Existing Timber Pile Capacity
Existing Timber Pile Capacity
(OP)
Does anyone know if there is a simple method to go from SPT data to existing timber capacity? Is the ENR method acceptable if the area of the SPT is scaled to the pile's area?
Thanks
Thanks





RE: Existing Timber Pile Capacity
Thanks.
RE: Existing Timber Pile Capacity
www.SlideRuleEra.net
RE: Existing Timber Pile Capacity
What is not necessarily straightforward is if there has been disintegration of the timber pile due to groundwater fluctuations, etc. If the piles were not treated, then there is likely a necking of the pile in the fluctuating zone. If the piles were "always" below water, I wouldn't worry about it (Sweden's Parliament building built some 900 years ago are on timber piles). This damage of the pile due to environmental attacks is the most important to evaluate - and the most difficult. You might say, "Ok, I'll open up a pile, draw down the water and inspect it." - Fine, but be prepared that the pile will go to hell in a handbasket in short order. I am aware of a project in Vancovuer where this happened. Even one wet/dry was detrimental.
Personally, if I knew that the pile was treated and not subjected to fluctuating water levels, I would use the computed value as per Nordlund taking into account to the permitted fibre stresses for the type of timber (pine, ash, hardwood, etc). For that size of pile in decent materials, 30 tons and even up to 40 wouldn't be unheard of as your pile size is rather large - most I dealt with were 12" at the butt and 7 to 8" at the tip.
RE: Existing Timber Pile Capacity
Thanks for the info. Can you please check your links, the first one sends me to EBay and the second to Quest.
The timber piles are currently in use and supporting a concrete beam that a travel lift moves on. The owner wants to upgrade the travel lift. I have been asked to determine the allowable capacity of the finger pier structure.
No inspection has been done to the piles to my knoweldge. I think we would dive to inspect rather than draw down the water.
I calculated a Qf of about 35kips using Meyerhof and making some assumptions about the soil properties, so maybe I'm not too far off. I get about the same thing if I scale the area of the 2" SPT sample to the pile area.
Thanks again for your assistance.
RE: Existing Timber Pile Capacity
For the Timber Pile Manual try: htt
Also see: http
See Tomlinson's Pile Design and Construction book (Viewpoint Press)
RE: Existing Timber Pile Capacity