Load Tests on Tubular Piles in Coralline Strata

Abstract

At a coral reef site on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia, load tests were performed on 1,422 mm diam tubular steel piles to verify pile design compression and tension capacities predicted by calculations. Although two tests were planned at separate site locations, five were performed (two on test pile A, and three on test pile B) due to the test results disproving some of the calculation assumptions. Test pile A was installed open‐ended and the test results concluded: For a coring pile, the measured compression capacities had reasonable agreement with those calculated (calculatedoverestimates=5.2% and 16.3%); and the design assumption that a soil plug would form was disproved. Test pile B was installed with a structural plug fitted to the leading end and the test results concluded: (1) The measured skin friction at 11mpenetration=zero; and the unit end bearing capacity assumed in the calculations was considerably larger than that measured in the tests at 11 m and 30 m penetration (calculatedoverestimates=181% and 164%).