PILE LOAD TEST

Pile loading tests carried out for the Following

reasons:
• To determine the settlement under working
load
• To determine the ultimate bearing capacity of
pile
• As a proof of acceptability
 TEST PROCEDURE ASTM D-1143
•Pile Load Test is performed on Test Pile which is meant only for
testing purpose and does not make part of working piles; load
test can also be performed on working piles to check the
performance of working piles
•Test Pile is loaded to atleast 2 times the design load or to failure
•Working piles are loaded to 1.5 times the design load
•Load is applied in increments, each of max of 25% of design
load making total 8 load steps
•Each load increment is maintained till the settlement rate of pile
comes below 0.25mm/hr but not more than 2 hrs
•The final load is kept for 24 hrs and dial gauges are monitored
•The unloading is also performed in decremental order
 Reaction Load (Kentlage)
(Total Load=1.20xApplied Load on Pile)

By Stacking Concrete Blocks

(Gujranwala Flyover)

By Stacking Sand Bags

(Girls College, Gawalmandi)
 Hydraulic Jack, Settlement Gauges

Hyd. Jack

Settlement
Guages

Reference
beam
Hydraulic Pump for Load Application
 Typical Loading Sequence for Pile Load Test
Test Load =210 tons
Pressure
Load Ga Calibrated
Inc ug Gu
age
re Load e pre
me Re ssu
Remarks
nt adi re
ng
tons psi psi

0 0 0 Start of Loading

1 29 600 578 Hold until rate of settlement is not greater than 0.25mm/h but not longer than 2 hours

2 49 1000 975 Hold until rate of settlement is not greater than 0.25mm/h but not longer than 2 hours

3 69 1400 1372 Hold until rate of settlement is not greater than 0.25mm/h but not longer than 2 hours

4 89 1800 1769 Hold until rate of settlement is not greater than 0.25mm/h but not longer than 2 hours

5 109 2200 2165 Hold until rate of settlement is not greater than 0.25mm/h but not longer than 2 hours

6 129 2600 2562 Hold until rate of settlement is not greater than 0.25mm/h but not longer than 2 hours

7 149 3000 2959 Hold until rate of settlement is not greater than 0.25mm/h but not longer than 2 hours

8 169 3400 3356 Hold until rate of settlement is not greater than 0.25mm/h but not longer than 2 hours

9 189 3800 3753 Hold until rate of settlement is not greater than 0.25mm/h but not longer than 2 hours

10 210 4200 4150 Hold for 12 hours. If rate of settlement is greater than 0.25mm/h at 12 hours then hold for 24 hours
 Typical Data Recording Sheet for PLT

PROJE
CT: CONSTRUCTION OF POLICE STATION YAKKI GATE, LAHORE

OBSERVATIONS
21/9/2016

SETTLEMENT (mm)
LOADING 22/9/2016
Tim Time
Time
e Elaps -
Date hr:mi
Inter ed PG Load
n
val min Readi
M1 M2 M3
ng -
(psi) M
avera
(Tons) ge Dia. of jack piston 12.00 inch
21/09/16 12:12 0 0 600 29.0 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.007 Loading Area of piston 113.10 inch2
12:17 5 5 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.008 1st increment Design Load (DL) 105 Tons
12:22 7 12 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.008 Test Load 210 Tons
12:27 5 17 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.008 Pile Dia. 24 inch
1000 49 2nd increment Pile Length 75 ft
12:29 2 19 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.017 GWT Not encountered

5 24
12:34 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.017

5 29
12:39 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.017

6 35
12:45 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.017
 Typical Data Recording Sheet for PLT

PROJE
CT: CONSTRUCTION OF POLICE STATION YAKKI GATE, LAHORE

OBSERVATIONS
21/9/2016

SETTLEMENT (mm)
LOADING 22/9/2016
Tim Time
Time
e Elaps -
Date hr:mi
Inter ed PG Load
n
val min Readi
M1 M2 M3
ng -
(psi) M
avera
(Tons) ge Dia. of jack piston 12.00 inch
21/09/16 12:12 0 0 600 29.0 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.007 Loading Area of piston 113.10 inch2
12:17 5 5 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.008 1st increment Design Load (DL) 105 Tons
12:22 7 12 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.008 Test Load 210 Tons
12:27 5 17 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.008 Pile Dia. 24 inch
1000 49 2nd increment Pile Length 75 ft
12:29 2 19 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.017 GWT Not encountered

5 24
12:34 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.017

5 29
12:39 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.017

6 35
12:45 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.017
 5 24
12:34 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.017

5 29
12:39 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.017

6 35
12:45 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.017

1400 69

5 40
12:50 0.12 0.15 0.11 0.127

5 45
12:55 0.12 0.15 0.12 0.130

5 50
1:00 0.12 0.15 0.12 0.130

10 60
1:10 0.12 0.15 0.12 0.130

10 70
1:20 0.12 0.15 0.12 0.130

1800 89 3rd increment

5 75
1:25 0.28 0.34 0.32 0.313

5 80
1:30 0.28 0.34 0.32 0.313

10 90
1:40 0.28 0.34 0.32 0.313

10 100
1:50 0.28 0.34 0.32 0.313
Load & Settlement ~Time Record
(
Dia=30 inch, L=100ft, Qa(th)=180 Tons)
LOAD VS TIME

400

350

300
LOAD (Tons)

250

200

150

100

50

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
TIME (MINUTES)

SETTLEMENT VS TIME

TIME (MINUTES)
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
-1.0
SETTLEMENT (mm)

4.0

9.0

14.0
 Criteria for Pile Failure Load
• (1) The failure load is that which causes
settlement equal to 10% of the pile diameter,
• (2) The failure load is that load at which the rate
of settlement continues undiminished without
further increment of load, unless, of course, the
rate is so slow as to indicate that it is due to
consolidation of soil.
• (3) Drawing tangents to the initial and final
portions of the load settlement curves and
taking the point of intersection as the failure
load.
• (4) The failure load is the load where the net
settlement is 6 mm.
 Evaluation of Pile Capacity
LOA D ON P I LE ( T on s )

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30

By Two tangent method: Qu=370

By 6 mm net settlement: Qu=390, Qa=380/2 =190 tons
Qa(Th)=180 tons