Method Statement of High Strain Dynamic

Load Test

GEOSTRUCT KEY SOLVATION AND ENGG SER LLP

 METHOD STATEMENT FOR HIGH STRAIN DYNAMIC LOAD TESTING

1.0 INTRODUCTION

High Strain Dynamic testing like a static load test can be used to evaluate pile capacity. The test
procedure is standardized as per ASTM D4945-2000 and IRC Notification 54 – 2009 and also forms
part of various specifications and code provisions worldwide. It is an accepted procedure worldwide
since years and Indian case history starts probably in the year 1985 for Bombay Port trust. The HSDLT
is convenient, reliable and helps evaluate pile load carrying capacity in quick time.

The testing is conducted using Pile Driving Analyzer™ by obtaining and analyzing records of
shaft force and velocity under drop weight impacts. The field results are further analyzed with a state
of the art software (CAse Pile Wave Analysis Program - CAPWAP) to refine the soil parameter
assumptions. The output from the test result can be summarized as below.
1. Static capacity of the pile at the time of testing.
2. Load vs displacement curve
3. Skin friction and end bearing breakup of the tested pile
4. Net and gross displacement of the pile.

2. PILE AND TEST PREPARATION

1. The testing is conducted by fixing strain sensors and accelerometers to the sides of the pile at a
depth of at least 1- 1.5X pile diameters from top of pile and then connecting them to the PDA. For
large diameter piles of 1.2 – 1.5m and above, the sensors maybe fixed at 1Xpile diameter from the
top.
2. For this it is desirable that the pile is extended to 1.6 times the pile diameter after chipping top loose
concrete. For large diameters of 1.2-1.5m and above, the pile maybe extended only by 1.1 X pile
diameters.
3. The built-up pile head shall be same diameter, axial, flat and have same strength or preferably one
grade higher than pile concrete. The rebars and helical reinforcement shall also be extended to
avoid cracking of concrete under hammer impact. The diameter of bars shall generally be the same
as pile reinforcement. Further, the concrete at the sensor level shall be smooth hard and uniform.
4. A pile top cushion consisting of sheets of plywood with total thickness of as given in Table and
equal to diameter of the pile shall be placed on the top of the pile before testing.

5. A hammer of suitable weight (1-2% of test load or 5-7% of the dead weight of the pile or suitable
energy) shall be used for testing the pile. Refer Table for hammer requirement. The fall height
generally varies from 0.5m to 3m.
6. A suitable guide shall be provided to avoid eccentricity (if required).
7. A suitable crane or equivalent mechanism capable of freely falling the required hammer shall be
arranged on site in consultation with the test engineer. Refer to table for crane capacity/suitable free
fall arrangement.
8. A suitable power source supply shall be provided for fixing the sensors and for the test equipment.
9. The gauge’s location must be clean & dry. However, the surface to which the gages are to be
mounted must be flat and level. The surface are to be prepare per the details provided. The
details showing the location of the gages and how they are mounted will be provided prior to
conducting the test.

10. The gages are to be mounted on the pile by drilling holes in the pile and securing them with drilled
anchors.
11. The necessary dropping weight along with proper guide( for your case it the ram details mentioned
in the table. Hoisting equipment and all that is necessary to impart impact to the top of the pile.
Top surface of the pile shall be flat. During impact, will ensure that the gages are protected and
will not be damaged by falling weight. Plywood cushion minimum 40 mm (may be in multiple
layers ) will required.
12. At least Twenty (20) filled sand bags are required for safety reason of Pda gages & wires.
 TABLE
example

Sr. Pile dia. Design Test load Ram Built up

No Capacity weight

1 As per As per For working 1% to 2% With one grade richer of original

drawing drawing 1.5 x Design of test pile grade, with same vertical r/f
capacity
load & closer rings.
And
Built up to (1.5 x Dia) height,
For initial 2.5 x which is accessible & free from
Design capacity water on the day of test.

3.0 PILE MONITORING AND ANALYSIS

1. Dynamic pile testing (High Strain Testing or PDA Testing) is conducted by attaching strain transducers
and accelerometers to the sides of pile. A pair of transducers is fixed onto opposite sides of the pile so
as to detect bending in the pile if any during testing.
2. These transducers are then connected through the main cable to PDA which is a state of Art Computer
system with ability to record strain and acceleration measurements and convert them from analog to
digital form and display them on screen.
3. The testing is conducted by impacting the pile with blows of the hammer generally starting with a
smaller drop height. This is to ensure the correctness of data and the setup arrangements. For each
hammer blow, the strain transducers measure strains whereas accelerations are measured by
accelerometers connected on either sides of the pile. These signals are then converted to digital form
by the equipment and then converted to force and velocity respectively by integration.
 4. For each hammer blow, the test system displays immediate field results in the form of the mobilized
capacity of the pile, pile top compression, integrity, stresses etc. The force and velocity curve shall be
generally as defined in ASTM D4945.

5. Testing is continued by increasing the hammer height by approximately 0.5m increment till the time
either the pile set or the capacity reaches the required or limiting values. A typical force velocity
response is also described for clarity.

6. The pile capacity shall be generally considered to be fully mobilized if the energy levels due to hammer
impact are sufficient so as to cause a measurable net displacement of at least 3-4mm per blow for a
minimum three successive impacts. If the pile set is less than 3-4 mm per blow and the pile achieves
required capacity, then it implies that not all the static pile resistance has been mobilized and that the
pile still has some capacity that could not be measured or was not required to be measured at the time
of testing.

7. A typical blow is then selected for CAPWAP analysis. The program is an analytical method that
combines measured field data with pile wave equation type procedures, to predict the pile static
bearing capacity and soil resistance distribution. Measured force and velocity data is directly input as
obtained from field measurement. Based on the measured velocity data, the program computes force
required to induce the imposed velocity. Both measured and computed force are plotted as a function
of time and the iterative analysis is continued till there is good agreement between both the curves. If
the agreement is not satisfactory, the soil resistances at the pile point and along the pile are adjusted
until a good match is obtained. This gives better estimates of the actual static pile capacity measured
during field testing, and also the friction and end bearing components.

4.0 REPORTING
On completion of all field work, the final report shall be prepared within seven days covering all
aspects of pile monitoring. This report will incorporate results of CAPWAP analysis and a plot of simulated
static loads test curve and all the output mentioned at introduction thus satisfying all the requirements of
standard load test. The following shall be tabulated.

5.0 TEST LIMITATIONS

1. Although the method can be used to predict skin friction and end bearing along the length of the pile,
these values should be used with caution as the CAPWAP is an iterative procedure. Further these
separations also depends on pile geometry, reliability of soil bore log, and movement of the pile under
repetitive impacts.
DYNAMIC LOAD TEST DRAWRING
ACCEPTANCE CODE FOR HIGH STRAIN DYNAMIC PILE LOAD TESTING

Sr No Country Reference

1 INDIA IRC-Notification-78-2014

1 Australia AS-2159-1995

2 Brazil NBR-6122

3 Brazil NBR-13208

4 China JGJ 94-94

5 China JGJ 106-97

6 Germany Recommendations by the committee

2.1 of DGGT for the impact testing of
piles

7 Canada,Ministry Govt. of Ontario,Bridge design code,

of Transportation 3rd Edition

8 UK Instituition of Civil Engineers:

specifications of piling

9 USA ASTM-D-4945

10 USA AASHTO LRFD,1994