March 2005

Process Industry Practices

Structural

PIP STE02465
Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Design Guidelines

PURPOSE AND USE OF PROCESS INDUSTRY PRACTICES

In an effort to minimize the cost of process industry facilities, this Practice has
been prepared from the technical requirements in the existing standards of major
industrial users, contractors, or standards organizations. By harmonizing these
technical requirements into a single set of Practices, administrative, application, and
engineering costs to both the purchaser and the manufacturer should be reduced. While
this Practice is expected to incorporate the majority of requirements of most users,
individual applications may involve requirements that will be appended to and take
precedence over this Practice. Determinations concerning fitness for purpose and
particular matters or application of the Practice to particular project or engineering
situations should not be made solely on information contained in these materials. The
use of trade names from time to time should not be viewed as an expression of
preference but rather recognized as normal usage in the trade. Other brands having the
same specifications are equally correct and may be substituted for those named. All
Practices or guidelines are intended to be consistent with applicable laws and
regulations including OSHA requirements. To the extent these Practices or guidelines
should conflict with OSHA or other applicable laws or regulations, such laws or
regulations must be followed. Consult an appropriate professional before applying or
acting on any material contained in or suggested by the Practice.

This Practice is subject to revision at any time by the responsible Function Team and
will be reviewed every 5 years. This Practice will be revised, reaffirmed, or withdrawn.
Information on whether this Practice has been revised may be found at www.pip.org.

Process Industry Practices (PIP), Construction Industry Institute, The

University of Texas at Austin, 3925 West Braker Lane (R4500), Austin,
Texas 78759. PIP member companies and subscribers may copy this Practice
for their internal use. Changes, overlays, addenda, or modifications of any
kind are not permitted within any PIP Practice without the express written
authorization of PIP.

PIP will not consider requests for interpretations (inquiries) for this Practice.

Not printed with State funds

March 2005

Process Industry Practices

Structural

PIP STE02465
Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Design Guidelines
Table of Contents
1. Introduction .................................. 2

13. Basis of Payment ....................... 6

1.1 Purpose ............................................. 2

1.2 Scope................................................. 2

14. Surveying .................................... 7

2. References.................................... 2

15. Underground Utility Location.... 7

2.1 Process Industry Practices ................ 2

2.2 Other References .............................. 2

16. Construction Permits................. 7

3. Definitions .................................... 2

17. Test Piles .................................... 7

4. General ......................................... 3
5. Preaward Meeting ........................ 3
6. Inspection..................................... 4
7. Spoils Handling............................ 4
8. Grout ............................................. 4
9. Codes............................................ 5
10. Pile Integrity Testing .................. 5
11. Reinforcement ............................ 6
12. Obstructions and Payment for
Piles ............................................. 6

Process Industry Practices

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PIP STE02465
Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Design Guidelines

1.

March 2005

Introduction
1.1

Purpose
This Practice provides recommendations for the design and installation of augered
cast-in-place piles for use by the engineers and specifiers of augered cast-in-place
piles.

1.2

Scope
This Practice supplements PIP STS02465 and provides assistance to the engineer in
the preparation of contract documents for furnishing and installing augered cast-inplace piles.
This Practice is modeled on the DFI Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Manual. For
additional information, refer to that manual and also to the DFI Inspectors Guide to
Augered Cast-in-Place Piles.
This Practice does not describe requirements for lateral displacement or drilled
displacement piles, also known as augered cast-in-place displacement (ACIP-D)
piles. ACIP-D piles may be a good substitute for augered cast-in-place piles in some
soil types/conditions. Because of reduced or eliminated spoils, ACIP-D piles may be
a good choice in contaminated soil conditions. However, the different types of
proprietary ACIP-D piles may be more or less suited for different soil conditions.
Appropriate engineering, including geotechnical engineering, is required. DFI is
developing a practice manual on ACIP-D piles, and the Federal Highway
Administration is developing a manual on augered cast-in-place piles that addresses
ACIP-D piles. Both manuals are due out in 2005.

2.

References
Applicable parts of the following PIP Practice and other references should be reviewed by
those preparing contract documents for augered cast-in-place piles.
2.1

Process Industry Practices (PIP)

PIP STS02465 - Augered Cast-in-Place Pile Installation Specification

2.2

Other References
Deep Foundations Institute (DFI)
Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Manual
Inspectors Guide to Augered Cast-in-Place Piles
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
ASCE 7-2002 - Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures

3.

Definitions
engineer of record: The engineer responsible for structural design of the project

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PIP STE02465
Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Design Guidelines

March 2005

geotechnical engineer: The party responsible for performing the geotechnical investigation
and/or geotechnical consulting during the piling work
inspector: The party responsible for performing inspection during the pile work
owner: The party who owns the facility wherein the augered cast-in-place piles will be
installed
purchaser: The party who awards the contract to the supplier. The purchaser may be the
owner or the owners authorized agent.
supplier: The party responsible for furnishing and installing augered cast-in-place piles

4.

5.

General
4.1

The recommendations given in this Practice should be considered in design and

construction of augered cast-in-place pile foundation systems.

4.2

These recommendations are provided because of the unique features of the system
and should be considered because they improve the final product and reduce
problems during construction. These recommendations are not all inclusive, and the
specifications and plans should be reviewed by a geotechnical professional
experienced in augered cast-in-place pile design and construction.

Preaward Meeting
A preaward or preconstruction meeting, including at a minimum the supplier, purchaser,
engineer of record, geotechnical engineer, and inspector, should be held to discuss topics
such as the following.
a.

Safety requirements

b.

Site entry procedures

c.

Available subsurface information

d.

Underground utility identification and location

e.

Survey for elevation and location of piles

f.

Reinforcing steel placement

g.

Grout

h.

Excavated materials disposal

i.

Action required if potentially contaminated soil is encountered

j.

Testing and inspection

k.

Responsibility for required reports

Process Industry Practices

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PIP STE02465
Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Design Guidelines

6.

7.

8.

March 2005

Inspection
6.1

The inspection data requirements for augered cast-in-place piles during installation
differ from the data typically obtained for driven piles.

6.2

During pile installation, problems that are difficult to detect can occur, which can
reduce the load carrying capacity of the pile. For these reasons, careful, purchaserretained inspection by an experienced professional (preferably a geotechnical
engineer) on a full-time basis is considered essential.

6.3

Careful attention should be given to the inspection requirements by an experienced

professional. Modifications should be made to the inspection requirements to fit the
specific requirements of each project.

6.4

For the inspection, automated instrumentation and monitoring systems to measure

various elements of the installation process and to produce readout by computer are
available. If this type of instrumentation is desired and is to be provided by the
supplier, the requirements should be stated by adding an addenda coversheet to
invoke and modify PIP STS02465, Section 4.2.3. The instrumentation will be an
additional cost to the purchaser. Even if the instrumentation is provided by the
supplier, a qualified inspector should be present during the pile work. The special
instrumentation is not normally used or available for piles installed in areas having
restricted headroom conditions.

Spoils Handling
7.1

The drilling process produces spoils in the form of excess grout and soil returned to
the surface by the augers.

7.2

The contract documents should clearly state which party is responsible for removing
and disposing spoils, any restrictions on the disposal, and location of a disposal area
that the owner can provide, if any.

7.3

If the soil is contaminated, handling and disposal costs should be considered in

determining the feasibility of the system.

7.4

If contaminated spoil disposal is an issue, but drilled piles are preferred over driven
piles, augered cast-in-place displacement (ACIP-D) piles may be considered (see
Section 2, this Practice). All types of ACIP-D piles do not necessarily eliminate
spoils, but they at least significantly reduce the quantity of spoils.

Grout
8.1

The required grout strength should be designated on the plans if other than the
4,000 psi (27,580 kPa) at 28 days default given in PIP STS02465,
Section 4.3.2.7.3.

8.2

Allowable maximum grout temperature and holding time stated in PIP STS02465,
Section 4.3.2.7.5, differ from the temperatures and holding times given in the DFI
Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Manual guideline specification. However, as also noted
in the DFI Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Manual commentary, opinions differ about
the allowable maximum temperature, and some think that 90F (32C) should be the

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Process Industry Practices

PIP STE02465
Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Design Guidelines

March 2005

maximum (same as given in PIP STS02465). The DFI Augered Cast-in-Place Piles
Manual also notes that excessive mixing time and temperature can be detrimental to
grout strength.

9.

10.

8.3

As stated in Section 8.2 (this Practice), the requirements in PIP STS02465 are based
on 90F (32C) allowable maximum temperature. As a result, if a higher and
potentially detrimental grout temperature is considered on a particular project or is
requested by the supplier, the engineer of record is alerted and given the opportunity
to consider whether to allow higher temperatures. If greater temperatures and/or
extended holding times are allowed, special procedures for grouting should be
developed and followed. It is recommended that additional strength test cubes that
represent grout placed at high temperatures and/or after extended holding times be
made. To prepare for an occurrence of low strength test results, definitions of
remedial actions and assignment of responsibility for the actions should be made and
agreed upon beforehand.

8.4

The minimum theoretical grout volume specified in PIP STS02465, Section 4.4.6.13,
should be increased as necessary to match the volume used in the test piles and/or
the recommendations of the geotechnical engineer, which are made according to soil
type encountered during soil borings.

Codes
9.1

Governing codes should be checked for limitations that are more restrictive than
those in PIP STS02465. Some building codes place specific limits on design stresses
(and/or maximum loads) for this type of pile.

9.2

Codes should be checked for other limitations, such as spacing between piles
constructed within 24 hours of one another, reinforcing cover, length to diameter
ratio, etc.

Pile Integrity Testing

10.1

Low-strain integrity testing is a relatively quick and inexpensive method of

nondestructive assessment of pile cross-sectional integrity, though subject to
limitations. If questions arise about the acceptability of piles, such testing may be a
useful tool for the engineer to help assess possible problems.

10.2

In some cases, it may be appropriate to perform low-strain integrity testing on a predetermined portion of the completed piles. The engineer should determine the
number of piles to be tested. Low-strain integrity testing should be limited to piles
with length-to-diameter ratios of less than 30. The use of low-strain integrity testing
can cause coordination problems and increase job costs even if the piles are
determined to be acceptable. This is especially true if the tests are not completed at
the same time that the pile installation is completed.

10.3

Cross-hole sonic logging has been used to evaluate integrity of larger (diameters
greater than 24 inches (600 mm) piles. Single-hole sonic logging can be used for
piles with diameters of 24 inches (600 mm) or less. The viability of this system must
be carefully assessed for usefulness on a particular project.

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PIP STE02465
Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Design Guidelines

11.

12.

13.

March 2005

10.4

Specifications should cover acceptance requirements if integrity problems are

indicated by these methods.

10.5

Pile integrity testing does not reduce the need for qualified, full-time pile installation
inspection. A qualified inspector should be present during the pile work regardless of
whether pile integrity testing is performed.

Reinforcement
11.1

Reinforcement cages, if required, should be limited in length to the minimum

actually needed for moment and shear resistance.

11.2

Cages longer than about 20 to 25 ft (6 to 8 m) are difficult or impossible to install. If

possible, cages should be limited to approximately 15-ft (4.5-m) length. Installation
of cages longer than 25 ft (8 m) is normally unsuccessful.

11.3

Full-length single bar reinforcement is commonly employed for tension piles.

11.4

Longitudinal reinforcement and spiral confining steel (or suitable alternative

reinforcement) may be needed to withstand seismic pile-soil interaction loading
conditions, particularly if these piles derive a significant share of their support in end
bearing resistance during and immediately after a major earthquake. Competent
geotechnical and structural engineers should confirm the suitability of these
foundation elements for the expected loading/distortion conditions.

11.5

According to ASCE 7-2002, Section A9.7.5.4.1, full-length reinforcement cages are

required in piles for structures in Seismic Design Category E or F. Accommodations
in the design should be made by the engineer of record to facilitate the installation of
full-length cages, such as bending reinforcement bars toward the center at the bottom
of the cage so that the cage does not catch on the sides of the pile grout hole. In such
cases, the supplier should provide a plan to assure that a full-length cage can be
installed. In certain soil conditions with deep piles, this requirement may preclude
the use of augered cast-in-place piles. A sufficient quantity of grout to complete a
pile should be at the site before pile installation begins.

Obstructions and Payment for Piles

12.1

Requirements should be stated for handling piling installation obstructions if

encountered.

12.2

Even with a rock bit, augered cast-in-place pile rigs cannot penetrate a significant
distance into hard rock, and rock bits may not penetrate many obstructions.

12.3

A payment calculation method for short piles terminated because of obstructions

should be stated in the contract documents. Commonly, a pile that cannot be
completed to full length because of an obstruction is completed otherwise in
accordance with the pile termination requirements, and the supplier is paid for the
length installed.

Basis of Payment
13.1

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The basis for payment should be stated in the contract documents.

Process Industry Practices

PIP STE02465
Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Design Guidelines

March 2005

13.2

14.

15.

Typically, the best pricing for the purchaser can be obtained by requesting lump sum
bids for the entire installation of the piles and requesting unit pricing for over and
under the bid quantity of piles.

Surveying
14.1

The contract documents should clearly state which party is responsible for the survey
locating the piles and marking cut-off elevations.

14.2

Location of benchmarks and description of datum plane should be provided, if

appropriate.

Underground Utility Location

The responsibility for identifying, locating, and marking underground utilities should be
clearly defined.

16.

17.

Construction Permits
16.1

Responsibility for permits should be made clear in the contract documents.

16.2

Permits required from regulatory agencies should normally be stated to be the

responsibility of the supplier.

16.3

Permits that the supplier shall obtain from the owner/purchaser should be clearly and
completely described.

Test Piles
17.1

The contract drawings should show the location, length, number, etc., of probe
and/or test piles. See PIP STS02465, Section 4.4.5.1.

17.2

The type of load tests (compression, tension, and lateral) should be designated on the
contract drawings. See PIP STS02465, Section 4.4.5.2.

17.3

Details of telltales or strain gauges for test piles should be provided. See
PIP STS02465, Section 4.4.5.5.

17.4

The type of test loading procedure should be designated for compression load tests if
different from PIP STS02465, Section 4.4.5.12.

17.5

If tension or lateral testing is required, the type of test loading procedure should be
designated.

17.6

If dynamic load testing is required, a written procedure for dynamic load testing
should be provided.

17.7

If dynamic load testing is required, written assurance should be provided from a

professional engineer that the dynamic load testing procedure will yield results that
define the allowable load capacities of the piles.

17.8

The viability of dynamic load testing, its applicability to a specific project, the
assurance that the testing will not harm the structural integrity of the pile, and the

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PIP STE02465
Augered Cast-in-Place Piles Design Guidelines

March 2005

justified degree of confidence to be assigned to the results should be considered in

choosing to allow this type of testing and accounted for in selecting the pile design
capacities. Further, the applicable building code must be checked to determine
whether dynamic testing is allowed.

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Process Industry Practices