Engineering manual No.

12

Updated: 01/2020

Pile foundations – Introduction

Program: Pile, Pile CPT, Pile Group

The objective of this engineering manual is to explain the practical use of programs for the
analysis of pile foundations in GEO 5.

The GEO 5 software suite contains three pile foundation analysis programs – Pile, Pile CPT, and
Pile Group. The text below gives a more detailed explanation regarding which of the programs are to
be used in particular conditions – each individual program is subsequently described in the following
chapters.

Vertical load-bearing capacity of pile foundations is determined using various methods:

− static pile test: these tests are required in some countries, and structural analysis is only
considered a preliminary pile foundation proposal;

− analysis based on soil shear strength parameters: using the analysis methods NAVFAC
DM 7.2, Tomlinson, CSN 73 1002 and Effective stress in programs PILE and PILE GROUP;

− analysis based on the assessment of penetration tests: PILE CPT program;

− analysis according to regression curve equations obtained from the results of static
loading tests (according to Masopust): PILE program; Vertical load-bearing capacity is
determined from the pile loading curve for the corresponding (allowable) settlement (CSN
73 1002 standard specifies the corresponding settlement value slim = 25.0 mm ).

− analysis based on Mohr-Coulomb parameters and stress-strain properties of soils: using

the so-called Spring Method in PILE and PILE GROUP programs;

− numerical analysis using the Finite Element Method: the FEM program.

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 As this list shows, piles can be assessed using many ways and on the basis of different input
parameters. Therefore, while analysis results can be identical, they often differ significantly.

A great advantage of GEO 5 is the fact that the user can try more variants and analysis methods,
find the most likely behavior of the pile foundation and then determine the total bearing capacity or
settlement of a single pile or a pile group.

The vertical load-bearing capacity of pile foundations is assessed in GEO 5 programs only for the
vertical normal force acting on the foundation (with the only exception: Pile Group – Spring Method).
The horizontal forces acting on the foundation, bending, and torsional moments have no influence
on the analysis of the vertical load-bearing capacity of piles.

Analysis of the vertical load-bearing capacity of a single pile in GEO 5 – Pile is presented in
Chapters 13 and 14, an analysis of the same pile on the basis of CPT tests is described in Chapter 15.

Horizontal bearing capacity of pile foundations:

The result of the analysis of a horizontally loaded pile is the horizontal deformation of the pile
and the curve for internal forces along the pile shaft.

In the case of a single pile, its horizontal deformation and reinforcement depend on the calculated
modulus of the horizontal reaction of the subsoil and the loading by the lateral force or the bending
moment. The analysis procedure is explained in Chapter 16. The analysis procedure for a pile group is
presented in Chapter 18.

Settlement of pile foundations:

The real load-bearing capacity of a pile is directly associated with its settlement because of the
fact that virtually any pile settles under a given load and gets vertically deformed.

The settlement of single piles is determined in the PILE program using the following methods:

− according to Masopust (non-linear): the program analyses the settlement of a single pile
on the basis of the regression coefficients along the skin and under the base of the pile.

− according to Poulos (linear): the program analyses the value of the total settlement
on the basis of the determined pile base bearing capacity Rb and the pile skin bearing
capacity Rs .

− by means of the Spring Method: the program analyses the loading curve on the basis
of the given parameters of soils using the Finite Element Method.

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 The PILE program constructs the loading curve (the so-called working diagram) for all
of the methods.

The settlement of a pile group is described in Chapter 17, the settlement of piles designed on the
basis of CPT penetration tests is presented in Chapter 15.

Program selection
1. selection based on the stiffness of the base slab (pile cap). When the pile cap
is considered to be infinitely stiff, the Pile Group solution is used. In other cases, single
piles are investigated.

2. selection based on the results of a geological survey. If the results of CPT tests
are available, then the Pile CPT program is used to analyze the single pile or the pile group
(see Chapter 15). In other cases, the program Pile (or Pile Group) is used for the solution,
on the basis of given soil parameters.

Based on the type of the analysis we distinguish:

− analysis for drained conditions: effective parameters of shear strength of soils  ef , c ef

are used in the Pile and Pile Group programs as a standard for analysis methods CSN 73
1002 and Effective stress;

− analysis for undrained conditions: only the value of the total soil cohesion c u is set in the
Pile and Pile Group programs. The vertical load-bearing capacity of a single pile is

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 determined according to Tomlinson, whilst a pile group is analyzed as the load-bearing
capacity of a soil cylinder (block) according to the FHWA.

The NAVFAC DM 7.2 method combines both of the aforementioned analysis procedures. It is
possible to choose whether each of the soil layers will be considered as drained (cohesionless) or
undrained (cohesive).

General task specification:

Analyze the vertical load-bearing capacity and settlement of a pile foundation (see the schema
below) in the set geological profile; further, determine the horizontal deformation of the piles
and propose reinforcement for individual piles. The pile foundation consists of four bored piles with
diameter d = 1.0 m and length l = 12.0 m . The resultant force of the total loading N , M y , H x acts
at the upper surface level of the foundation slab (pile cap) namely in the slab center. C 20/25
reinforced concrete is used for the piles.

Load acting on the piles

To simplify the problem, we will always consider 1 loading case in the program.

The determination of loads acting on the pile foundation is different depending on the structure
type and subsequent solution, i.e., whether we solve a single pile or a pile group.

Pile Group
We assume that the slab joining the piles is stiff. In our case, we will consider a pile cap
with thickness t = 1.0 m . In this case, we determine the total reaction in the pile cap center.

Note: A simple method of obtaining loads on a pile group using any of the static programs
is described in the program help for the Pile Group program ”Determination of loading on a pile
group”.

a) Design (calculation) loads:

− Vertical normal force: N = 5680 kN ,

− Bending moment: M y = 480 kNm ,

− Horizontal force H x = 310 kN .

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 b) Imposed (working) loads:

− Vertical normal force: N = 4000 kN ,

− Bending moment: M y = 320 kNm ,

− Horizontal force: H x = 240 kN .

Problem specification schema – pile foundation

Single piles
If the slab is soft in bending (non-stiff) or the building is founded on a pile cap, the structural
diagram is different, and we will obtain reactions at the heads of individual piles from a static
program (e.g. GEO 5 – Plate, FIN 3D, SCIA Engineer, Dlubal RStab, etc.).

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 In this example, we will carry out the pile analysis using only 1 loading case for simplification.

a) Design loading:

− Vertical normal force: N1 = 1450 kN ,

− Bending moment: M y ,1 = 120 kNm ,

− Horizontal force: H x ,1 = 85 kN .

b) Service loading:

− Vertical normal force: N1 = 1015 kN ,

− Bending moment: M y ,1 = 80 kNm ,

− Horizontal force: H x ,1 = 60 kN .

Loads action schema – load distribution among individual single piles

Note: If we assume identical dimensions and reinforcement of the piles, we can assess all piles
as one pile with loading combinations acting on all piles.

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Geological profile
− 0,0 to 6,0 m: Sandy Clay (CS, consistency firm),

− above 6,0 m: Sand with trace of fines (S-F, medium dense soil).

Note: The basic soil parameters are the same as when performing the analysis of single piles
and for the verification of a pile group. Their values are given in the following table.

Sand with trace

Sandy Clay (CS)
Soil parameters / Classification of fines (S-F)
consistency firm
medium dense soil

Unit weight  kN m 3  18,5 17,5

Unit weight of satur. soil  sat kN m 3  20,5 19,5
Cohesion of soil c ef / cu kPa
14,0 / 50,0 0/0
Angle of internal friction  ef 
24,5 29,5
Adhesion factor  −
0,6 –
Bearing capacity coefficient  p − 
0,3 0,45

Poisson´s ratio  −

0,35 0,3
Oedometric modulus Eoed MPa 
8,0 21,0
Deformation modulus E def MPa 
5,0 15,5

Type of soil Clay Sand, gravel

(cohesive soil) (cohesionless soil)
Angle of dispersion  −
10,0 15,0

Coefficient k MN m
3
 60,0 150,0
Modulus of horizont. comp. n h MN m 3   – 4,5
Modulus of elasticity E MPa
5,0 15,5
Table with the soil parameters – pile foundations (summary)

List of chapters related to pile foundations:

− Chapter 12: Pile foundations – introduction

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− Chapter 13: Analysis of vertical load-bearing capacity of a single pile

− Chapter 14: Analysis of single pile settlement

− Chapter 15: CPT tests based pile analysis

− Chapter 16: Analysis of horizontal load-bearing capacity of a single pile

− Chapter 17: Analysis of vertical load-bearing capacity and settlement of a pile group

− Chapter 18: Analysis of deformation and pile group dimensioning.

− Chapter 36: Verification of a Micropile Foundation