NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

EXAMINATION FOR
(Semester II: 2011-2012)

CE5107 - PILE FOUNDATIONS

Apr/ May 2012 - Time allowed: 2.5 hours

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
1.

This examination paper contains THREE(3) questions and comprises SIX(6) printed
pages.

2.

Answer ALL THREE(3) questions.

3.

All questions DO NOT carry equal marks.

4.

This is an OPEN BOOK examination.

5.

Page 5 and 6 are detachable (Fig. Q2-1 & Q2-2 and Fig.Q3-1 & 3-2). You may use and
submit together with your answer scripts.

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CE5107

Question 1 (35 marks)

(a)

A light factory building is to be constructed on a clay site with pile foundation using
several 300 mm square precast piles (Grade 45). The desired Working Load per pile is
1000 kN, consisting of Dead Load DL=800 kN and Live Load LL=200 kN. The
parameters for soils at the site are shown in Table 1 below, and assume GWT is 1m
below ground level.
Table 1 Soil Parameters at House Site

Soil

Thickness
(m)
20

0 to 2

Dense OA
Silty Sands

15

40 (average) 20

Cu=15 kPa; alpha=1.0,

OCR=1.1
Cc=0.8, Cr=0.1, eo=2.0
Nil

Hard Clay

>100

Nil

Soft Marine
Clay

SPT N

Unit Weight
(kN/m3)
16

20

Lab Tests

What is the estimated penetration length of the pile if the maximum jack-in force is
2000 kN? Hint: Compute the geotechnical resistance as a function of depth in the
dense OA, and determine depth at which soil resistance is 2000 kN.
For the dense OA Silty Sands and hard clay, tests data showed that E=2N MPa, skin
friction resistance fs = 2.5N kPa, and end bearing resistance fb = 300N kPa.
[10 marks]
(b)

What are the conditions where the Unified Pile Design concept will give the correct
neutral plane and NSF dragload? Using the Unified Pile concept; what would be the
neutral plane depth of the pile foundation? Estimate the maximum dragload on the
pile using the Unified Pile method? What do you expect to be the likely dragload if
the neutral plane is at the base of the soft clay. Hint: Use a graph paper to plot the load
transfer and the force distribution curves to determine the neutral plane.
[10 marks]

(c )

Sketch what is the expected level of the neutral plane and the magnitude of actual
dragload if the clay is lightly over-consolidated and small long-term settlements (<
20mm) will occur.
[5 marks]

(d)

Use the equivalent raft footing concept to estimate the settlement of the 10-pile group
for a total load of 10000 kN acting on a 2mx5m rigid pile cap, based on the pile
design of Part (b) above. Assume that the equivalent raft is at the NP level, and ignore
the reinforcing effects of the pile stiffness between the NP and pile toe levels. Hint:
Use the 2:1 vertical stress spreading estimate stress increase of soil layers below the
NP, but ignore the compression of the Hard Clay.
[10 marks]
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CE5107

Question 2 (35 marks)

(a)

Explain the principles of the O-Cell test. What are its advantages and disadvantages
compared to the conventional head-down kent-ledge pile load test.
[7 marks]

(b)

Fig.Q2-1 shows the interpreted load distribution plot of the O-Cell test of a 1500 mm
diameter bored pile. The site consists of 30m of soft clay above 20m of stiff soils.
What are the estimated beta values of the two soil types observed in the test data?
[10 marks]

(c)

What is the expected load distribution diagram in the equivalent head-down test,
assuming that maximum end bearing had been obtained in the O-Cell test? What is
the global FOS of the pile if the WL (DL=8MN and LL=2MN) is 10 MN, and where
would be the neutral plane of the pile in the long-term condition? Assume GWT is
near ground level.
[10 marks]

(d)

The hypothetical long-term load distribution of a 500 mm diameter 20 m long spun

pile in a uniform soil is shown in Fig.Q2-2, when end bearing is not considered. If a
three-pile group is made with a rigid pile cap; what is the likely load distribution of
each of the three spun piles, when WL for the group is 4500 kN? Hint: Show clearly
the expected axial force distribution of each of the piles in the same graph paper.
[8 marks]

You may detach Fig.Q2-1 and Fig.Q2-2 and use them in your answers.

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CE5107

Question 3 (30 marks)

(a)

In the PDA test, how would you separate the force wave up from the force wave
down curve? What is the practical significance of the force wave up curve?
[10 marks]

(b)

A series of PDA two wave traces of the same pile is shown in Fig.Q3-1. Comments
on the quality of the measurements (why are they good or bad data?); what it tells us
about the shaft friction, end bearing conditions, and the integrity of the pile at the
early stage and at the end of pile driving?
[10 marks]

(c)

The FEM model of a single pile load test (using G-node elements) is shown in
Fig.Q3-2. Is the mesh adequate to model accurately a static pile load test? If not, what
would you do to improve the quality of the mesh? The pile is a 30 m long, 1m
diameter bored pile of 25GPa stiffness, in 20m of soft clay and 10m of stiff clay. If
the undrained strength and stiffness of soft clay is Cu=20 kPa, Eu=300Cu kPa; and
stiff clay is Cu=150 kPa, Eu=500Cu kPa; what would be the Plaxis Mohr-Coulomb
input for the model using the alpha method of pile analysis; and what would be the
appropriate EA and EI input of the dummy beam element?
[10 marks]

You may detach Fig.Q3-1 and Fig.Q3-2 and use them in your answers.

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CE5107

Matric No: _________________________________

Fig.Q2-1 O-Cell test results

Fig.Q2-2 Three-pile group of 500D spun piles

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Matric No: _________________________________

Fig.Q3-1 Two PDA tests on the same driven spun pile

Fig.Q3-2 FEM Mesh of Axis-symmetric model of single pile load test

- END OF PAPER -

CE5107