DEEP FOUNDATIONS
This foundation technique is generally used for repairing
existing foundations, and for strengthening foundations
of existing structures, as the equipment is light and able
to work within the existing structure.
Lost-bit drilling, in which the drill string is left in place to
become the load bearing element after cement grouting
of the annulus, is a solution that requires skill and care
during construction.
Micropiles can also be used for building new structures
and micro soldier pile walls.
The very high slenderness ratios of these foundation
3. Design principles
The following Eurocodes are the general reference docu-
ments for the design of deep foundations:
- EN1990: 2002 Eurocode : Basis of calculation for the
structures,
- EN1991 Eurocode 1: Actions on structures,
- EN1992 Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures,
- EN1993 Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures,
- EN1994 Eurocode 4: Design of composite steel and
concrete structures,
- EN1997-1 Eurocode 7 - Part 1:
Geotechnical design - General rules,
- In1997-2 Eurocode 7 - Part 2: Geotechnical
calculations. Site survey and testing,
- EN1998 Eurocode 8: Structural resistance to
earthquakes.
3.1. Determination of the embedment length of piles
The determination of the embedment length of piles
subjected to axial loading is based on the geotechnical
characteristics of the soil defined by one or more of the
following:
- in situ pressuremeter tests, static and/or dynamic
penetrometer tests,
- in situ static and/or dynamic axial loading on test
piles,
- in the laboratory on the basis of triaxial tests on
"intact" samples.
3.2. Negative skin friction
The load bearing capacity of a pile and/or and group of
piles must take into account negative friction induced by
the settlement of compressible soils surrounding the
piles under the effect, for example, of a surcharge rela-
ted to backfilling or a drop in the level of the water table
due to dewatering.
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elements sometimes requires checking for buckling in
poor soils and the addition of reinforcement to increase
the inertia.
During underpinning works of building foundations, the
partial or total transfer of anticipated loads can be
carried out in advance by jacking in order to limit the
effects of differential movements over time due to the
fact that the vertical deformation of micropiles is greater
than that of bored piles with an equivalent bearing
capacity.
The national application document NF P 94 262 - Pile
foundations clarifies section 7 of Part 1 of Eurocode 7
concerning the design itself.
The design of deep foundations must be carried out to
ultimate and service limit states for the loads arriving
from the structure resulting from the loads to which it is
subjected.
Additional checks may also be required for deep founda-
tions that need to allow for:
- poor ground conditions,
- earthquakes.
Foundation behaviour is characterised by an elasto-plas-
tic relationship between the axial load at the pile head
and displacement at the pile head, from which two load
parameters can be identified:
- creep load,
- limit load.
Soletanche Bachy SETPILE software calculates pile settle-
ment using several methods, including the Frank-Zao
method.
Forces related to negative friction can be calculated using
a method based on load at failure such as the one pro-
posed by Combarieu.
These settlements can also be associated with horizontal
movement of the soil under the influence of a surcharge,
leading to lateral forces on the foundations of which due
consideration is needed in design.