FOUNDATION ENGINEERING

Bearing Capacity Calculation

PILE Foundations
Piles are used to transfer the load to deeper, more stable layers of soil.

Pile Types

1. Displacement Piles

Displacement piles fall into two categories, large displacement piles and small displacement
piles. Generally, displacement piles are load-bearing columns designed to be installed without spoil
material (soil that’s removed from the ground)

The four main types of large displacement piles are timber piles, precast concrete piles
(including reinforced and prestressed concrete piles), closed end steel pipe piles, and jacked down solid
concrete piles.

The five main types of small displacement piles are tubular concrete piles, H-piles, open end
pipe piles, thin shell type piles, and jacked down hollow concrete cylinders.
2. Non Displacement Piles
Non displacement piles come in the following types.

o Steel casing is withdrawn after concreting (alpha piles, delta piles, Frankie piles, Vibrex
piles).
o Continuous flight auger drilling and concrete placement (with or without
reinforcements).
o Auguring a hole and placing a thin shell and concreting.
o Drilling or auguring a hole and placing concrete blocks inside the hole.
PILE Design for Sand
A modified version of the Terzaghi bearing capacity equation is widely used for pile design. The
third term, or the density term, in the Terzaghi bearing capacity equation is negligible in piles and hence
usually ignored. The lateral earth pressure coefficient, K, is introduced to compute the skin friction of
piles.

Where:

Pultimate = ultimate pile capacity

σt’ = effective stress at the tip of the pile

Nq = bearing factor coefficient

A = cross sectional area of the pile at the tip

K = lateral earth pressure coefficient

σv’ = effective stress at the perimeter of the pile (r v varies with depth; usually, the cr v
value at the midpoint of the pile is obtained)

tan δ = friction angle between pile and soil

Ap = perimeter area of the pile

Example Computation
This example covers a single pile in a uniform sand layer for the case where groundwater is
present. The diameter of the round steel pipe pile is 0.5 m and it is 10m long. The pile is driven into a
sandy soil stratum as shown. Compute the ultimate bearing capacity of the pile. Assume factor of safety
of 3.0

Solution:
1. Compute for the end bearing capacity

= σt’ x Nq x A

σt’= (17.3 kN/m3) (10m) – (9.81kN/m3)(7m)= 104.3 kN/m2

Nq = 21

A = πd2/4 = (3.14)(0.5m)2/4 = 0.20 m2

End Bearing Cap. = σt’ x Nq x A = (104.3 kN/m2) (21)(0.20) = 438 kN

2. Compute for Skin Friction

Skin Friction from pt. A to B

= K x σv’ x tan δ x Ap

K = since K = 1.0-1.5 , use K = 1.25

σv’(midpoint)= (17.3kN/m3)( 1.5m) = 25.95 kN/m2

δ = 20o
 Ap = π d x L = (3.14)(0.5m)(3m) = 4.71m2

Skin Friction (A to B) = K x σv’ x tan δ x Ap = (1.25)(25.95 kN/m2)(tan 20o)(4.71m2)

= 55.61kN

Skin Friction from pt. B to C : ( K = 1.25, δ = 20o)

σv’(midpoint)= (17.3kN/m3) ( 3m) + (17.3kN/m3)( 3.5m) – (9.81kN/m 3)(3.5m)

= 78.11 kN/m2

Ap = π d x L = (3.14)(0.5m)(7m) = 10.99 m2

Skin Friction (B to C) = K x σv’ x tan δ x Ap = (1.25)(78.11 kN/m2)(tan 20o)(10.99m2)

= 390.55 kN

Pultimate = 438kN + 55.61 kN + 390.55= 884.16 kN

Pallowable = 884.16 / 3.0 = 294.72 kN
Pile Design for Clays
To compute the total load that can be applied to a pile, one needs to compute the end bearing
and the skin friction acting on the sides of the pile. The modified Terzaghi bearing capacity equation is
used to find the pile capacity.

Where:

Pu = ultimate pile capacity =

Qu = ultimate end bearing capacity = 9 x c x Ac

Su = ultimate skin friction = α x c x Ap

c = cohesion of the soil

Ac = cross-sectional area of the pile
Ap = perimeter surface area of the pile

α = adhesion factor between pile and soil

Example Computation:
Find the capacity of the concrete pile shown. The length of the pile is 10 m, and the
diameter of the pile is 0.5 m. The cohesion of the soil is found to be 50 kN/m 2. Assume factor
of safety of 3.0 for the allowable bearing capacity

Solution:
Compute for the end bearing capacity = Qu = 9 x c x Ac
c = 50 kN/m2
Ac = π (0.5)2/4 = 0.196m2
Qu = 9 (50 kN/m2)(0.196 m2) = 88.2 kN

Compute for the skin friction = Su = α x c x Ap

α = 0.75
 c = 50 kN/m2
Ap = π (0.5m)( 10m) = 15.7 m2

Su = (0.75)( 50 kN/m2)(15.7 m2)= 588.75 kN

Compute for ultimate bearing capacity, Pu = Qu + Su

Pu = 88.2 kN + 588.75 kN = 676.95 kN

Compute for the allowable bearing capacity, Pallow = Pult/ FS

Pallow = 676.95/3.0 = 225.65 kN
Example Computation:
Find the allowable capacity of the concrete pile shown. The pile diameter is given as 1
m and the cohesion of the clay layer is 35 kPa. The groundwater level is 2 m below the surface.
Find the allowable capacity of the pile. Use factor of safety = 3.0

Solution:
Compute for the end bearing capacity = Qu = 9 x c x Ac
c = 35 kN/m2
Ac = π (1.0m )2/4 = 0.785m2
Qu = 9 (35 kN/m2)(0.785 m2) = 247.27 kN

Compute for the skin friction = Su = α x c x Ap

α = 0.96
 c = 35 kN/m2
Ap = π (1.0m)( 12m) = 37.7 m2

Su = (0.96)( 35 kN/m2)(37.7 m2)= 1266.72 kN

Compute for ultimate bearing capacity, Pu = Qu + Su

Pu = 247.27 kN + 1266.72 kN = 1513.99 kN

Compute for the allowable bearing capacity, Pallow = Pult/ FS

Pallow = 1513.99/3.0 = 504.66 kN

Pile Capacity using( SPT Correlation)

Meyerhoff Equations ( for sand)

Meyerhoff Modified End Bearing Capacity

qult = ultimate point resistance of driven piles (tsf)

N = standard penetration resistance (blows/if) near pile tip
CN = 0.77 log ( 20/p)
p = effective overburden stress at pile tip (tsf)
The effective stress p should be more than 500 psf. It is very rare for effective
overburden stress at the pile tip to be less than 500 psf.
D = depth driven into granular (sandy) bearing stratum (ft)
B = width or diameter of the pile (ft)
 q1 -limiting point resistance (tsf), equal to 4N for sand and 3N for silt
Note: the maximum allowable tip/end resistance is equal to 4N, in tsf

Meyerhoff Equations for Skin Friction

f = unit skin friction (tsf)

N = average SPT (N) value along the pile

Example Computation:
Find the tip resistance and skin friction of the 2 ft (0.609 m) diameter pile shown using
the Meyerhoff equation. The SPT (N) value at the pile tip is 25 blows per foot and the average
SPT (N) value along the shaft is 15 blows per foot. Determine the allowable bearing of the pile
using the FS=3.0

Solution:
Compute for the end/tip resistance for fine sand
qult =0.35 CN x N x D/B (tsf)
N = 25 blows per foot
D = 32 ft
 B = 2 ft
CN = 0.77 log(20/p) (p in tsf)
p = (110pcf)(5ft) + (32ft)(115pcf) = 4230 psf or 2.11 tsf
CN = 0.77 log (20/2.11tsf) = 0.752 tsf
qult = (0.35)(0.752 tsf)(25)(32ft/2ft)= 105.14 tsf
qallow = 4 x N = 4 x 25 = 100, therefore the ultimate tip/end resistance is 100 tsf
Pend = (qallow) ( Ap) = (100 tsf)(π(2ft)2/4) = 314 tons

Compute for the skin friction, f

f = 𝑁 54 ( fine sand)

f = 15 54 = 0.28 tsf

Pskin =( f )(πd)(L) = (0.28 tsf)(3.14)(2ft)(32ft) = 56.27 tsf

Pult = Pend + Pskin = (314 tons) + ( 56.27 tons) = 370.27 tons

Pallow = Pult/FS = 370.27/3.0 = 123.42 tons or 1210 kN

End Bearing Capacity for Clay Soils (SPT Correlations)

Where:

c = 0.20 ( Martin, 1987et.al)

= 0.15 (Shioi and Fukui, 1982)
N = SPT value at pile tip
 Foundation Engineering Exercise No. 4 (Pile Bearing Capacity)
Direction: Answer the following questions, please write your solutions on the space provided and
encircle your final answer. Submit thru our MS Teams on the Assignment tab.
Name_________________________________________________ Course/Yr/Section ______________

1. The diameter of the round steel pipe pile is 0.5 m (1.64ft), and it is 10m (32.8 ft) long. The pile is
driven into a sandy soil stratum as shown. Compute the ultimate bearing capacity and allowable bearing
capacity. Use FS=3.0
References:
1. Foundation Analysis and Design by Joseph E. Bowles 5 th edition, Mc Graw Hill
2. Geotechnical Engineering Calculations and Rules of Thumb by Ruwan Rajapakse
3. Fundamentals of Geotechnical Engineering by Braja M. Das, Cengage
4. Essential of Soil Mechanics and Foundations 7th Edition by David F. McCarthy, Pearson