The new Eurocode 7 in

Practice: Experience
from first application

Patrick IJnsen BEng, MBA, IEng.

Van ‘t Hek Group, Netherlands

Pile designed from static load tests results
Piles (bored piles, 1.2m in diameter and 15m long)
are required to support the following loads from a
building:

• Characteristic permanent vertical load Gk = 6.0 MN

• Characteristic variable vertical load Qk = 3.2 MN

The design involves determining the number of piles

to support the building. The number of piles is to be
determined on the basis of static pile load tests.

Static pile load tests have been performed on site on

four piles of the same diameter and length as the
chosen piles.

Results of 4 pile load tests

Pile designed from static load tests results
In accordance with 7.6.1.1(3) (of the current code), From the load-settlement graphs for each pile this
settlement of the pile top equal to 10% of the pile gives:
base diameter sg = (10/100) x 1.2 x 103 = 120mm has
been adopted as the "failure" criterion for the piles. Pile 1 Rm = 2.14 MN

Pile 2 Rm = 1.96 MN

Pile 3 Rm = 1.73 MN

Pile 4 Rm = 2.33 MN

Hence the mean and minimum measured pile

resistances are:

(Rm)mean = 2.04 MN

(Rm)min = 1.73 MN
 from Test results to characteristic Resistance
Current EN 1997-1
For 4 load tests, recommended x values are
x1 = 1.10 and x2 = 1.00
Hence the characteristic pile resistance,
Rc;k = Min{2.04/1.1;1.73/1.0} =
Min{1.85;1.73} = 1.73 MN
EN 1997-1:2024
xmean = 1.10 and xmin = 1.00
Hence the characteristic pile resistance,
Rc;k = Min{2.04/1.1;1.73/1.0} =
Min{1.85;1.73} = 1.73 MN
However it is stated in the notes to the table
that the values in the table are based on a
CoV of the data set of 12% or less
This implies the data set should be split to
multiple sets with less variation
From representative to design Resistance
Rd (pile) = RRep /(gRd*gRc)

gRd is a model factor which

is dependent on the
calculation model of choice
gRc is the partial factor on
resistance that we know from
the current code

the table refers to only

one Verification Case VC1,
instead of evaluating
multiple design approaches
From representative to design Resistance
EN 1997-1:2024
Current EN 1997-1
Rd (pile) = RRep /(gRd*gRc)
Design Approach 1,2,3
gRd = 1,0
DA1.C1: A1 “+” M1 “+” R1
gRc = 1,1
DA1.C2: A2 “+” M1 “+” R4
Rd (pile) = 1.73 /(1.0*1.1)=1.57 MN
DA2: A1 “+” M1 “+” R2

DA1.C2 gives:

Rc;d = Rc;k / gt = 1.73 / 1.5 = 1.15 MN

From representative to design actions

partial factor for permanent action is gG=1.35kF

partial factor for variable action is gQ=1.5kF
Assume consequence class as Normal (CC2),
then kF=1.
Hence gG=1.35 and gQ=1.5
From representative to design actions
Current EN 1997-1 EN 1997-1:2024

Design Approach 1,2,3 Design Case 1

gG=1.35
DA1.C1: A1 “+” M1 “+” R1
gF=1.5
DA1.C2: A2 “+” M1 “+” R4 Fc;d = gG Gk + gF Qk =

DA2: A1 “+” M1 “+” R2 1.35 x 6.0 + 1.5 x 3.2 = 12.9 MN

DA1.C2 gives: (same outcome as current code DA1.C1 and DA2)

Fc;d = gG Gk + gQ Qk =

1.0 x 6.0 + 1.3 x 3.2 = 10.2 MN

The final outcome….
Current EN 1997-1 EN 1997-1:2024

Number of piles when following DA1.C2 gives: Number of piles when following new code step by
step:
10.2 MN = n*1.15
12.9 MN = n*1.57
n = 8.9 → 9 piles
n = 8.2 → 9 piles

(Same outcome as Current code DA2)

Conclusions:
• The new Code specifies which Design Case to follow instead of having to evaluate multiple Design Approaches
• There is a new Model Factor for the accuracy of the chosen Design Model, Testing, Calculation by
Model Pile or Ground Model
• The new correlation factors could give slighly more conservative characteristic values > 5 piles
• The note that correlation factors are based on a CoV ≤ 12% implies that the dataset
should be split in datasets with less variation
Pile designed from ground test results
Piles (bored piles, 1.2m in diameter and 15m long) The calculated pile resistance are as follow:
are required to support the following loads from a
building: CPT 1 Rcal = 2.14 MN

• Characteristic permanent vertical load Gk = 6.0 MN CPT 2 Rcal = 1.96 MN

• Characteristic variable vertical load Qk = 3.2 MN
CPT 3 Rcal = 1.73 MN
The design involves determining the number of piles
to support the building. The number of piles is to be CPT 4 Rcal = 2.33 MN
determined on the basis of ground test results for
example CPT’s. Hence the mean and minimum measured pile
resistances are:

(Rcal)mean = 2.04 MN

(Rcal)min = 1.73 MN
 from Test results to characteristic Resistance
Current EN 1997-1 EN 1997-1:2024

For 4 ground tests, recommended x values

are x3 = 1.31 and x4 = 1.20

Hence the characteristic pile resistance,

Rc;k = Min{2.04/1.31;1.73/1.20} =
Min{1.56;1.44} = 1.44 MN
CoV for the full data set is 13%, this means

This implies the data set should be split to

multiple sets with less variation
from Test results to characteristic Resistance
CPT 4 is considered alone with
• (Rcal)min = 2.33 MN
• xmean = xmin = 1.40

Hence Rc;k = 1.66 MN

Assume all CPTS are in a straight line along the site:
CPT 1,2,3 are 1 dataset with CoV = 11%
• (Rcal)mean = 1.94 MN(Rcal)min = 1.73 MN
• xmean = 1.33 and xmin = 1.23
For now, we assume CPT 4 is not in the area
Where the building is foreseen so we continue with
The outcome of dataset CPT 1,2,3

Hence the characteristic pile resistance,

Rc;k = Min{1.94/1.33;1.73/1.23} =
Min{1.46;1.41} = 1.41 MN
From representative to design Resistance
Rd (pile) = RRep /(gRd*gRc)

gRd is a model factor which

is dependent on the
calculation model of choice
gRc is the partial factor on
resistance that we know
from the current code

the table refers to only

one Verification Case VC1,
instead of evaluating
multiple design approaches
From representative to design Resistance
EN 1997-1:2024
Current EN 1997-1
Rd (pile) = RRep /(gRd*gRc)
Design Approach 1,2,3
gRd = 1.1
DA1.C1: A1 “+” M1 “+” R1
gRc = 1.1
DA1.C2: A2 “+” M1 “+” R4
Rd (pile) = 1.41 /(1.1*1.1)=1.16 MN
DA2: A1 “+” M1 “+” R2

DA1.C2 gives:

Rc;d = Rc;k / gt = 1.44 / 1.5 = 0.96 MN

From representative to design actions

partial factor for permanent action is gG=1.35kF

partial factor for variable action is gF=1.5kF
Assume consequence class as Normal (CC2),
then kF=1.
Hence gG=1.35 and gF=1.5
From representative to design actions
Current EN 1997-1 EN 1997-1:2024

Design Approach 1,2,3 Design Case 1

gG=1.35
DA1.C1: A1 “+” M1 “+” R1
gF=1.5
DA1.C2: A2 “+” M1 “+” R4 Fc;d = gG Gk + gF Qk =

DA2: A1 “+” M1 “+” R2 1.35 x 6.0 + 1.5 x 3.2 = 12.9 MN

DA1.C2 gives: (same outcome as current code DA1.C1 and DA2)

Fc;d = gG Gk + gQ Qk =

1.0 x 6.0 + 1.3 x 3.2 = 10.2 MN

The final outcome….
Current EN 1997-1 EN 1997-1:2024

Number of piles when following DA1.C2 gives: Number of piles when following new code step by
step:
10.2 MN = n*0.96
12.9 MN = n*1.16
n = 10.6 → 11 piles
n = 11.1 → 12 piles

Conclusions:
• The new Code specifies which Design Case to follow instead of having to evaluate multiple Design Aproaches
• There is a new Model Factor for the accuracy of the chosen Design Model, Testing, Calculation by
Model Pile or Ground Model
• The new correlation factors could give slighly more conservative characteristic values
• The notes require that of individual datasets shall comply with CoV ≤ 12% if not datasets should be
split into datasets with less variation
What else is new?? Annex C (informative)

And much more very useful

information on actual
calculation methods…..
Thanks for joining us!
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More information
Please contact:
Geert Kraijema
Mail: Geert.kraijema@nen.nl
Phone: +31152690505
Mobile: +31646120495