Pile load testing /
Pile Testing service provider
Static pile load testing is one of the most common methods for testing the actual in-situ capacity of a pile.
Pile load test program involves the direct measurement of
pile head displacement in response to a physically applied load. The test pile
is loaded using a calibrated hydraulic jack that applies the test load to the
pile by pushing against a beam placed directly over the test pile. The test
beam is restrained by an anchorage system consisting of reaction piles
installed in the adjacent ground to provide tension resistance. Once the load
test frame is in place and fully instrumented, the hydraulic jack applies the test
load in a series of increments according to the testing requirements specified
by the project’s engineer. Each load is held for a predetermined amount of time
until either twice the design load or pile failure is reached, whichever comes
first. Pile movement is recorded with each incremental load, and the results
are typically presented in a graphical format to the structural engineer of
record.
Piles can be tested for compression, tension or lateral
loads. By providing actual capacity and deflection values, the test results can
be used to confirm that the pile design load can be adequately supported.
Depending on the test pile’s performance, the results may also allow for
project cost savings by permitting an increase in the pile design load, a reduction
in the overall pile length, or a quantification of capacity in difficult or
unknown soil conditions. Additionally, the results will offer an improved
knowledge of pile-soil behavior, as well as provide valuable data that can be
used for future research.
