regarding the rock with plastic fines care is
needed and more experience is required to
establish the values of grouting pressure. It
seems to be necessary to resort repeated grouting
at pressures higher than working stress.
(Zeitlen, J .G. (1988).
NOMENCLATURE
CHLT Chisel Penetration Test
D Diameter of pile
DPT Dynamic Cone Penetration Test
qb crit: Critical unit base resistance
(for S/D = 5%, S = Settlement of pile)
REFERENCES
Broms, B.B., Chang M.F. and Goh, A.T.C. (1988).
Bored piles in residual soil and weathered
rocks in Singapore. Proceedings of the First
International Geotechnical Seminar on Deep
Foundations on Bored and Auger Piles. 7-10
June, Ghent: 17-34.
Datye, K.R. & Karandikar, D.V. (1988). Bored
Piling in Bombay Region. Proceedings of the
First International Geotechnical Seminar on
Deep Foundations on Bored and Auger Piles. 7-
10 June, Ghent: 315-323.
Datye, K.R. (1990). Bored Piling in Bombay
Region. Proceedings of the Indian Geotechnical
conference, Bombay : 571-587~
Datye, K.R. & Patil, J.R. (1992). Bored Cast-in-
situ Piles in Bombay Region. Proceedings of
the Indian Geotechnical Conference, Calcutta.
Van Impe, W.F. (1991). Developments in pile
design. DFI - conference. Stress.
Zeitlen, J.G. (1988). Stiffening Cast-in-place
piling by bottom grouting. Proceedings of the
to Second International Conference on Case
Histories in Geotechnical Engineering. 1-5
June, St. Louis: 1739-1743.
236
 -r------"1rt~te::r;b~er::::g"'17.;m=its;:o;"'o;-r-<;S-;o:fa:-:::ndard Peneration .t:: Atterberg limits% Standard Penelra.tiol"
Description
0 20 40
Test N (Blt0.3ml Q. E Log Descriptio~ Tost N IBUO Jm l
0 10 20 30. 40 50 ~ .5 10 20 30 40 50

-
. ..
0
·o·.
~

· ...·.·'· PL LL

D.::
.... (\-
Foil

.. v...:
.. ;· GWT
•• I.

cr::
•',.

i51 81ows tor 5 em

.... ... Penetration)
.~:a:
e.s ...
•.....
7.0 Soft Clay

v v
y
·~·'..
v v ····.~
v Bluish
Grey
"····
:.-·~
;
v v V .. ·: •
Basalt
:-=:.>,'
"v ··'·
f,··'l
"' v v.·;.,;.'
.v .;y
Brownish
Grey
~H~-f-.&-.:-.
12.0
;••~=.: Weathered
y ·· :::; Breccia f7-+~4-~~....
Fig. Soil
Point.
Profile for Site NCPA-Nariman
·.·v:
~·::~
14.0 •. ¥.:

Depth Log Soil Description

(m)
·.o:·::
?.~/;
69'\
1.0 Fill

~
56 'to
2.0 Bluish grey highly plastic marine
clay (CH)
3.0 Fig. 2 Soil Profile for Site THDC-Bandra.

~
Dark bluish grey highly plastic
marine clay (CH)
4.0

5.0
~ bepthl Log

~ Loose bluish grey clay with gravels (m) Soil Description

6.0
~ Loose bluish grey clay with soft rock 1.0 ~·:cr.-; Fill
7.0 • ~
rJ,r
Dark brownish grey weathered rock
with quartz spot. ~
~-- Grey black highly plastic clay (CH)

~
8.0 ~. +
~+/1
,. ,.. .... Dark brownish grey weathered rock
with yellow tint & quartz spots

~
9.0 'ly v
10.0
"
~_. ...
...
Bluish grey basalt with .quartz spots

' Bore terminated at 10.09 m.

7.1
8.4
y
., v Dark coloured weathered basalt.

Soil Profile for Site BOI-Belapur. Fig. 4 Soil .Profile for Site A, Bombay.
Fig. 3

237

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 LOAD (TONS)

40 80 120 160 200

0~----~------~------~------
Depth Log Soil Description NCPA - NARIMAN POINT
(m) Pile No. H.IV (1989)
:.()·. -.. -. 0.2
Pile Diameter = 650 mm
•.':~-- Filled up Soil Shaft Length = 6.20 m
GWT..:~t.
Dense yellowish brown fine sand Design Load = 150 T
2.0 :·
-_ -~ ·.
Total Settlement = 1.43 mm
...... Firm to stiff bluish grey marine
4.0 .
..•.
1::... :_
~

clay with sand

0.4
Net Settlement = 0. 11 mm
Rebound 1 • 32 mm
v y Stiff yellowish sandy clay
6.0
v
8.0 \1 Yellowish brown to yellowish
grey fracturetl basalt rock 0.6
v
10.0 ~
v
Yellowish brown to yellowish
12.0
" grey fractured basalt rock.
v E 0.8
v E
14.0 y 1-
v z
LU
16.0 ~ ::'E
1.
v; Bluish grey tuff rock
LU
v· ....1
1-
18.0 \/-)/ 1-
Borehole terminated at 19.67rr LU
.:v '!..' Lr <f)

1.2
Fig. 5 Soil Profile f.or Site RBI-8andra.

1.4

Fig. 6 Routine Pile Load Test tor

Site NCPA - Nariman Point.

LOAD (TONS)
120 160 200 240 D
0 40 80
-4
-~ THDC - Sandra
TP1 (1990)
Pile Dia. = 500 mm

·--~
Pile Length = 9.64 m -3
Pile tip level = 10.64m
·-. from G.L.
Total Settlement = 101.24 mm
Net Settlement = 90.74 mm
Rebound = 10.5 mm E'-2
E
1-
z
~-1
1- LU
z ....1
1-
w 1-
:E LU
'W <f)
....1 180
I-
I-
w
Cfl

287.5 T

* With datum at D
249 T
Fig. 7b Pile Load Test for Site THDC-Bandra.
Fig. 7a Pile Load Test for Site THDC-Bandra.

238
Third International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
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 LOAD (TONS)
120 150 180 210 240 270
0

3
E
E 4
f-
z
UJ 5
::E
UJ
.....!
J-
t;j 6
til

Fig. 7c : Pile Load Test for Site THDC-Sandra.

LOAD (TONS) LOAD (TONS)
96 192 288 360 84 168 252 336

THOC-Bandra THOC - SANDRA

Pile No. 76 ( 1991) Pile - 156 (1991)
Pile Oia = 800mm Pile Dia = 750 mm
Shaft Length = 8. 92 m Shaft Length = 9.06m
2 Depth of Pile = 9. 79 m 1.0 Depth of Pile
below G. L. 9.98m below G.L.
Total Settlement = 10.95 mm Total Settlement =
Net Settlement = 6. 48 mm 5.415 mm
3 Rebound = 4.47 mm Net Settlement = 3. 1mm
= 2.315 mm
4 2.0

5 E
E
E
E
6 ~ 3.0
f- UJ
z ::E
UJ
UJ
.....!
~ 7 f-
f-
.....!
f- UJ
f- til

~ 8 4.0

5.0
10

Fig. 7e Routine Pile Load Test for Site

11
THOC-Bandra.
Fig. 7d Routine Pile Load Test for Site THOC-B.andra.

239
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 -1.65

-1.32 LOAD (TONS)

21.6 4312 64.8 86.4 108
~----L------~-----L--~~-~
-0.99

-0.66 'E o.s

E ~­
~
-0.33
(TONS)

~
200 240 280
0
.
I

0.33 ~ .

·~·------ ~
E
E

1- 0.66
z 2.0 \ lOST
LLJ
=t 0.99 RBI-SANDRA
LLJ
...J Pile No. R3/C4/2 ( 1992)
1-
1- 1.32 Pile Dia = 450 mm
LLJ
(j')
Design Load = 72 T
Total Settlement = 2. 11 mm
1.65 Net Settlement = 0. 55 mm
Rebound = 1 • 56 mm
1.98
Fig. lOb Routine Pile Load Test
for Site RBl-Bandra.

·~·--··-~
2.31

2.64

2.97

287 .5T

Fig. lOa Pile Load Test for Site RBI-Bandra I

Table-1 Construction Features

Reference Construction Details

THDC Bandra No tip zone cleaning, tip zone

TPl (1990) grouting & geofabric lin ell'
Fig. 7a.

Site A, Bombay No bentonite slurry used I

TP2 (1992) Air clean up not effective I
Fig. 9a & 9b. No tip zone grouting
Pile No.79
(1992)
Fig. 9c.

All other pile Use of bentonite slurry

load tests circulation, Air lift clean up,
tip zone grouting, use of
geofabric pile liner.

Note For all piles, bailor boring for soft

strata and chisel boring for hard strata
was used.

241
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