Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Behaviour of Instrumented Hollow Auger Pile Groups in Sandy Soil

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Hollow auger piles are a new solution technique being used more often in recent years as a foundation for buildings of 15 floors or less in the coastal region of João Pessoa, Brazil. Designed on “piled raft” type systems, the hollow auger substitutes well the traditional soil improvement solution with compaction piles, in which the ground vibration, inherent to the pile driver process, is no longer admissible in densely populated areas of the city. Hence, this paper addresses the in-situ behavior of this new pile technique in foundation groups of hollow auger piles in a sandy soil deposit, typical of the region. The analyses are based on load tests performed in the actual-size foundations, also scarce for this foundation type. The results indicate that the efficiency factors (η) of the pile groups is greater than one and close to typical values in the geotechnical literature for sandy soils. For the 2-piled group, η varied between 1.10 and 1.33. For the 4-piled group, η varied between 1.05 and 1.25. Settlement ratios (Rs) found experimentally show that the effects of the interaction are more intense at the group with more piles. The results obtained for Rs were 1.08 and 2.01, for 2-piled group and 4-piled group, respectively. The distribution of a load on a pile is analyzed using instrumentation with strain gages, allowing the perception of the division of loads between the shaft and tip. The analyses carried out through the laws of Cambefort show that the average unit lateral friction is fully mobilized and reached a maximum value of 52 kPa, corresponding to a settlement of 18.7 mm. The bearing pressure of the tip was not fully mobilized and reached a value of 5531 kPa, equivalent to a displacement of 83.5 mm.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

adapted from Vesic 1969)

Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

adapted from Mandolini et al. (2005)

Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
Fig. 21
Fig. 22
Fig. 23

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

Agp :

Cross-sectional area of the group of piles

d:

Diameter of pile

e :

Exponent to calculate the efficiency μ; void ratio Table 1

n :

Number of piles

Kp :

Pile group stiffness

Kp1 :

Single pile stiffness

N:

Standard penetration resistance of SPT

P1 :

Ultimate load capacity of pile

Pal :

Allowable load

Palav :

Allowable average load per pile

Pρ :

Settlement load

PB :

Ultimate load capacity of block

PI:

Plasticity index

Q:

Extrapolated failure load

Qal :

Allowable load

Qadav :

Allowable average load per pile

Qav :

Extrapolated average load

QP :

Bearing capacity of pile

QPG :

Bearing capacity of pile group

R:

Aspect ratio

RG :

Reduction factor

Rs :

Settlement ratio

Rsµ :

Settlement ratio according to efficiency µ

s:

Pile spacing

w:

Exponent to calculate the settlement ratio; water content in Table 1

wL :

Liquid limit

wP :

Plastic limit

γs :

Unit weight of solid particles

μ:

Efficiency to assess the effects of interaction between piles

η:

Efficiency factor of pile group

ρPG :

Settlement of pile group

ρs :

Settlement of isolated pile

References

  • Al-Khazaali M, Vanapalli SK (2019) Experimental investigation of single model pile and pile group behavior in saturated and unsaturated sand. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0002176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aoki N (1976) Considerations for load capacity of isolated piles. University Extension Course in Foundation Engineering. Gama Filho University, Rio de Janeiro (in Portuguese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Aoki N, Velloso DA (1975) An approximate method to estimate the bearing capacity of piles. In: Proceedings of V Panamerican conference on soil mechanics and foundations engineering, Buenos Aires, vol 1, pp 367–376

  • Barnes G (2010) Soil mechanics: principles and practice, 3rd edn. Palgrave Macmillan, London. ISBN 9780230579804.

  • Bhartiya P, Chakraborty T, Basu D (2020) Settlement estimation of piled rafts for initial design. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0002195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bodó B, Jones C (2013) Introduction to soil mechanics, 1st edn. Wiley, New York. ISBN 9780470659434

  • Budhu M (2008) Foundations and earth retaining structures, 1st edn. Wiley, New York. ISBN 9780471470120

  • Cambefort H (1964) Essai sur le comportement em terrain homogéne des pieux isolés et des groupes de pieux. In: Institut Technique du Batiment et des Travaux Publics. Paris. Annales. n. 204, pp 1478–1517

  • Chin FK (1970) Estimation of the ultimate load of piles no carried to failure. In: Proceedings of the 2nd Southeast Asian conference on soil engineering, pp 81–90

  • Cooke RW (1986) Piled raft foundation on stiff clays: a contribution to design philosophy. Géotechnique 36(2):169–203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Décourt L (1996) An assessment of foundation failure based on a concept of stiffness. In: Proceedings of III SEFE—seminar on special engineering foundations and geotechnics, São Paulo, SP, vol 1, pp 215–224 (in Portuguese)

  • Décourt L (2008) Load tests in piles can say more than what has been commonly said. In: Proceedings of VI SEFE—seminar on special engineering foundations and geotechnics, São Paulo, SP. vol 1, pp 221–245 (in Portuguese)

  • Décourt L, Quaresma AR (1978) Load capacity of piles trough SPT values. In: VI Brazilian congress of soil mechanics and foundation engineering, Rio de Janeiro, vol 1, pp 45–54

  • Décourt L, Albiero JH, Cintra JCA (1998) Análise e Projeto de Fundações Profundas [deep foundation analysis and design]. In: Hachich W, FalconivFF, Sales JL, Frota RG, Carvalho CS, Niyama S (eds) Fundações Teoria e Prática [Foundations theory and practice]. São Paulo, SP, 2nd edn. Editora Pini, pp 265–327

  • Fellenius BH (2018) Basics of foundation design. Pile Buck International, Inc., Vero Beach, FL, Eletronic Edition, http://ww.fellenius.net. 466 p.

  • Fleming WGK, Weltman AJ, Randolph MF, Elson WK (2009) Piling engineering, 3rd edn. Taylor & Francis, New York. ISBN 0203937643

  • Gusmão Filho JA (2003) Fundações de Pontes [Bridge foundations]. University Press, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife. ISBN 8573152184.

  • Kondner RL (1963) Hyperbolic stress-strain response. Cohesive soils. ASCE J Soil Mech Found Eng 89(5):115–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee S, Chung C (2005) An experimental study of the interaction of vertically loaded pile groups in sand. Can Geotech J 42(5):1485–1493. https://doi.org/10.1139/t05-068

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mandolini A, Russo G, Viggiani C (2005) Pile foundations: experimental investigations, analysis and design. In: Proceedings of XVI international conference on soil mechanics and foundation engineering, Osaka, vol 1, pp 177–213

  • Poulos HG (1989) Pile behaviour—theory and application. Géotechnique, 39(3): 365–415. ISSN 0016–8505.

  • Poulos HG (2006) Pile group settlement estimation—research to practice. In: Proceedings of GeoShanghai, New York. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

  • Poulos HG, Davis EH (1980) Pile foundation analysis and design. Wiley, New York. ISBN 0-471-02084-2

  • Randolph MF (1994) Design methods for pile groups and piled rafts. In: XIII international conference on soil mechanics and foundation engineering, New Delhi, vol 5, pp 61–82

  • Soares WC (2011) Piled raft with hollow auger piles in sandy soil. D.Sc. thesis, Civil Engineering Department, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

  • Soares WC, Coutinho RQ, Cunha RP (2015) Piled Raft with Hollow Auger Piles in a Brazilian Granular Deposit. Can Geotech J 52(8):1005–1022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tomlinson MJ (1969) Foundation design and construction, 2nd edn. Pitman Publishing, New York. ISBN 0-273-40286-2

  • Tomlinson M, Woodward J (2008) Pile design and construction practice, 5th edn. Taylor and Francis, London. ISBN 0-203-96429-2

  • Van Der Veen C (1953) The bearing capacity of a pile. In: Proceedings, III international conference on soil mechanics and foundation engineering, Zurich, Switzerland, vol 2, pp 66–71

  • Velloso DA, Lopes FR (2010) Fundações [Foundations] Volume 2. Oficina de Textos, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ISBN 9788586238987

  • Vesic AS (1969) Experiments with instrumented pile groups in sand. In: Performance of deep foundations. ASTM Special Technical Publication No. 444. American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, pp 177–222

  • Viggiani C, Mandolini A, Russo G (2012) Piles and pile foundations. Taylor & Francis, London. ISBN 978-0-415-49066-5

  • Zhang QQ, Liu SW, Zhang SM, Zhang J, Wang K (2016) Simplified non-linear approaches for response of a single pile and pile groups considering progressive deformation of pile-soil system. Soils Found 56(3):473–484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2016.04.013

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to the support provided by Prof. Paulo Albuquerque during the instrumentation stage of the pile tests, and the good support provided by him thereafter. They also acknowledge the funding provided by the Brazilian sponsorship organizations CAPES and CNPq during this and other past related investigations. The joint study work between research groups from UFPe and UnB has proven to be sustainable, effective and quite beneficial—a partnership that will continue further.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Copesolo Estacas e Fundações Ltda/UNIPE University Center of João Pessoa, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil

    Wilson Cartaxo Soares

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Roberto Quental Coutinho

  3. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Brasilia, Brasília, DF, Brazil

    Renato Pinto da Cunha

Authors
  1. Wilson Cartaxo Soares
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Roberto Quental Coutinho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Renato Pinto da Cunha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wilson Cartaxo Soares.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Soares, W.C., Coutinho, R.Q. & da Cunha, R.P. Behaviour of Instrumented Hollow Auger Pile Groups in Sandy Soil. Geotech Geol Eng 39, 5599–5618 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-021-01847-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-021-01847-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation