A review of requirements on ground

investigation and pile load test for

foundation piles in Singapore

Er. Dr Yet Nai Song

Deputy Director 
Building & Construction Authority
BE seminar, 30 Sep 0!"
Joint BCA / IES
I ES / ACES / GEOSS Circular 2016
Joint BCA / IES
I ES / ACES / GEOSS Circular 2016
 Outline of presentation
Review of ground investigation
! requirement


 Review of pile load test requirement

3 The Use of Rapid Load Test

#
# Quality control test on bored piles

$ Design and construction of bored piles

 Hello How are
Why a review of
you?
requirement is
necessary?
 BCA/IES/ACES advisory note 1/03
on site investigation and load test

• Issued in Aug 2003 in consultation with IES / ACES

• Used in conjunction with CP4:2003
• Cover buildings of 10 storeys and above
• Most QP have also adopted it for buildings of less
than 10 storeys
• Has served Singapore well
BCA/IES/ACES Advisory note 1/03
on site investigation & load test
 BCA/IES/ACES Advisory Note 1/03

Ground investigation requirement

for foundation of buildings of 10-storeys and above

Number
&
Spacing

Depth
 BCA/IES/ACES Advisory Note 1/03
Pile Load test requirement
for foundation of buildings of 10-storeys and above

Load test &

integrity test
 Why a review of requirement for
foundation piles is necessary?

• Migration from BS code to Eurocode has significant implication on

foundation pile design & execution.

• Eurocode 7 assumes that structures are designed by appropriately

qualified and experienced personnel. EN1997-1 Cl 1.3(2)

• Eurocode 7 assumes that execution of geotechnical work is carried

out according to standards & specification by personnel having
appropriate skill and experience. EN1997-1 Cl 1.3(2)

• These assumptions need to be considered by designer and client.

EN1997-1 Cl 1.3(3)
 Why a review of requirement for
foundation piles is necessary?

• Eurocode 7 is less prescriptive.

• It provides greater room for pile designers to

exercise engineering judgement in selecting
partial factors for geotechnical design.
 8 possible designs using alternative procedure
under DA1-2

Design 1 Design 2 Design 3 Design 4

Model factor 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.4
Partial resistance 1.4 1.6 1.4 1.6
factors (γs, γb)
1.7 2.0 1.7 2.0
Overall safety factor
(approx.)
2.05 2.38 2.39 2.77

Design 5 Design 6 Design 7 Design 8

Model factor 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.4
Partial resistance 1.7 2.0 1.7 2.0
factors (γt)
Overall safety factor
(approx.)
2.24 2.64 2.62 3.08

• Overall geotechnical safety factor could be lower,

as compared to CP4 !

11
 8 possible designs using alternative procedure
under DA1-2
Design 1 Design 2 Design 3 Design 4
Model factor 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.4
Partial resistance 1.3 1.5 1.3 1.5
factors (γs, γb)
1.5 1.7 1.5 1.7
Overall safety factor
(approx.)
1.85 2.11 2.16 2.46

Design 5 Design 6 Design 7 Design 8

Model factor 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.4
Partial resistance 1.5 1.7 1.5 1.7
factors (γt)
Overall safety factor
(approx.)
1.98 2.24 2.31 2.62

• Overall geotechnical safety factor could be lower,

as compared to CP4 !

12
Illustration
Fc;d
• 1 m diameter bored pile is subject to axial
compression load, with :

Gk=4000 kN, Qk=1000 kN.

qs,1,k
• The pile penetrates through 14m thick soil with
(50 kPa) characteristic unit skin friction of 50 kPa, and
L1
founded in firm stratum with :
(14m)
Characteristic unit skin friction = 200 kPa ;
Characteristic unit end bearing = 7 MPa.

L2
qs,2,k
(200 kPa) Find required pile penetration depth using:
a) CP4

a) EC7 - Alternative procedure

qb,k
(7 MPa)
 EC7 vs CP4 – A comparison of results
EC 7 : DA1-2 Alternative procedure CP4
Design 1 Design 2 Design 3 Design 4 FOS=2.5
(FOS=2.05) (FOS=2.38) (FOS=2.39) (FOS=2.77)

Partial factors MF 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.4

γs, γb
R4 1.4, 1.7 1.6, 2.0 1.4, 1.7 1.6, 2.0
Overdesign 1.002 1.081 1.07 1.032
factor
Design pile
depth
17.5m 21m 21m 23m 22m

If 1 ULT and 1%(ULT+WLT) If no pile load test ULT and WLT are
are carried out usually carried out
are carried out

In this example, if design 1 is adopted, there is 20% shorter penetration length

as compared to design using CP4. 14
Concern on migration to Eurocodes
• There is a possibility of pile designed with
smaller overall geotechnical safety factor, and
yet without adequate provision of pile load test
for verification.

• And if this is unfortunately coupled with bad

workmanship, constructed piles may not be able
to satisfy design intent.
 Considerations in review
• Review taking into consideration:

 – Old BCA/IES/ACES advisory note 1/03

 – Recommendations in Eurocode 7

 – GEOSS guideline “Guides on ground investigation and geotechnical

characteristic values to Eurocode 7” issued on 24 Apr 2015

• In close collaboration with IES, ACES, GEOSS

• HDB, LTA consulted

 (1)
Hello How are
Review
you? of
Ground
Investigation
 For buildings of 10-storeys or more
• Minimum number of boreholes

 – 1 per 300m2,

 – 2 per block,

 – 3 per site

• Spacing of boreholes

 – Between 10m to 30m apart

• Minimum depth of borehole

the deeper of:

 – 5 m into hard stratum with SPT ≥ 100, and

 – 3 pile diameters beyond intended pile depth

 For buildings of 5 to 9-storey with
footprint bigger than 100m 2
• Minimum number of boreholes

 – 1 per block

 – 2 per site

• Spacing of boreholes

 – Between 15m to 40m apart

• Minimum depth of borehole

The deeper of :

 – 5 m into hard stratum with SPT ≥ 100

 – 3 pile diameters beyond intended pile depth.

 Complex geology
“The ground is full of surprises for the unwary.” Karl Terzaghi 

Boulders

FCBB
Cavity

 3  
 5 
m

20
Steeply inclined bedrock

Almost 45º bedrock

slope

21
 Hello (2)
How are
Review
you? of Pile
Load Tests
 BCA/IES/ACES Advisory note 1/03
on site investigation & load test
Pile Load Tests for buildings of 10-storey or more
 Joint BCA/IES/ACES/GEOSS
BCA/IES/ACES/GEOSS Circular 2016
For buildings of 10-storeys or more
• Requ
Requir
irem
emen
ents
ts on pil
pile
e load
load tes
testt & int
integ
egri
rity
ty tes
tests
ts are
are maintained
maintained..
Table 1
Type of Pile Tests Pile test schedule
(a) Ultimate Load test (ULT) 1 number or 0.5% of piles, whichever is
greater

(b) Working Load test (WLT) 2 numbers

numbers or 1% of piles
piles,, whicheve
whicheverr is
greater
(c) Non-destructive Integrity 2 number or 2% of piles, whichever is
tests (High-strain dynamic greater
test or sonic logging test)
 Joint BCA/IES/ACES/GEOSS
BCA/IES/ACES/GEOSS Circular 2016

For buildin
buildings
gs of 5 to 9 storeys
storeys with footprin larger than 100 m2
footprintt larger

Table 2
Type of Load Test Pile Test Schedule

Working Load Test 1 number or 0.5% of the total number of working

piles, whiche
chever is greater.

QP to determine the minimum number of ultimate load

tests and integrity test required for verification of pile
design and capacity for their projects.
.
 Eurocode to take precedence
• Clause 2.2 Eurocodes and Singapore National Annex
are to take precedence if they impose more onerous
requirement on pile testing than Table 1 or Table 2.

• For example, BS EN 14199:2015 section 9.3.2.3

requires drilled micropile to be subject to a higher
percentage of static load test.
 Load test
• Clause 2.3 Pile load test should be carried out by
maintained loads. Pile load should be measured by both
a calibrated load gauge and a calibrated pressure
gauge.
 Calibration of devices for pile load tests

EN 1997-1:2004 Cl 7.5.2.1(2)
• Devices for determination of loads, stresses,
strains and displacements should be calibrated
prior to the test.

28
 Sonic Logging test
• Also known as Ultrasonic
Crosshole Testing, Crosshole
sonic logging

• To detect pile defects such as soil

intrusion, necking, sand lenses,
voids etc, and to detect the extent,
nature and depth of these defects
 Sonic Logging test

• Clause 2.4 Selected test piles

shall be constructed in a manner
representative of all working
piles.

• ASTM D6760-08 - one duct per

0.25m to 0.3m pile diameter,
with minimum of 3 access ducts
per pile
 Supervision of Load test

• Clause 2.5 QP shall submit

Certificate of Supervision on Pile
Load test for every pile load test
conducted (Piling Annex B).

 – To be submitted within 28 days

upon completion of load test
 Certificate of supervision of
pile load test (Piling Annex B)

• QP supervising pile load

test shall submit Piling
Annex B
 – Declaring that they have
inspected test equipment
to be functional and
properly calibrated
 Allowable settlement for pile load test
• Clause 2.6 Allowable settlement should
be the same as SS CP4:2003.

• Working load test should be carried out to a

minimum 1.5 times or 2 times characteristic load
acting on the pile, with allowable maximum
settlement at pile top generally not exceeding
15 mm or 25 mm respectively.
 Hello How
(3) are
you?
The use of rapid
load test
 What is Rapid Load ?
• ISO 22477-10 : 2016 Clause 3.1.5 • ASTM 7383-08 Cl 3.2.4 Force
Rapid load - force applied to the pile pulse shall exceed preload for
in a continuously increasing and then a duration of at least 12 times
decreasing manner (typically less the pile length (L) divided by
than 1s) which causes the pile to stress wave speed ( c).
compress over full length and
translate as a unit during full loading
period

• Test duration is typically 200 ms.

 Static load test using maintained loads

SS CP4 Cl 7.5.5.4
Limiting rate of movement = 0.25
mm/hr

Typically 4 - 6 days

A maintained load test may take 4-6 days, with each load increment 36
maintained for a duration till a limiting rate of movement is reached.
 Use of Rapid Load Test

• Clause 3.1 QP can propose to use rapid load test to verify

capacities of working piles, provided that:

 – QP have full understanding of limitation of rapid load test

 – QP have adequately addressed these limitations

• QP should ensure that competent personnel are involved in

conducting the test and interpreting the test results.

• Due engineering allowance should be made to account for

time-dependent creep effect and loading rate effect.
 For buildings of 10-storeys or more

• Clause 3.2 Conditions for partial replacement of static

load test with Rapid load test

 – Rapid load test should be calibrated against a static

maintained load test on the same site

 – Replacement with rapid load test should be limited to

50% of pile working load tests.
Why calibration is needed of rapid load test?

1. Rapid load test is not static load test and do not have
the same degree of reliability and precision as static
load test using maintained load.

2. Loading duration on pile is too short for settlement

equilibrium to be reached for any load increment.

3. Results of the load test are not direct and require

interpretation by competent and experienced
personnel.

39
 Reduction factor

ASTM D7383-08 ISO/FDIS 22477-10 Cl 4.1

• .. a reduction factor to account for
• Force applied to pile head during
additional load resistance due to a rapid load test for measuring
faster rate of loading. ultimate bearing capacity may
exceed pile design compressive
• Reduction factor can be 2 for static resistance by a factor of 2
clayey soil, in European to 3 due to soil specific rate
experience effect.

40
 Use of Rapid Load Test
BS 8004:2015
 Example of calibration test
Statrapid (3/3/2014) Static load test (24/3/2014)
Settlement at 1xWL 3.7mm 3.9mm
Settlement at 2xWL 9.5mm 7.9mm

Pile diameter 800mm

Working load 3770kN
Depth = 33m

42
Statrapid Static
 Hello (4)
How are
you?
Quality control test
on bored piles
 Why Quality Control Tests ?

• Execution conditions and workmanship of

bored piles affects design.

• Quality control test will assist bored pile

designer to assess and verify the
appropriateness of design parameters chosen.
 Problems with bored piles Changing level of
stabilizing fluid

• Soft toe – due to pile

bore stability problem, Temp Steel Casing
due to improper base
Stabilizing fluid
cleaning, contaminated
stabilizing fluid Soft soil
Zone of
Potential Soil
• Concrete quality – due collapse
concern

to improper concreting
method, collapse of
unstable pile bore due
Competent Soil
to inadequate bore layer
support
Soil debris
 Defects of bored pile
• Defects of bored piles can affect pile structural integrity and
their load carrying capacity.

Loss of continuity along pile length

Defective concrete, segregation

Cavity within piles, incomplete pile

section
Inclusion of foreign particles

Soft toe
 Execution will affect design

Design Execution

BS EN 1536:2010 Clause 7.1.2

Bored pile design shall take into

account the construction conditions.
 Quality Control Tests on bored piles
• For bored piles supporting buildings of 10-storeys or more, recommended
quality control tests are as in Table 3 below.

Quality Control Test Recommended test schedule

(a) Interface coring test 5% of total number of piles, but may be reduced to
at pile base 2% if base grouting is carried out.

Applicable for piles using characteristic unit bearing

resistance qb;k > 10 MPa in design

(b) Concrete core test 5 % of total number of piles,

below pile cut-off-level
Applicable for piles designed using :
(i) characteristic concrete cube strength fcu > 40 MPa
and
(ii) concrete compressive stress under working
condition > 7.5 MPa.
 Quality Control Tests on bored piles
• For bored piles supporting buildings of 10-storeys or more, recommended
quality control tests are as in Table 3 below.
Quality Control Test Recommended test schedule
(c) Pile Profile Test 100% of working piles with Φ >1.8m, which either

(to assess verticality and (i) have no steel casing going through soft or loose
shapes of pile bore prior soil layer during construction
to concreting) or
(ii) have no redundancy*.
e.g. Koden, SoniCaliper
For piles ≤1.8m, QP shall determine the
number of pile profile tests needed.

*Redundancy can be provided by having more than

one pile to support a single column
or
having tie beams in 2 directions joining individual
pilecaps together
or
having integrated pilecap with base slab.
 Interface coring test

• Core drilling at concrete / rock interface inside

reservation tube (normally from 1m above
interface to 1 m below the interface)
• To ascertain soundness of interface at pile base

50
 Why concrete core test on bored pile ?
• If adopting fcd,pile = 0.3636 fck in structural design for lightly reinforced bored pile
using EC2, minimum characteristic concrete cube strength f cu of 40 MPa is
required to achieve allowable stress of 7.5 MPa.

Concrete C25 C30 C37 C40 C45 C50 C55

grade, fcu

CP4 6.2 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5

EC2 4.7 5.6 6.9 7.5 8.4 9.3 10.3

0.3636fck

Use of higher concrete grade in design using EC2 can

result in larger compressive stress acting on bored pile,
as compared to CP4.
 Concrete core test

• With no compaction during bored pile concreting,

soil acting as formwork, possible soil inclusion in
pile, the concern is “Can the high design strength
of concrete used in design be achieved at site ?”

• Concrete core test can help to address this

concern when larger compressive stress is
used.
 Why Pile Profile test ?
To assess verticality and shapes of pile bore
prior to concreting of bore pile.

Example of pile profile test : Koden test

• KODEN test utilizes principle of ultrasonic wave travel from sensor to
pile shaft and reflect to the sensor through the bentonite slurry.
• Emission/reception of signal is carried out in 2 directions (X-X, Y-Y).
 Pile Profile test
Example of pile profile test : SoniCaliper
 – can provide 3-dimensional model of excavated pile shaft
 (5)
Hello How are
Design
you? and
construction of
bored pile
 Ultimate test pile should be
representative of working piles
• Clause 5.1 Supervising QP, site supervisors and builders are to ensure
that working piles are installed using :

 – same method of construction as ultimate test pile;

 – workmanship no less inferior than ultimate test pile.

• Ultimate test pile shall NOT be constructed under more favourable

condition than working piles.

EC7-1 Clause 7.6.2.2

Avoid over-reliance on pile base resistance

• Clause 5.2 Characteristic shaft resistance of

bored piles should not be less than 1.3 times
characteristic load acting on them.
 – unless method of enhancing the pile base
resistance is employed at site (like base grouting
technique), verified by testing (like interface coring).

Rs,k ≥ 1.3 (Gk + Qk)

 Lateral force acting on pile
• Clause 5.3 Bored piles shall not be constructed
without any steel reinforcement.

• Bored pile should be designed for lateral force

acting on them during construction and long term
conditions.

• Reinforcement of bored piles should go beyond

any soft or loose soil layer.
 What is Soft soil ?
EN ISO 14688-2:2004
 What is Loose soil ?
EN ISO 14688-2:2004
 Execution of bored pile
EN 1536:2010

7.1.2 Bored piles design shall

take into account construction
tolerances given in 8.1 and the
execution conditions as set in
Clause 8. Soft clay

7.1.7 A bored pile should be

reinforced over any length of soft
or loose soil.
Competent soil
layer or bedrock

61
 Lesson learnt

BS EN 1536:2010 Clause 7.1.7

When bore piles penetrate through soft or

loose soil to embed in firm soil stratum,
reinforcement should be reinforced over
this soil layer.

62
Proposed changes in forms
relating to specialist builder
 NEW CHANGES TO PERMIT, NOTIFICATION OF BUILDER FORM AND BUILDER CERTIFICATE (BC) FORMS

1. Revised BCA-BE-Pe!i" #$$%i&#"i' '!

SECTION F . DECLARATION B* BUILDER

i. General Builder to declare types of

specialist building works undertaken by
him (if he also holds a Specialist Builder
license for the works)

• Ground support and stabilization works

• Piling works
• Pre-cast concrete works
• Site n!estigation works
• n-situ post-tensioning works
• Structural steelworks

ii. For the specialist building works which the General Builder is not the
Specialist Builder, he will need to declare that Specialist Builder(s) will be
appointed to carry out the specialist building works.
 NEW CHANGES TO PERMIT, NOTIFICATION OF BUILDER FORM AND BUILDER CERTIFICATE (BC) FORMS

Revised BCA-BE- Bi%de-A$$'i"!e" '! SECTION C . APPOINTMENT OF BUILDER B*

BUILDER
ii. Builder  to notify #B# on the Specialist
SECTION B . APPOINTMENT OF BUILDER B* Builders appointed by him
DE+ELOPER
i. "e!eloper  to notify #B# on the Specialist
Builders appointed by him
NEW CHANGES TO PERMIT, NOTIFICATION OF BUILDER FORM AND BUILDER CERTIFICATE (BC) FORMS

. Revised BCA-BE- Bi%de-A$$'i"!e" '!

SECTION D . DECLARATION B* SPECIALIST

BUILDER

i. Specialist Builder to declare that his

works will be carried out in accordance
with B# $ct notwithstanding that he
ha!e sub-contracted all or part of the
specialist building works
NEW CHANGES TO PERMIT, NOTIFICATION OF BUILDER FORM AND BUILDER CERTIFICATE (BC) FORMS

/. Revised BCA-BE- Bi%de-Te!i#"i' '!

SECTION B. TERMINATION OF GENERAL

BUILDERSPECIALIST BUILDER B* DE+ELOPERBUILDER

i. "e!eloper%Builder to notify #B# on the

termination of his General Builder and Specialist
Builder 

SECTION C. NOTIFICATION ON TERMINATION OF

APPOINTMENT BUILDER
i. General builder%Specialist Builder to notify #B#
on the ceasing of duties
NEW CHANGES TO PERMIT, NOTIFICATION OF BUILDER FORM AND BUILDER CERTIFICATE (BC) FORMS

0. Addi"i' ' Bi%de Ce"ii&#"e (BC) ' S$e&i#%is" Bi%de 

i. Specialist Builder to declare that he has e&ecuted the following specialist building
works in accordance with the plans as supplied by the 'ualified Person(s) and in
accordance with all the pro!isions in the $ct and egulations
 A comparison of the OLD with the NEW
Items New Old
Circular advisory
2016 note 2003
1. Site investigation (10-storeys or more) √ √
1. Site investigation (5 to 9 storeys) √
2. Pile load test & integrity test (10-storeys or more) √ √
2. Pile load test & integrity test (5 to 9 storeys) √
3. The use of rapid load test √
4. Quality control tests on bored piles (10-storey or more) √
5. Design and construction of bored piles √
 Summarising remark
• Since July 2015, BCA has engaged IES, ACES and GEOSS to work
on a joint circular on requirements of piled foundation, covering:
 Ground investigation
 Load test & integrity test
 Use of Rapid load test
 Quality Control tests for bored piles
 Design and construction of bored piles
• The working group on the joint circular has taken into consideration
the following:
 – Eurocodes
 – CP4
 – BCA/IES/ACES advisory note 1/03
 – GEOSS guidelines
 – Current industry practice
 Summarising remark

The joint circular will take effect on

projects where ST01 is submitted on
and after 1 April 2017, and shall
supersede Advisory Note 1/03.

The requirements shall be complied

when making submissions of
structural plans to CBC for approval.