BEARING CAPACITY OF MODEL PILES DRIVEN INTO DENSE OVERCONSOLIDATED SANDS

Model piles were driven into dense siliceous sand samples and tested i n a large calibration chamber. Axial tension and compression tests; we re performed on open-ended pipe piles. The objective of this research was to study the effect of overconsolidation on the bearing capacity o f piles driven into dense sands representative of North Sea soil condi tions. Emphasis was put on points of interest for the offshore petrole um industry in particular: dense to very dense normally consolidated ( NC) and overconsolidated (OC) sands, unit end bearing and unit skin fr iction capacities, and comparison with tip resistances from cone penet ration tests. Design parameters are proposed for computing the axial b earing capacity of piles driven into dense to very dense siliceous san ds. They are compared with those given in the current American Petrole um Industry's Recommended Practice 2A document. A relationship between CPT cone resistance and ultimate unit end bearing and skin friction c apacities of piles is also proposed.