Pile Design Examples To EC7 | https://civilsguide.

com/pile-design-example-to-ec7/

Pile Design Examples To EC7 |

Golden July 23, 2021 Reply

Pile Design to EC7

• Pile Design to EC7
◦ Example 1: Driven pile in Sand
◦ Example 2: Driven pile in soil with water table
◦ Example 3: Driven pile in clay soil with water table

When the top soil is loose or soft, the load of the structure can be transferred to a much
competent layer (hard rock) which can be found much deeper in the soil. This article will go
over examples of single pile design of driven and bored piles.

Example 1: Driven pile in Sand

A concrete pile, 600mm diameter pile was driven into sand to a depth of 20m. The first
10m of soil is loose sand with a density of 16 kN/m3 , followed by 10m of medium dense
sand with a density of 20 kN/m3. The average internal friction is 30 and 35 for the loose
sand and medium sand respectively.

Pile Design Example 1

1 of 6 1/23/2023, 10:47 AM
Pile Design Examples To EC7 | https://civilsguide.com/pile-design-example-to-ec7/

Determine the following:

1. the ultimate bearing capacity of the pile

2. the allowable load with a factor of safety 2.5

Skin resistance of sand = fp = q0Ks tan�

In soil, Ks and � are constant, and q0 linearly increases with the pile depth.

fp = (0.5L�)Kstan�

The ultimate bearing capacity can be determined from the equation below:

Qu = Qdn + Qp

= (Nq x q) AB + (L x �/2 Ks tan �)As

where AB is the base area of the pile, and As the surface area of the pile.

The bearing capacity is defined below:

Qdn = Nq . q . R2. �

For � = 35 and L/d = 20/0.6 = 33.3

Nq = 50 (refer to graph and interpolate to obtain value for Nq)

Effective normal stress at the base is

q = �L = 16 x 10 + 18 x 10 = 340 kN/m2

The bearing capacity is

Qdn = R2 .�Nq.q

=(0.6/2)2 x � x 50 x 340

= 4800 kN

Skin friction

Qp = (L�/2 Ks tan �)(2R.�)L

Ks = 1, � = 2/3� = 23 for � = 35 and 20 for � = 30

The skin resistance force, the load supported by the skin resistance, is

Qp = ((10 x 16)/2 x 1 x tan20 x (2 x 0.6 x �) x 10 +(10 x 18)/2 x 1 x tan23) (2 x 0.6 x �) x 10

= 1270 kN

With a factor of safety 2.5, the allowable load is

Qa = Qu/2.5 = (4800 + 1270)/2..5 = 2428 kN

Example 2: Driven pile in soil with water table

A concrete pile, 450mm diameter pile was driven into sand to a depth of 15m. The first 7m

2 of 6 1/23/2023, 10:47 AM
Pile Design Examples To EC7 | https://civilsguide.com/pile-design-example-to-ec7/

of soil is loose sand with a density of 16 kN/m3 , followed by 7m of medium dense sand
with a density of 20 kN/m3. This was followed by another layer of 1m with a density of 22
kN/m3.

Pile Design Example 2

Assume the following:

1. Pile soil friction is � = 3 / 4

2. Ks = 1.3, Ks = 1.6 and Ks = 1.9 for the layers respectively

Determine the following:

1. the allowable load with a factor of safety 2.5

The ultimate bearing capacity can be determined from the equation below:

Qu = Qdn + Qp

= (Nq x q) AB + (L x �/2 Ks tan �)As

where AB is the base area of the pile, and As the surface area of the pile.

The bearing capacity is defined below:

Qdn = Nq . q . R2. �

For � = 38 and L/d = 15/0.45 = 33.3

3 of 6 1/23/2023, 10:47 AM
Pile Design Examples To EC7 | https://civilsguide.com/pile-design-example-to-ec7/

Nq = 90 (refer to graph and interpolate to obtain value for Nq)

Effective normal stress at the base is

q = (����,� – �� L1 + (����,� – �� L2 (����,� – �� L3

q = �L = 6.19 x 7 + 10.19 x 7 + 12.19 x 1 = 126.85 kN/m2

The bearing capacity is

Qdn = R2 .�Nq.q

=(0.45/2)2 x � x 90 x 160.4

= 2295 kN

Skin friction

Qp = (L�/2 Ks tan �)(2R.�)L

Layer 1

q1 = ((\gamma_{sat1}\) – 9.81) x 3.5 = 21.7 kN/m2

tan � = tan(3�/4) = 0.414

Ks1 = 1.2

Layer 2

q2 = ((\gamma_{sat1}\) – 9.81) x 7 + ((\gamma_{sat2}\) – 9.81) x 3.5 = 79 kN/m2

tan � = tan(3�/4) = 0.493

Ks2 = 1.6

Layer 3

q3 = ((\gamma_{sat1}\) – 9.81) x 7 + ((\gamma_{sat2}\) – 9.81) x 7 + ((\gamma_{sat3}\)

– 9.81) x 0.5 = 121 kN/m2

tan � = tan(3�/4) = 0.543

Ks3 = 1.9

Qp = (7f1 + 7f2 + 1f3)(2R�

= ((7 q1 Ks1 tan \(\delta_{1)\) + (7 q2 Ks2 tan \(\delta_{2)\) + (1 q3 Ks3 tan \(\delta_{3)\) )
x (2R� = 1800 kN

With a factor of safety of 2.5, the allowable load is Qa = (Qdn + Qp)/2.5 = (2295 + 1800)/2.5
= 1638 kN

Example 3: Driven pile in clay soil with water table

A concrete pile, 300mm diameter pile is required to support a load of 250 kN with a factor

4 of 6 1/23/2023, 10:47 AM
Pile Design Examples To EC7 | https://civilsguide.com/pile-design-example-to-ec7/

of safety of 2.5. The soil layer consists of stiff clay c=60 kPa and ���� = 18 kN/m3. The
ground water level is at ground surface. Determine the length of the pile.

Pile Design Example 3

Qu = Qdn + Qp

= (Nq x q) AB + (L x �/2 Ks tan �)As

where AB is the base area of the pile, and As the surface area of the pile.

The bearing capacity is defined below:

Qdn = (Nc . c + Nq .q) x Ad + Qp

= (Nc . c + Nq . L. �). Ad + Qp

Weight of the pile

Wpile = Ad . L.�����

The allowable load

Wallowable = Qu – Wpile

= (Nc . c + Nq . L. � . Ad + Qp – L. ��������� . Ad

Assume the unit weight of the soil and pile is the same.

5 of 6 1/23/2023, 10:47 AM
Pile Design Examples To EC7 | https://civilsguide.com/pile-design-example-to-ec7/

Wallowable = Qu – Wpile

=[Nc.c + (Nq-1).L.�].Ad + Qp

with a factor of safety 2.5,

Qu = Qdn + Qp = 250 x 2.5 = 625 kN

For clay, � = 0, Nc = 9 and Nq = 1, which removes part of the equation.

[Nc . c] Ad + Qp = 625 kN

9 x 60 x (� x 0.32 + Qp = 625 kN

Qp = 625 – 152 = 473 kN

Qp = Qsoil

� . csoil . 2�0.3 x L

For stiff clay, take � = 0.5

Qp = 0.5 x 60 x (1.9 x L)

Qp = 57L = 473 kN

L = 473 / 57 = 8.3m with a factor of safety of 2.5.

6 of 6 1/23/2023, 10:47 AM