Study of Pile Setup

Abstract

A new growth-rate–based model is proposed for pile setup prediction. Together with the Skov–Denver model, it has been developed for southern Louisiana clayey soils by using the pile driving analyzer database provided by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development from the construction of Phase 1B of the LA-1 relocation project in Leeville, Louisiana. The data used for this study include 115 restrike records from 95 production piles and the records of restrikes, static, and statnamic load tests of nine fully instrumented test piles. The models were developed with the average unit skin friction or normalized pile shaft resistances, which were obtained from the case pile wave analysis program analyses and the pile load test results. The growth-rate–based model can predict the capacity increase with time and can estimate the ultimate pile resistance. For the Skov–Denver model, selection of the reference time was investigated and distribution of the setup parameters A was studied. Predictability of the rate-based model was evaluated and validated by comparing it with the conventional Skov–Denver model.