Effects of Construction Installation Methods on the Design and Performance of Drilled Shaft Foundations

All state departments of transportation (DOTs) use the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications as standards for design and construction of bridges in public infrastructure projects. However, various state DOTs have developed their own state-specific standards based on experience and differences in local/regional geology. For example, design of drilled shaft foundations varies widely across the United States, as do the construction methods associated therewith. This variation also extends to the various elements of the construction methods used for maintaining a stable drilled shaft excavation. Some state DOTs have been conservative in their design approach and have discounted partially or completely the estimated friction resistance for shaft installations due to concerns about the effects of the various installation methods. Different types of installation methods, use of steel casing, and/or drilling support fluid may have significant effects on geotechnical load transfer characteristics and long-term performance. During the past 40 years, design demands have increased with the magnitude of axial, lateral, and flexural loadings, in part due to larger superstructures, increased awareness to extreme events, and associated updated design codes. Concurrently, the diameter and depths to which drilled shafts can be constructed have grown substantially owing to advancements in equipment technology. As the methods and equipment have evolved, there remain concerns about how the various installation methods affect the design and long-term performance of drilled shafts. Given the widespread use of drilled shaft foundations, research is needed to study the effect of construction installation methods on design and performance. The objective of this research is to quantify the effects of construction installation methods on the design and performance of drilled shaft foundations for different subsurface conditions and geologic materials. 

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5004

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $600000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 24-51

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  McKenney, Christopher

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Missouri, Columbia

  Department of Civil Engineering
  Columbia, MO  United States  65211
• Principal Investigators:

  Loehr, J

• Start Date: 20231101
• Expected Completion Date: 20261031
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge construction; Bridge design; Foundations; Installation; Shaft sinking
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Design; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01739658
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 24-51
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: May 20 2020 10:16PM