7.5.

4 Loading tests on piles

7.5.4.1 General.
A loading test on a pile is made for the purpose of finding the settlement to be expected at the
estimated working load, or some multiple thereof, determining the ultimate bearing capacity, or
checking the structural soundness of the pile. The loading tests should be carried out in accordance
with one of the methods described in 7.5.5 and 7.5.6.
It is undesirable to carry out loading tests in such close proximity to piles being installed that the
test is affected thereby. It should again be emphasized that the data determined in a loading test
relate to an individual pile. The settlement and bearing capacity of a piled foundation constructed
of similar piles in the same ground do not necessarily have a direct relation to the settlement and
bearing of an individual pile (see 7.3.4.4 and 7.3.4.5).
Equipment and procedures for carrying out loading tests to determine the settlement characteristics
and ultimate bearing capacity of preliminary piles and for checking the performance of contract
piles are described in detail by Weltman (1980).
7.5.4.2 Relation between settlement and load.
A relation between settlement and load for an individual pile may be obtained by applying a load
to the pile in increments (Weltman 1980; ICE 1978). A pause of sufficient duration is made after
the addition of each increment to permit settlement to take place until the rate of settlement
decreases to a value which is acceptably small. When the settlement is measured, the load being
maintained constant during the pause, the resulting graph of load versus settlement represents an
approximation to equilibrium conditions, and from it the approximate settlement of a pile at a
chosen working load, or multiple thereof, may be determined. The method is given in 7.5.5. Long-
term consolidation settlements in cohesive soils cannot be assessed by this test. 7.5.4.3
Determination of ultimate bearing capacity. The loading of a test pile may be increased
progressively by increments in the manner described in 7.5.4.2 in order to reach the ultimate
bearing capacity. As the ultimate bearing capacity is approached it may be necessary to decrease
the size of the increments. The point at which the soil fails to support the pile may not be clearly
shown by the results (see also 7.5.1) and for this reason the constant rate of penetration test is more
suitable (Whitaker 1963).
7.5.5 Pile loading test using maintained loads
NOTE For further information on pile loading tests using maintained loads, see Weltman (1980)
and ICE (1978).
7.5.5.1 Preparation.
The pile head should be cut off or built up to the necessary elevation and should be capped
appropriately to produce a bearing surface perpendicular to the axis of the pile. The arrangement
should be such that none of the test load is carried by the ground under the cap.
7.5.5.2 Method of loading.
The test load may be applied in one of the following ways:
a) by means of a jack which obtains its reaction from kentledge heavier than the required test load;
b) by means of a jack which obtains its reaction from tension piles or other suitable anchors.
The load should be measured by a calibrated load gauge and also by a calibrated pressure gauge
in the hydraulic system. The jack and load guage should be carefully aligned so that the load
applied is co-axial with the pile.
When using method a) care should be taken to ensure that the centre of gravity of the kentledge is
on the axis of the pile. The nearest edge of the crib supporting the kentledge stack should not be
closer than 1.3 m to the surface of the test pile. Kentledge should not be used for tests of raking
piles. In appropriate circumstances an existing structure of adequate mass and suitable
construction may serve as kentledge.
When using method b) all anchor piles should be at a distance of at least three test pile shaft
diameters from the test pile, centre to centre, and in no case less than 2 m. This spacing may need
increasing in certain situations where knowledge of the absolute value of settlement of an
individual pile is essential to design (Banerjee 1971). Where a pile to be tested has an enlarged
base the same criterion should apply with regard to the shaft and, in addition, the surfaces of anchor
pile shafts should not be closer than one-half of the diameter of the enlarged base to the test pile
base. If the anchor piles are to be permanent working piles, their level should be observed during
application of the test load to ensure there is no residual uplift. Where ground anchors are
employed with method b), no part of the anchor transferring load to the ground should be closer
to the test pile than 3 test pile shaft diameters. Where the pile to be tested has an enlarged base this
criterion should apply with regard to the pile shaft and, in addition, no section of the anchor
transferring load to the ground should be closer to the pile base than the base diameter.
7.5.5.3 Measurement of settlement.
Settlement should be measured by one of the following four methods. a) Level and staff. The level
and the scale of the staff should be chosen to enable readings to be made to an accuracy of 0.5
mm. A scale attached to the pile or pile cap may be used instead of a levelling staff. A datum
should be established on a permanent object or other well-founded structure or deep datum point.
The datum should be situated so that only one setting up of the level is needed. It is preferable that
the datum should be duplicated in case one is inadvertently demolished. The datum should not be
affected by the test loading or other operations on the site.
b) Reference frame.
A frame should be supported on two foundations or stakes placed sufficiently far from the pile and
the reaction system as to be unaffected by ground movements resulting from the test; the distance
should be not less than 3 test pile diameters and in no case less than 2 m. The foundations or stakes
should be placed at a sufficient depth below ground to be unaffected by movements of the reaction
system and movements of the ground caused by moisture changes or frost. The measurement of
settlement is made by dial gauges fixed to the frame and bearing on the top of the pile, or lugs or
other reference points on the pile to register the movement of the pile. If preferred the gauges may
be fixed to the pile and bear on surfaces on the reference frame. Electrical displacement
transducers can be used in place of dial gauges. Readings should be taken to an accuracy of 0.1
mm. During the test, observation of any movements of the stakes with reference to a datum as in
a) above should be made by means of a level and staff.
c) Reference wire.
A strained high tensile wire may be used instead of the reference frame. The wire is positioned
against a scale fixed to the pile and the movement of the scale relative to the wire is determined.
Readings should be taken to an accuracy of 0.5 mm.
d) Electro-optic position sensing.
A laser beam focussed by a lens attached to the pile may be used to produce an image on a photo-
electric detector. Movement of the pile produces an electrical signal proportional to the movement.
The foundations for the laser and detector units should be as described under b) above but it is
convenient and likely to lead to greater accuracy if they are placed at least 10 test pile diameters
from the test pile. Where method b) or c) is used, protection of the frame or wire from sun and
wind should be made and variations in the air temperature should be recorded.
7.5.5.4 Procedure.
The engineer requiring the test to be performed should state the working load and prescribe the
stages of loading. It is convenient to make the increments of load about 25 % of the working load,
up to the working load, and appropriately smaller thereafter. The engineer should also state if the
pile is to be unloaded and reloaded after the completion of any stage of loading. If it is intended
to determine the ultimate bearing capacity of the pile, the engineer should make an estimate of this
value to enable the necessary weight of kentledge or the appropriate reaction system to be
provided. For each stage the load or increment of load should be applied as smoothly and
expeditiously as possible. A reading of the time and settlement should be taken when loading
commences and readings should be made at suitable intervals as the load increases. When the load
for the stage is reached, time and settlement observations should again be made. The load should
then be held constant and settlement readings continued. A graph of settlement versus time should
be plotted as the test proceeds, and the trend of the curve will indicate when movement has
decreased to an acceptably small rate. The settlement at this point should be taken as the settlement
under the applied load for the purpose of this test. A rate of movement of 0.25 mm/h may be taken
as the limiting rate for normal purposes. When the limiting rate of settlement has been reached, a
further increment of load should be applied or the pile should be unloaded, whichever is required?
During unloading, readings of time and settlement should be made at suitable intervals and, after
removal of the load, readings should be continued until the movement effectively ceases. Where
method 7.5.5.3 a) or c) is used a longer period of observation will be required appropriate to the
precision of the reading. On completion of the necessary stages of loading a pair of graphs showing
load and settlement versus time as abscissa should be plotted as indicated in Figure 15(a). A graph
of load versus the settlement at the end of each stage of loading should be plotted as in Figure
15(b).