DRILLED SHAFTS

CONTENTS

Introduction

Advantages

Disadvantages

Types of Drilled Shafts

Use of Casings and Drilling mud

Inspection of the Bottom of the Hole

Design Considerations

Load Bearing Capacity of a Drilled Shaft

References
INTRODUCTION

They are also no!n as Caissons" Drilled piers or Bored #iles$

They are high capacity cast in place deep foundation elements constructed !ith an auger$

A hole having the design diameter of planned shaft is first drilled to the design depth$ If the hole re%uires
assistance to remain open" casing or drilling fluid is used$ &ull'length reinforcing steel is then lo!ered into the
hole and the hole is filled !ith concrete$ The finished foundation element resists compressive" uplift and lateral
loads$ The techni%ue has (een used to support (uildings" tans" to!ers and (ridges$

They have proven to (e a cost effective" e)cellent performing" deep foundation system" that is utili*ed !orld'
!ide$

They are used for large structures" !here large loads and lateral resistance are ma+or factors$
ADVANTAGES
,conomics$
,asily adapta(le to varying site conditions$
High a)ial and lateral loading capacity$
Re%uires less area as compared to traditional -AT &oundation$
A single drilled shaft may (e used instead of a group of piles and the pile cap$
Construction drilled shafts in deposits of dense sand and gravel is easier than driving piles$
Drilled shafts may (e constructed (efore completion of grading operations$
.hen piles are driven (y a hammer" the ground vi(ration may cause damage to near(y structures" !hich the use of drilled
shafts avoids$
#iles driven into clay soils may produce ground heaving and (ecause previously driven piles to move laterally" !hich does not
occur during construction of drilled shafts$
There is no hammer noise during the construction of drilled shafts" as there is during pile driving$
Because the (ase of a drilled shaft can (e enlarged" it provides great resistance to the uplifting load$
The surface over !hich the (ase of the drilled shaft is constructed can (e visually inspected $
Construction of drilled shafts generally utili*es mo(ile e%uipment" !hich" under proper soil conditions" may prove to (e more
economical than methods of constructing pile foundations$
DISADVANTAGES

,)tremely sensitive to construction procedures

/ot good for contaminated sites

Lac of construction e)pertise

Lac of 0ualified Inspectors

TYPES OF DRILLED SHAFTS

Drilled shafts are classified according to the !ays in !hich they are designed to transfer the structural load to
the su(stratum$

STRAI1HT SHA&T ' It e)tends through the upper layer2s3 of poor soil" and its tip rests on a strong load'(earing
soil layer or roc$ The shaft can (e cased !ith steel shell or pipe !hen re%uired$ &or such shafts" the resistance
to the applied load may develop from end (earing and also from side friction at the shaft perimeter and soil
interface$
Types of Drilled Shafs !CONT.)

B,LL,D SHA&T ' consists of a straight shaft !ith a (ell at the (ottom" !hich rests on good (earing soil$ The
(ell can (e constructed in the shape of a dome or it can (e angled$ &or angled (ells" the under reaming tools
commercially availa(le can mae 45 to 67 angles !ith the vertical$ &or the ma+ority of drilled shafts
constructed in the United States" the entire load'carrying capacity is assigned to the end (earing only$
Ho!ever" under certain circumstances" the end'(earing capacity and the side friction are taen into account$ In
,urope" (oth the side frictional resistance and the end'(earing capacity are al!ays taen into account$
Types of Drilled Shafs !CONT.)

STRAI1HT SHA&T S8C9,T,D I/T8 R8C9 ' Straight shafts can also (e e)tended into an underlying roc
layer$ In the calculation of the load'(earing capacity of such shafts" the end (earing and the shear stress
developed along the shaft perimeter and roc interface can (e taen into account$
CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES

CHICA18 -,TH8D 'In this method" circular holes !ith diameters of 4$7 ft or more are e)cavated (y hand for
depths of :'; ft at a time$ The sides of the e)cavated hole are then lined !ith vertical (oards" referred to as
laggings. They are held tightly in place (y t!o circular steel rings$ After placement of the rings" the e)cavation
is continued for another :'; ft$ .hen the desired depth of e)cavation is reached" the (ell is e)cavated$
&ollo!ing the completion of the e)cavation the hole is filled !ith concrete$
Co"sr#$io" pro$ed#res !CONT.)

18. -,TH8D < In this method the hole is e)cavated (y hand$ Telescopic metal shells are used to maintain
the shaft$ The shells can (e removed one section at a time as concreting progresses$ The minimum diameter
of a 1o! drilled shaft is a(out 6 ft 2=$:: m3$ Any given section of the shell is a(out : in$ 275 mm3 less in
diameter than the section immediately a(ove it$ Shafts as deep as =55 ft 245 m3 have (een installed (y this
method$
USE OF CASINGS AND DRILLING %UD

.hen holes are driven in soft clays" the soil tends to s%uee*e in and close the hole$

In such situations" casings may (e used to eep the hole open and may have to (e driven (efore e)cavation
(egins$

Holes made in gravelly and sandy soils also tend to cave in$

,)cavation of drilled'shaft holes in these soils can (e continued either (y casing as the hole progresses or (y
using drilling mud.
INSPECTION OF THE &OTTO% OF THE HOLE
The (ottom of the hole must (e inspected to ensure that the load'(earing stratum is !hat !as anticipated and that
the (ell is properly done$ &or these reasons" an inspector must descend to the (ottom of the hole$ Several safety
precautions must (e o(served during this procedure>

If a casing is not already in the hole" one should (e lo!ered (y crane into it to prevent the hole and the (ell
from collapsing$

The hole should (e tested for the presence of poisonous or e)plosive gases" !hich can (e done (y using a
miner?s safety lamp$

The inspector should !ear a safety harness$

The inspector should also carry a safety lamp and an air tan
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

&or the design of ordinary drilled shafts !ithout casings" a minimum amount of vertical steel reinforcement is
al!ays desira(le$ -inimum reinforcement is =@ of the gross cross'sectional area of the shaft$ In California" a
reinforcing cage having a length of a(out =: ft 24$;7 m3 is used in the top part of the shaft" and no
reinforcement is provided at the (ottom$ This procedure helps in the construction process (ecause the cage is
placed after most of the concreting is complete$

&or drilled shafts !ith nominal reinforcement" most (uilding codes suggest using a design concrete strength"

c
on the order of

A6$ Thus the minimum shaft diameters (ecomes

!here D
s
is the diameter of the shaft
f
c

is the :B day concrete strength

Q
w
is the !oring load of the shaft
A
gs
is the gross cross sectional area of the shaft
Design Considerations (CONT.)

Depending on the loading conditions" the reinforcement percentage may sometimes to too high$ In that case"
use of a single rolled-steel section at the center of the pier may (e considered$
Q
w
(A
gs
! A
s
) f
c
" A
s
f
s
!here A
s
is the area of the steel section
f
s
is the allo!a(le strength of steel C 5$7

If drilled shafts are liely to (e su(+ected to tensile loads" reinforcement should (e continued for the entire
length of the shaft$

LOAD &EARING CAPACITY

The ultimate load'(earing capacity of a drilled shaft is

Q
u
Q
#
" Q
s
w$ere Qu is t$e ultimate load

Qs is t$e frictional resistance
Q# is t$e ultimate load minus t$e carr%ing ca#acit% at t$e &ase

The e%uation for the ultimate (ase load is similar to that for shallo! foundations
Q
#
A
#
(cN
c
'
" (

N
(
'
" ).* +D
&
N
'
+
)
w$ere ( is t$e ,ertical effecti,e stress at t$e le,el of t$e &ottom of t$e #ier
A
#
is t$e area of t$e &ase
D
&
is t$e diameter of t$e &ase
N
c

'
- N
(

'
- N
+

'
are t$e &earing ca#acit% factors

In most cases" the last term 2containing 3 is neglected e)cept for relatively short drilled shafts$

The net load'carrying capacity at the (ase 2that is" the gross load minus the !eight of the pier3 may (e
appro)imated as
Q
#

(net)
A
#
.cN
c
'
" (

(N
(
'
- /)0
REFERENCES

http>AA!!!$dot$state$fl$usAconstructionAtrainingAdrill@:5shaftA!hatDisDdrilledDshaft$htm

http>AA!!!$hay!ard(aer$comA.hat.eDoATechni%uesAStructuralSupportADrilledShaftsAdefault$asp)

http>AAnptel$ac$inA