Determination of Piles Bearing Capacity using Empirical Methods and Computer Software Program (AllPile 6)

Abstract

Many methods have been used to determine bearing capacity of piles such as static equations, dynamic equations, semi empirical methods by using SPT and CPT values, empirical methods, numerical methods, computer software programs and the pile static load test. These methods were giving different values for pile bearing capacity. In this research, three empirical methods have been selected, Brinch-Hansen, Chin-Kondner and Decourt; and computer software program (AllPile 6) has been applied to determine capacity load of piles for six cases study of drilled concrete piles with diameter ranged from 800mm to 1500mm and embedded length ranged 10.5m. to 26m. Four of those six piles are located at Portsudan city near the red sea coast and two piles are located at Khartoum city. The results of the bearing capacity calculations obtained using the selected three empirical methods and computer program were compared with results produced by the pile load test. In all six cases of study the settlement of piles were limited, settlement failure was not reached. The results show that, the AllPile 6 program and the three mentioned empirical methods determined satisfactory bearing capacity of piles, the AllPile 6 program and Brinch-Hansen method gave the better result than the Chin-Kondner and Decourt methods. While Decourt method gave results similar to results determined using Chin-Kondner method. However, it was not preferred to use Chin-Kondner method and Decourt method, unless the failure settlement was occurred in pile load test.