Empirical axial resistances of driven sheet piles

Capacitd de charge verticale des cloisons de palplanches

H.-G. Kempfert, P. Becker

Institute of Geotechnics and Geohydraulics, University of Kassel, Germany

Keywords: axial pile resistance, sheet pile, displacement pile, empirical value, EC 7

ABSTRACT
The axial resistance of driven sheet piles has been investigated with extensive statistical analysis of load tests.
From the analysis, the base resistance Q6 and the skin friction q, of sheet piles has been derived as a function
of the mean cone resistance q. (CPT) at quantile values. In this paper, the characteristic empirical values of
the base resistance and the skin friction of driven sheet piles are presented based on a global concept for axial
load capacity of pile systems, which is already integrated in the national German recommendations for piles
EA-PFAHLE (2007). Furthermore, a comparison between the axial load capacities derived from the statistical
analysis and calculated according to already existing empirical values is also presented.

npsuvrE
La capacitl de charge verticale des cloisons de palplanches 6tait 6tudi6e avec la vaste analyse statistique des
essais de charge. On ddrive de ces analyses la rdsistance de pointe q6 et le frottement de couche q, des palplanches,
de fagon d6pendante de la rdsistance de pointe de sondage q" de I'essai de pdndtration au cone (CPT) sous des
consid6rations des valeurs quantile. Ici, la rdsistance de pointe et le frottement de couche sont reprdsentds se basant
par les cloisons de palplanches enfoncds, sur un concept global pour la capacit6 de charge par les systömes de pieu
qui sont ddjä intdgr6s dans les recommandations allemandes nationales pour des pieux EA-PFAHLE (2007),
des valeurs empiriques caract6ristiques. En outre, une comparaison entre les charges verticales de I'analyse
statistique avec des valeurs calculdes pertinentes et les valeurs empiriques existant ddjä est reprdsentde.

I INTRODUCTION base resistance and skin friction as much as possible

for different pile systems and hence to contribute to the
According to
German national standard DIN economical evaluation of the axial resistances of piles.
1054:2005, analytical calculation methods cannot
generally be used for the determination of pile resis-
tance, since no methods are available at present, which 2 STATISTICAL METHODS
describes the mechanical model and the influences of
the installation method of the different pile systems. The descriptive and statistical methods used for the
Therefore, the resistance-settlement behaviour has to derivation of axial pile capacity based on empiri-
be verified on the basis of pile load tests on the field cal values are briefly presented in the following. For
or comparable pile load test results from the nearby details, see Hartung et al. (2002). Beside the descrip-
area with similar underground conditions. If no pile tive data analysis for the structuring and description
load tests are carried out and empirical values from of the data using histograms and statistical parameters
directly comparable load tests are not available, the such as standard deviation, the analytical procedures
characteristic axial pile resistance of a single pile can use the correlation and regression parameters in the
be determined from general empirical values of axial analysis.
pile resistances according to DIN 1054:2005. Similar In the context of the correlation analysis, the rela-
specifications can be found in EN 1997-l:2005 (Euro tionships are represented in the form of scatter plots
code EC 7-l). and are evaluated qualitatively using the coefficient
However, very limited empirical values for pile of correlation. Moreover, comparisons had been made
resistance are available for few pile systems in the between the correlations of different attributes.
existing German pile standards DIN 4026, DIN 4014, Based on the qualitative relationships of the corre-
DIN 4128 and the new DIN 1054:2005. This defi- lation analysis, a regression model has been developed
ciency in empirical values has been taken as a motive and validated using the available data. The regression
to form a data base of axial pile load tests on different analysis specifies the functional relationship between a
pile systems and analyze them statistically. The goal dependent and one or more independent variables and
of the study was to derive a range of empirical value of it makes the empirical representation of larger data
347
Table L Statistical parameters
variable | or"-oirical vatues

Li";:.Tt ß
Xi. Vi "un*"
1fl q
arithmetic average r - InL.\-x, soz.-ouuntir" 6
i:l
I ;ffi
lr: --@
E\
standard deviation J: n

't quantile 0
f<t,-t)'(vi-I) i f
i:l ARr
coelficient of correlation (3)
(n - l).sx .rr
Figure L Range of empirical Values of pile.

developed that take into account the proportion the

Table 2. Pile systems two components of the axial pile bearing capacity.
(e.g. reinforced and In the regression analysis, the functional relationships
Driven precast piles pre-
stressed concrete piles, steel between axial pile load capacity and soil strength had
piles) been optimized iteratively until the difference between
Driven cast in place piles (e.g. Franki-type piles, measured and calculated axial pile load capacity
Simplex+ype piles) becomes or approaches to zero:
Screwed cast in place piles (e.g. Atlas piles, Fundex piles)
Micro piles an,:&ff!4=o (s)

where:
and consequently the interpolation of missing values
AR1 Difference between measured and calculated
as well as prediction of future values possible through
axial pile resistance for the ultimate limit state
an iterative optimization of the regression model. (uLS),
R1,,n Measured value of the axial pile resistance from
pile load tests,
3 PILESYSTEMS AND DATABASE
R1,"4 Calculated value of the axial pile resistance
according equation (4).
Data are collected mainly from static but also from
dynamic load tests of different pile systems (Table 2) To construct the load-settlement-curve, settlement
and they are compiled in a data base. dependent empirical values are derived for base resis-
In the derivation of the axial pile resistance, only tance and skin friction. The settlement criteria differs
those pile load test results that have adequate infor- depending on the installation method of the piles
mation on the underground conditions, are exclusively (Kempfert & Becker 2007;Witzel2OO4).In the sta-
used in order to attain a reliable correlation between the tistical analysis, the empirical values of the axial pile
soil strength properties and the pile resistance. Alto- resistance for the ultimate limit state (ULS) are first
gether about 1000 pile load test results of the different determined and then the empirical values for set-
pile systems had been compiled in the data base, see tlement dependent resistances are derived in further
also Kempfert & Becker (2007). analysis steps. In this way the load-settlement-curve
can be constructed and thus the serviceability limit
state (SLS) can be verified.
4 EMPIRICAL PILE RESISTANCES
4.2 Range of empirical Values
4.1 Determination of pile resistances According the German national standards DIN 1054
The characteristic axial bearing capacity of a single and DIN 4020, the soil strength parameters can scat-
pile is given by ter substantially due the boundary conditions of the
geological process. This applies in particular to the
R: Ri, * R,: er,.Ar,*i 1n,.,
.o,.,; (4) pile load bearing behaviour in ULS and SLS, because
beside the scatter in the soil strength parameters, addi-
where: tional influences of the installation method will come
to question.
,{6 area of pile base;
Since the empirical values for the pile resistance are
A5.1 ilreäof pile shaft in layer i;
available forfew pile systems in a very limited amount,
gu base resistance;
the scatter ofpile bearing capacity can be considered
gs,r skin friction in layer i.
in the statistical analysis by using a range of quantile
Depending on the qualitative relationships between values as shown in Figure l.
soil strength and base resistance and/or skin fric- In the present analysis, empirical values for pile
tion of the correlation analysis, a regression model is resistance have been derived at I07o,2OVo and 507a

348
 flle resistance R lMNl precast driven piles is therefore given by:
123 : Rr,.r(s)* : 4b. qb.k. A1,* (n,.r,. e.,) (7)
Rr(s) rR,.1(s) r1,.
i
where:
q6 adjustment factor for base resistance, here r1o = 1.6'
E 11, adjustment value for skin friction, here 1. = 1.6.
iz
IJ

I
E
s3 Table 3. Empirical base resistances ofdriven precast piles in non-
o cohesive soils for ULS
t^
s/D.o = Q,1 Base resistance qbl,k [kN/m2]

Mean cone resistance q. [MN/m2l

5
'7.5 15 25

207o- quantile 4500 8300 9500

Figure 2. Idealized load-settlement-curve fordriven precast piles. 5070- quantile 6000 10200 I 1500

quantiles. A IUVo quantile means that907o of the cases

of the empirical determination of the axial pile resis-
tance lies on the safe side and/or does not exceed
the existing measured resistances. Unlike conserva- Table 4. Empirical skin friction values of driven precast piles in
tive average values at 50Vo quantile are usually taken non-cohesive soils for ULS
for determination of the characteristic soil properties. Sss = ss - 0, I Deq Skin friction q. 1.p [kN/mz ]
The range of empirical values indicated in Figure I
Mean cone resistance q. [MN/m2]
can vary depending on pile load tests and local bound-
ary conditions and it only serves as first orientation. 7.5 l5 25
l0%-quantile 40 95 125
4.3 Empirical Values of axial pile resistances for 20Vo- quanttle 45 r05 140

driven precast piles

507a- quantile 60 125 160

Taking displacement piles, i.e. driven precast piles, For driven precast piles, settlement dependent resis-
as an example, the derivation of pile resistances on
tances are also to be considered for the construction of
empirical basis is described in the following. the load-settlement-curves (Kempfert & Becker 2007;
For the construction of load-settlement curves for EA-PFAHLE2oOT).
driven precast piles, Witzel2004 recommends settle-
ment dependent base resistance at s/D = s/D.o = 0,035 4,4 Empirical adjustment factors for driven Sheet
and skin friction at failure state. The settlement depen- Piles
dent skin friction at failure has been modified in this
study as follows: The adjustment factors in equation (7) for base resis-
tance and skin friction of driven precast piles are
s.x :0.5'R,r < 1.0 on (6) presented in the following. The analysis of sheet piles
is made on the basis of the base resistance and skin
The proportion of the pile base resistance R6 to
friction values determined for driven precast piles. In
skin friction R, of the total pile capacity developed
order to apply these values to the driven sheet piles,
by Witzel (2004) based on laboratory model tests has
empirical adjustment factors 11 has been derived in the
been modified using results of well instrumented static
following.
pile load tests, dynamic load tests, both compression
The determining reference areas for skin friction
and tension load tests. Moreover, a distinction has to be
and base resistance are shown Figure 3. The steel
made between the skin friction R, (g) with s = S8 = S.g
cross-sectional area is determining for the base resis-
at failure and the mobilization of the skin friction R,
(sg*) at failure with s = Sss* for driven precast piles,
which are introduced as a supplement in this study.
Considering a settlement dependent skin friction, the
load-settlement-curves can be drawn for driven precast
piles as shown in Figure 2.
To consider all type of precast driven piles uni- Ao= I [f = -----
formly, equation (4) is extended by introducing
adjustment factors to the base resistance and skin fric- Figure 3. Reference areas for determining end bearing resistance
tion. The characteristic axial bearing capacity of a an skin friction of sheet piles.
Täble 5. Empirical adjustment factors for driven sheet piles and 7
the proportion of skin friction to the total pile resistance
R"/Rr [%l R./Rr
load tests 80.0 20.0
[7o]
-o
o
o
rb = 1.30 and I. = 0.90 87.0 13.0 C,ß
EV
=
E4
rg
4000
o3
R,, - meesured (}
Rr.,:rr- cälculaled (Dz
3000 c=r
E1
zv
2000 a 0
E
E
a
-100 -50 0 50
a [%l '01
.t,
1000 a ^R,
i - | rt
.tt Figure 6. Histogramm for 507o-quantile of driven sheet piles.

0
0 2000 4000 Table 6. Statistical results for sheet piles with, Ir = I,3 and
R,_ [kNl Is =0,9
ÄRr [7rl s f%ol r [-l
l07o-quantile 0.2 33.9 0.46
Figure 4. Scatter plot for lO7o-quantile ofdriven sheet piles.
20Vo- quantile -9.0 28.2 0.46
507o- quantile -2.0 24.5 0.48
4000

3000 Table 7. Sheet piles - cross sections (double blank)

zv tvpe b [m] h [m] Au.s,".r [m2] U [m] ct ["]

Hoesch 1200 1.15 0.26 0.016 0.150 50
-6 2000 Larssen 703K 1.40 0.40 0.018 0.203 46
f
1000 4.5 Empirical axial resistance of driven sheet piles
The resistance of driven sheet piles derived based on
empirical values for driven precast piles and the corre-
0 sponding adjustment factors for driven sheet piles are
0 2000 4000 represented in Figures 7 and 8.
Rrn lkNl For comparison purpose, empirical resistance val-
ues for driven precait piles according to EA-PFAHLE
Figure 5. Scatter plot for 5O7o-quantile of driven sheet piles. (2007) and DIN 1054:2005 are also shown in
Figures 7 and 8.

tance, whereas the outer surface area denoted as U in

Figure 3 is used for skin friction. Due to restraining 5 COMPARISON OF EMPIRICAL VALUES FOR
and plugging effects depending on the geometry of DRIVEN SHEET PILES
the sheet pile profile, the inner surface area will be
included in the statistical analysis through the adjust- The predicted axial pile resistances R1 according to
ment factor Is according to equation (7). equation (7) for driven sheet piles are compared with
The skin friction part of the pile resistance are the measured results in Figure 9 for a sheet pile profile
slightly increased using the adjustment factors in type Hoesch 1200 and in Figure l0 for type Larssen
Table 5 based on dynamic load tests and the concept 703 as a function of embedment depth. For the analysis
of the bearing behaviour of pile systems according to of the axial pile resistance, the German recommen-
Kempfert & Becker (2007). dation for excavations (EAB 2006)) and waterfront
The results of statistical analysis are summarized structures, harbours and waterways (EAU 2004) has
in Figure 4 to 6 as well as in Table 6. also been consulted.

350
 According to EAB (2006), the determination of the
tr
E
'r8 ,i, driven pile after EA'PFAHLE 12007t
il dnvan ple alter DIN 1054 2005
axial resistance based on empirical values follows the
recommendation by Radomski (1968) and Weißen-
'.! driven sheet file bach (1977), where the pile base area is reduced by a
ä14 factor depending on the sheet pile geometry as follows:
;
u12 At:t'h (8)
o
910 where

äB K: adjustment factor after Radomski (1968)

att
O(, h: height of the sheet pile profile
;A
a Then, the axial resistance of driven sheet piles is given
.82 by:
0 Rr,r : Au' Qar.* + A, ' Qst.k : Ab ' (600'0 + 120.0
0 5 10 15 2025 30 . (tr - 0.5)) + A. . 60.0
cone resastance q. [MN/m'z] (e)

Figure 7. Empirical base resistance qb for driven sheet piles in where t, is the real embedment depth.
non-cohesive soils. For cone resistance q. > 10.0 MN/m, the axial resis-
350 tance of sheet piles from equation (9) has to be
;i'drrven prle after EA"PFAHLE r2007i corrected. For example, the pile resistance can be
a{
300 2' drrven prle alter DIN 1 054 2005 increased by 25%o for q. = 15.0MN/m2.
E I'driven sheet ple According to EAU (2004), the axial resistance of
zJ 250
5006.f raclile
driven sheet piles can be determined using equation (4)
based on the empirical values given in DIN 1054:2005
cr 2oo _ _- ?3äi;slii: . which are dependant on the mean cone resistance of the
c !
underground (see also Figures 7 and 8). The base area
.9 150
rJ used for calculation of the base resistance is assumed
'E
to be a multiple of the steel cross-sectional area, i.e.
100
_g
.v Ar : n . Ab.stee! : (6to8). At.s,""t (10)
o
50 The derived empirical values for pile resistances
show a good agreement with the measured values for
0 S07o-qlantlle as shown in Figures 9 and 10.
051015202530 The axial resistances of driven sheet piles based on
cone resastance q. [MN/m'zl empirical values are shown in Figures 9 and l0 as a
function of the embedment depth in the bearing strata
Figure 8. Empirical skin friction q" for driven sheet piles in non- for a homogeneous soil with Q" = 10.0 and l5 MN/m2.
cohesive soils. To compare the results directly, the measured values

4.0 4.0
z z
3.5 3.5
=q a a
.{
t 3.0
t 30
=C'o 2,5 2.5
(J
o_
o
2.O
o 2,0
(U
CL
o o
tto 1.5 E 1.5
o
-9 1.0 -9 1.0
6 6
.9
05 - r teet result -. = 14 MNJm'
.u
05 - . test.esut
L 9.. Q. n. = 15 ruflUill
o += 15 MN/nr- ---q, = 10 Ml.l/tn: o q., = 15 MNinr:
0.0r:::::::::
- 00, -
3 5 7 I 11 13 3 5 7 I 11 13 15
emb€dment depth t lml embedment depth t [ml

Figure 9. Vertical load capacity for drive sheet piles, Figure 10. Vertical load capacity for drive sheet piles,
HOESCH I2OO. Larssen 703 K.
are also indicated in Figures 9 and l0 for a mean con EA-PFAHLE 2007. Empfehlungen des Arbeitskreises "Pfähle";
resistance gc,av = 15.0 MN/m2. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geotechnik (DGGT), Arbeitskreis
The axial pile resistance based on empirical values 2.1, Ernst & Sohn Yerlag2OOT.
EAU 2004. Empfehlungen des Arbeitskeises "Ufereinfassun-
according to EAU (2004) and DIN 1054:2005 shows gen" Häfen und Wasserstraßen. Ernst & Sohn, Berlin, 10.
a large deviation from the measured values compared Auflage.
to the empirical values derived in this study and the Hartung, J., Elpelt, B. and Klösener, K.-H. 2002. Statistik, Lehr-
values according EAB (2006) (Figures 9 and l0). und Handbuch der angewandten Statistik, 13. Auflage, Old-
enbourg Verlag München Wien.
Kempfert, H.-G. and Becker, P. 2007. Grundlagen und Ergeb-
nisse der Ableitung von axialen Pfahlwiderständen aus
6 CONCLUSION Erfahrungswerten für die EA-Pfühle. B autechnik, in Vorbere-
itung.
The study provides to a large extent a secured range Radomski, H. 1968: Untersuchungen über dcn Einfluss der
of empirical values for the base resistance and the Querschnittsform wellenförmiger Spundwände auf die statis-
skin friction for driven sheet piles as a function of chen und rammtechnischen Eigenschaften; Mitteilungen des
Instituts für Wasserwirtschaft, Grundbau und Wasserbau der
mean cone resistance. Based on comparative statisti-
Universität Stuttgart, Heft 10.
cal analysis of pile load tests of different pile systems, Weißenbach, A. 1977. Baugruben, Teil III: Berechnungsver-
it becomes possible to derive a consistent analysis fahren.Ernst & Sohn, Berlin, München, Düsseldorf.
of bearing behaviour of pile systems, which provides Wiuel, M. 2004. Zur Tragftihigkeit und Gebrauchstauglichkeit
a safe and maybe economical pile bearing capacity von vorgefertigten Verdrängungspfählen in bindigen und
depending on the expense of preliminary soil investi- nichtbindigen Böden. Schriftenreihe Geotechnik, Universität
Kassel, Heft 15.
gations.

REFERENCES

EAB 2006. Empfehlungen des Arbeitskreises "Baugruben" EAB.

Ernst & Sohn, Berlin,4. Auflage.

352
ffiComptes Rendus duXfVä-" Congrös
i'i Europ6en de Mäcanique des Sols
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et - Fl,^Ls-L-2---^
Gdotechnique

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