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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

Reusable Instrumented Test Pile Phase 2

Load tests are often called for on very large projects to confirm design capacity or investigate suspicions of low capacity. These tests tend to be expensive since they typically require installation of 4 reaction piles, one test pile, transport and erection of large reaction beams. These tests only measure top of pile deflection with axial load and give no information on how load is shed to various soil strata or the pile tip. Th California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) initiated a research project in 2008 to develop a reusable instrumented test pile prototype. This project was completed in Spring 2012 and successfully developed and field tested a prototype test pile. The Reusable Test Pile (RTP) project is aimed at providing an economical alternative to conventional pile load tests. The RTP also provides a practical design procedure for piles and shafts in gravel and cobble soils which are very difficult to assess using conventional techniques. The current Task is focused on providing additional ruggedness to the system and then deploying it in the field at 5 previous load-test sites. An analytical model will be developed that allows one to utilize both static and dynamic pile measurements to predict the capacity of the production pile.