PROF. DR.-ING. E.

VEES
UND PARTNER
BAUGRUNDINSTITUT GMBH

PLATE LOAD TEST

IN ROAD AND EARTHWORKS CONSTRUCTION

ACCORDING TO DIN 18134

TESTING PROCEDURES, TESTING EQUIPMENT,

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

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Postfach 20 03 39 70752 Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany Telefax 0049 (711) 79 73 50-20
info@geotechnik-vees.de
Prof. Dr.-Ing. E. Vees und Partner page 2

THE PLATE LOAD TEST IN ROAD AND EARTHWORKS CONSTRUCTION

In Central Europe, road construction and pavement design are mainly based on the deforma-
tion modulus EV determined by the PLATE LOAD TEST. The deformation modulus EV can be
understood as a modulus of elasticity. The more compressible a soil, the lower is the defor-
mation modulus. THE PLATE LOAD TEST is described in DIN 18134 and with certain modifica-
tions in ASTM D 1195 and ASTM D 1196. The following description and evaluation of the
test follows the German Standard DIN 18134.

EQUIPMENT AND TEST PROCEDURE

The load is applied to a circular rigid steel bearing plate by a hydraulic jack in several steps.
The settlement under each load step is recorded. The following sketch shows the principle of
the test.

F
F = load
s = settlement
D = diameter of the plate

Fig. 1: Principle of plate load test

The diameter D of the plate is generally 0.30 m. For very coarse grained material also plates
with diameter D = 0.60 m and D = 0.762 m are used.

The load is applied in 6 load increments of equal size. Under each load step the settlement
must come to a noticeable end (< 0.02 mm/minute). After the maximum load is reached the
unloading procedure can begin. After that, the plate is reloaded in 5 steps. A loaded truck, an
excavator or a roller usually serve as counterweight for the hydraulic jack. This is shown in
the next figures.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. E. Vees und Partner page 3

Fig. 2: Plate load test equipment. Excavator serves as counterweight.

Fig. 3: Bearing plate (0.30 m diameter) with hydraulic jack assembly and
beam with dial gage to determine plate settlement.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. E. Vees und Partner page 4

The DEFORMATION MODULI EV are calculated from the first loading curve (EV1) and from the
reloading curve (EV2) according to the following equation:

Ev = 0.75 D / s

Ev = deformation modulus
= load increment
s = settlement increment
D = diameter of the plate, generally 0.30 m

For this calculation and s are usually taken from the load span between 0.3 max and 0.7 max.

The basis of the given equation is Boussinesqs theory of the relationship between the
modulus of elasticity and the settlement of a circular rigid plate with the diameter D. The
derivation of the equation is shown in the appendix.

As an example the result of a plate load test is given in the following table:

Plate Diameter: 300 mm

F Load Pressure 0 Settlement of the Plate

[kN] [kN/m2] [1/100 mm]

FIRST LOADING
5.65 80 115

11.31 160 209

17.67 250 287
23.33 330 325
29.69 420 380

35.34 500 421

UNLOADING in steps to half of the preceding load

17.67 250 395
8.84 125 360
0 0 259

RELOADING to the last but one step

5.65 80 311
11.31 160 353

17.67 250 378

23.33 330 398
29.69 420 413
Prof. Dr.-Ing. E. Vees und Partner page 5

The result of the test is plotted in a pressure-settlement diagram:

Pressure 0 in kN/m

0 100 200 300 400 500

0
0.3 0, max 0.7 0, max
0.5

1.0
Settlement in mm

1.5
1.95
2.0
f ir
st
loa
2.5 din
g

3.0

3.45 relo
adin
3.5 g

4.0
4.05 unloading
4.5

EVALUATION OF THE GIVEN EXAMPLE:

FIRST LOADING (EV1)

= 350 150 = 200 kN/m2

s = 3.50 1.95 = 1.55 mm = 0.00155 m

EV1 = 0.75 0.30 200 / 0.00155

= 29032 kN/m2 = 29.0 MN/m2

RELOADING (EV2)

= 350 150 = 200 kN/m2

s = 4.05 3.45 = 0.60 mm = 0.00060 m

EV2 = 0.75 0.30 200 / 0.00060

= 75000 kN/m2 = 75.0 MN/m2
Prof. Dr.-Ing. E. Vees und Partner page 6

DEFORMATION RATIO:

EV 2 75.0
= = 2.59
EV 1 29.0

Generally in road construction the following values of EV2 are required:

subgrade: EV2 45 MN/m

surface of sub-base layer: EV2 120 MN/m

For fine grained (cohesive) soils the deformation modulus EV2 which can be accomplished by
compacting soils, depends on the index of consistency IC. Approximately the following relation
has been found:

Ev2 Ic consistency
[MN/m2]

> 15 > 0.8 stiff

> 20 > 0.9 stiff

> 30 > 1.0 very stiff

> 45 > 1.2 very stiff to hard

Hard consistency of cohesive soils is encountered rarely. A deformation modulus of

EV2 45 MN/m as usually required for the subgrade under pavements can nearly always be
obtained by soil stabilization.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEFORMATION RATIO FOR COMPACTED SOILS

Ev2/Ev1 2.0 fine grained soils

2.2 to 2.6 coarse grained soils
3.0 mixed grained soils
4.0 rockfill material

Higher ratios than the given values are an indication that the soil had not been compacted
properly.

Leinfelden-Echterdingen, November, 30th, 2004

gez.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. E. Vees

Prof. Dr.-Ing. E. Vees und Partner A1

APPENDIX

EVALUATION OF THE PLATE LOAD TEST ACCORDING TO DIN 18134

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

Under a circular flexible load the stress is distributed in the ground underneath the plate.
According to BOUSSINESQS theoretical approach this stress distribution can be described by
pressure bulbs as shown in the following figure:

D=2R
pressure 0 flexible circular load

0
0.9 0
0.7 0
1
0.5 0

0.3 0
2

0.1 0
4
z/R

Fig. A1: Contours of constant vertical stress beneath a uniformity loaded circular area

Stress in the ground causes settlement. The settlement of a rigid plate approximately corre-
sponds to the settlement of the so called CHARACTERISTIC POINT C of a flexible circular load.

0.845 R

R R

Fig. A2: Definition of the characteristic point of flexible load on a circular area.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. E. Vees und Partner A2

The settlement s of this characteristic point C can be calculated from the distribution curve of
the vertical stress and the modulus of deformation EV:

0
0

z
1 1 1
s = dz = A (1)
EV 0 EV

A = stress area (see left figure)

z1

According to Schultze / Horn1 the solution of equation (1) is:

(
s = 1 2 ) F
2 EV R
(2)

s = settlement
= Poissons ratio
F = resultant force
R = radius of circular load = radius of bearing plate

F
With 0 =
R2

0 R
we obtain (
s = 1 2 ) 2 EV
(3)

or (
EV = 1 2 ) 2 R s0
(4)

1
Schultze, E. und Horn, A.: Setzungsberechnung in: Grundbautaschenbuch, herausgegeben von
U. Smoltczyk, 5. Auflage, Teil 1, 1996, S. 225-254.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. E. Vees und Partner A3

For = 0.25 equation (4) becomes:

0
EV = 1.5 R
s

Hence, for a given load increment and a measured settlement increment s the deforma-
tion modulus EV can be defined as:

EV = 1.5 R
s

or EV = 0.75 D
s

D = 2R = Diameter of the bearing plate.

Leinfelden-Echterdingen, November, 30th, 2004

gez.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. E. Vees