DEEP FOUNDATIONS

Deep foundations are those foundations which derive their supporting capacity at some depth below the structure, generally Df/B 4. These foundations typically extend to depths on the order of 15 m (5 ft! below the ground surface, but they can be much longer, perhaps extending as deep as 45 m (15 ft!. "ven greater lengths have been used in some offshore structures, such as oil drilling platforms. #ince soils usually improve with depth, and this method mobili$es a large volume of soil, deep foundations are often able to carry very large loads. These are selected when structure %subsoil system ma&es a shallow foundation unfeasible for reasons of performance, construction or economy. There are three types of deep foundations (a! 'iles (b! 'iers (c! (aissons 'eople use many different names to identify different types of deep foundations. Different individuals often use the same terms to mean different things and different terms to mean the same things. This confusion reigns in both verbal and written communications, and is often the source of misunderstanding, especially to the newcomer. The classification of deep foundations based on methods of construction can avoid this confusion. Piles: Piles are constructed by prefabricating slender prefabricated members and driving or otherwise forcing them into the ground. ) pile is a structural member which transmit the building load (compression, tension or combination of both! to a good bearing stratum at deep depth. This, in general, resembles to a column but is burried in the ground. Diameter * + ft, some define pile of diameter between 15 mm to , -! Piers: )lso called drilled pier, concrete pier, drilled shafts diameter larger than + ft, higher in load carrying capacity than piles. #upport axial load . 1 tons (1 mm (, to

&/!. They are constructed by drilling0excavating a slender cylindrical hole into the ground, inserting reinforcing steel and filling it with concrete. /o need of cap, cannot be very deep, can be constructed in gravelly soils as well.

#traight #haft

#tepped0tappered

5ell4bottom

'iers of various shapes Caissons 1rench word means box. (aissons are prefabricated boxes or cylinders that are sun& into the ground to some desired depth, then filled with concrete. )lso a caisson is a structure which is sun& through ground or water for the purpose of excavating and placing the foundation at the prescribed depth and which subse2uently becomes an integral part of the permanent wor&. There are four types of caissons. Box Caisson3 % ) caisson which is closed at the bottom but open to the atmosphere at the top. Open Caisson3 4 ) caisson which is open at the top and bottom. Pneumatic caisson3 4 ) caisson with a wor&ing chamber in which the air is maintained above the atmospheric pressure to prevent the entry of water into the excavation. Monolith: 4 )n open caisson of heavy mass concrete or masonry construction, containing one or more wells for excavation.

Dredging wells sealed at bottom after completion of sin&ing

Dredged bed Box Caisson )irloc& )irshafts Dredging well Open Caisson

Pneumatic Caisson

Monolith

'iles are commonly used3 1. To carry the superstructure loads into or through a soil stratum. 5oth vertical and lateral loads may be involved. 'iles are considered when soil layer of reliable bearing capacity lies too deep, soil layer immediately underlying a structure is soft or poorly compacted6 soil layer immediately underlying a structure is highly variable in nature. -. To resist uplift, or overturning forces as for basement mats below the water table or to support tower legs sub7ected to overturning. +. To compact loose, cohesionless deposits through a combination of pile volume displacement and driving vibrations. These piles may be later pulled. 4. To control settlements when spread footings or a mat is on a marginal soil or is underlain by a highly compressible stratum.

5. To stiffen the soil beneath machine foundations to control both amplitude of vibration and the natural fre2uency of the system. ,. )s an additional safety factor beneath bridge abutments and0or piers, particularly if scour is a potential problem. 8. 9n offshore construction to transmit loads above the water surface through the water and into the underlying soil. This is a case of partially embedded piling sub7ected to vertical (and buc&ling! as well as lateral loads. :. 'iles are sometimes used to control earth movements (as landslides!. ;. 1or structures transmitting very high concentrated loads Donal P! Co uto "Foun ation Desi#n$ Principles an Practices% &n e ! "ngineers prefer to use spread footings wherever possible, because they are simple and inexpensive to build. <owever, we often encounter situations where spread footings are not the best choice. "xamples include the following3 1. The upper soils are so wea& and0or the structural loads so high that spread footings would be too large. ) good rule4of4thumb for buildings is that spread footings cease to be economical when the total plan area of the footings exceeds about one4third of the building footprint area. -. The upper soils are sub7ect to scour or undermining. This would be especially important with foundations for bridges. +. 4. The foundation must penetrate through water, such as those for a pier. ) large uplift capacity is re2uired (the uplift capacity of a spread footing is limited to its dead weight! 5. ,. ) large lateral load capacity is re2uired There will be a future excavation ad7acent to the foundation, and this excavation would undermine shallow foundations. 9n some of these circumstances, a mat foundation may be appropriate, but the most common alternative to support footings is some type of deep foundations.