Negative Skin friction

+∆𝑷

Establishing the neutral plane for a floating pile in consolidating soil (after
Randolph, 2003)
End-bearing pile – substantially stiffer/stronger substratum ( After Ellis and
O’Brien (2012)
Negative skin friction

• When the piles are extended through the fill to the firm strata,
• No friction support can be assumed over length of the shaft passes through
the fill.
• Downward movement of soil causes drag down forces in piles called as
Negative skin friction
• Depends on
• Relative movement between the fill and pile shaft
• Relative movement between any underlying compressible soil and the pile
shaft.
• Elastic compression of the pile shaft under working load
• Rate of consolidation of compressible layers
Clay Fill over Granular Soil

Similar to 𝛽 − 𝑀𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

Example 1

• Calculate the working load of a bored pile, 500 mm in diameter,

having a total length of 30m passing through 10 m of cohesion less
loose fill underlain by a stiff clay layer.

Unit weight of the loose fill 12 kN/m3

Saturated unit weight of the clay 18 kN/m3
Angle of friction between the fill and the pile 200
Effective angle of the loose fill 220
Coefficient of lateral earth pressure in loose fill – 0.5
Undrained shear strength of the stiif clay – 100 kPa
Adhesion factor ( between clay and concrete) – 0.4
Granular Soil Fill over Clay
Distribution of negative skin friction on piles terminated on relatively incompressible
stratum (a) No load on pile head (b) Compressive load on pile head (c) Design curve for
loaded pile.
Distribution of negative skin friction on pile driven through recent fill into
compressible clay stratum.
Distribution of negative skin friction on pile
driven through recent fill into
compressible clay stratum.
Methods to reduce NSF

• Applying coating with less frictional material over the depth where
negative skin friction is anticipated
• Double casings can be used for bored piers
• by placing in-situ concrete only in the lower part of the pile within
the bearing stratum and using a precast concrete element
surrounded by a bentonite slurry within the fill
• Increase the penetration into the bearing stratum thereby increasing
the pile capacity to carry the combined loading
• Drive the piles before placing the fill, wrap the exposed portions with
lubricated polyethylene sheets. Ten place fill around the pile
• Use a larger diameter pile tip when compared to the shaft diameter.,
thus making larger a as the pile is driven.