Lecture 5-2

Pile foundation Hong Kong Practice

Session 2 – Hong Kong Practice
 Padma River is 6 km wide at the location of the proposed bridge. The estimated
riverbed scour is 62 m deep with a return period of 100 years. Due to the
proximity of Bangladesh to the tectonic plate contact zones of the Himalayas, the
site is prone to seismic events. The deep scour and seismicity made the
foundation design very challenging. A detailed, state-of-the-art ground
investigation was carried out down to a depth of about 160 m in the
predominant micaceous sands encountered to establish the static and dynamic
soil parameters. Undisturbed samples of sand were recovered using the GEL
PUSH sampling technique. State-of-the-art insitu tests, the self-boring insitu
friction tests (SBIFTs), cross-hole seismic shear wave and compression wave
tomography, self-boring pressuremeter tests, and flat plate dilatometer tests
were carried out. Cyclic triaxial loading tests, bender element tests, k0-
PADMA Bridge Bangladesh Documentary YouTube consolidated stress path compression and extension tests were carried out. A
structural numerical model developed using MIDAS software comprising six 150-
m-long spans was developed including the piles at each pier. Using the dynamic
design soil parameters, the ground response was determined using SHAKE, with
strong ground motions corresponding to a 475-year return period earthquake
event. They were then input into the MIDAS dynamic soil-structure interaction
model with the Penzien Method to design the piles and the superstructure,
taking due note of the deep design scour depths. The analyses demonstrate that
six 3-m diameter steel raking piles driven down to about 120 m are needed to
support each bridge pier with the 150-m span truss girders placed on seismic
isolation bearings.
120米钢柱打入海底，美日：中国人是怎么做到的？这也太
疯狂了 - YouTube
Contents

- Basics Review
1. Review of Last lecture: Pile Foundation International Practice
2. Introduction to Local Practice
3. Local Codes
4. Local Design Practice
5. Local Construction Practice
- Basics Review
Some typical cases (Serviceability Limit State)

Pisa tower Gallileo

Construction in 1173
Inclination: 5.5o
Settlement: 5m

Clay
1 Review of Last lecture: Pile Foundation
International Practice
Pile Installation Video

• CFA Methodology – YouTube CFA pile

• Driven Piles Animation | Keller - YouTube Driven Pile

• Hydraulic Impact Hammer - YouTube

1 ~1.5 Second
Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) Piling is the quietest form of piling and is a fast
and very economical technique. It is a cast in-situ process, very suited to soft
ground where deep casings or use of drilling support fluids might otherwise
be needed. CFA piling is a non displacement piling system; hence the soil
excavated from the pile is brought to the surface. CFA piles can be an
attractive alternative to conventional bored piles (faster installation) and to
driven piles (much less noise and vibration).
Review of Last Session
1. Introduction and Basics
2. Installation of Piles
3. Load Transfer Mechanism
 End bearing
 Friction
4. Pile Load tests
5. Pile Driving Formulas
6. Laterally Loaded Piles
7. Pile Groups
8. Bored Piles (Drilled-Shaft Foundation)
Calculation Summary
Derivation of Qp
Derivation of Qs

Think: How to calculate f?

 Installation of Piles
Das (2010):

Most piles are driven into the ground by means of hammers or

vibratory drivers. In special circumstances, piles can also be
inserted by jetting or partial augering.

Comment:
Not exactly True in Hong Kong, In Hong Kong an important
class is Bored Pile, which is called Drilled-Shaft Foundations
in Chap 12 of Das (2010)
 Bored Pile Video
• Bored Pile RCD (Reverse Circulation Drilling)
• Bored Pile: Bridge Foundation Construction
• Foundation works for Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge
• The special foundation subsidiary BAUER Hong Kong Ltd. is involved in the
construction of the world's longest bridge over water, currently under
construction in the Pearl Delta. The 50 kilometer link connecting Hong Kong,
Macao and Zhuhai forms the southern ring closure of a gigantic infrastructure
project.
Settlement of Piles

Basically this can be understood along the line of settlement being classified
into Elastic/Plastic and For Soil settlement/Pile settlement
Pile-Driving Formulas
For single- and double-acting hammers, the term WRH can be replaced by EHE
where E is the efficiency of the hammer and HE is the rated energy of the
hammer

Engineering News Record (EN)

Formula

Modified EN Formula
 For granular soils

nh = constant of modulus of horizontal

subgrade reaction
theory of beams on an elastic foundation
2 Introduction to the Hong Kong Practice
Not all of them are used in Hong
Kong! Why?
Not all of them are used in Hong
Kong! Why?

Good reasons:
Cost, Quality Control,
Resources/Labour availability,
Local expertise,

Bad Reasons:
Approval Process, Conservative
Guidelines, Regulation vesus
Innovation
Piling Practice in Hong Kong

• Hong Kong piling practice has a few salient points

• Type of piles accepted are limited
• H Pile
• Bored Pile
• More conservative design practice is generally adopted
• Design parameters/ approaches are sometimes limited
• The practice in HK is also limited by
• Environmental restrictions
• Government agencies approval process
• Testing Requirements
 Why?
Pile Schedule

Loading Combination Room for Optimization

for Construction
Example
Axial Load Case（轴向荷载）:

Partial Factor
Structural Utilization Ratio
Dead Load Live Load Wind Load NSF

Axial Load Case A 1 1 56.7%

Allowable ground-
bearing capacity
Axial Load Case B 1 1 1 57.4%

Axial Load Case C 1 1 1 48.5%

Allowable structural
capacity
Axial Load Case D 1 1 1 1 48.9%
Design Optimisation
Lateral Load Check （横向荷载审核）

利用ROBOT model Lateral Load Case（横向荷载）:

(subgrade reaction method)
模拟计算横向承受力 Partial Factor

Dead Load Live Load Wind Load NSF

Shear Load Case I 1 1

Allowable
ground-bearing
capacity
Shear Load Case II 1 1 1
 Design Optimisation
Pile Stress Check - Axial Load + Moment (轴向荷载+ 力矩）

Partial Factor
Structural Utilization
Dead Live Wind X Wind Y Wind 01 Eq x Eq y 30% soil 30% Eq x 30% Eq y 100% soil Ratio
NSF
Load Load Load Load Load Load Load displacement Load Load displacement
Load Case 1 1.4 1.6 1 52.7%

Load Case 2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1 45.9%

Load Case 3 1.2 1.2 -1.2 1 45.6%

Load Case 4 1.2 1.2 1.2 1 46.0%

Load Case 5 1.2 1.2 -1.2 1 45.7%

Load Case 6 1.2 1.2 1.2 1 46.0%

Load Case 7 1 0.8 1 0.3 1 1 33.7%

Load Case 8 1 0.8 0.3 1 1 1 71.1%

Load Case 9 1 0.8 1 0.3 1 1 54.5%

Load Case 10 1 0.8 0.3 1 1 1 55.1%

 Hong Kong Practice

High Displacement Piles

Low Displacement Piles

Non Displacement Piles

Actually Not So Special

Visualisation

Small displacement Large displacement Non-displacement

Replacement
Questions: Small or Large Displacement Piles?
Tips on

Jargons of Civil Engineering

• Don’t hesitate to ask

• It is not as complex as it suggests
• Ask Google/ChatGPT
Bentonite Slurry in Civil Engineering
• Bentonite is a kind of clay which has an ability to swell and gel when it is dispersed in
water. This is used in construction mainly in excavation and foundation works.
Bentonite contains more than 85% clay mineral, montmorillonite, and hence it is
considered to be high plastic clay.
• Bentonite slurry is a combination of sodium bentonite and slurry. A slurry is a thin
sloppy mud or cement or, in extended use, any fluid mixture of a pulverized solid
with water, often used as a convenient way of handling solids in bulk. This
combination is frequently utilized to form a solid protective barrier in the ground.
This also finds its application in the construction of special foundations for digging
diaphragm walls and bored piles.
• Bentonite is implemented for self-hardening mixtures which are then resorted to
build cut off walls, grouting mortars, and grouting. Finally, bentonite waterproofing
properties are best exploited in environmental engineering, to seal off soil
infiltrations, and line the base of landfills.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNdaaK2Rr-8 Cement-Bentonite Slurry Trench Excavation
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPIk3G0V_Bg
Source：
https://civildigital.com/bentonite-application-bentonite-slurry-civil-engineering/
3 Hong Kong Codes
Code of Practice for Foundations 2004
Code of Practice for Foundations 2017
Useful Reference Material:

Local Code International Code

Recommended
Readings from
CoP 2004
CoP 2004
CoP 2004
4 Local Design Practice
People can misuse this as
compression shaft friction
Example
4 Local Construction Practice
• Construction picks the route of least effort (design, approval, cost,
labour, etc)
• Local construction practice is heavily dependent on code-conforming
designs
• H Piles are Bored Piles are mostly commonly used
• Construction itself is affected by many other factors such as
environmental regulations
Environmental Restrictions – Air Pollution
Environmental Restrictions – Noise Pollution
Environmental Restrictions – Water Pollution
 Testing – Compression Loading Test

Load Step, Time

 Testing – Compression Loading Test

Maximum Settlement
Testing – Compression Loading Test

Residual Settlement
Testing – Bored Pile
Testing – Driven Piles
Other Type of Piles Commonly Used in Hong
Kong

Barrettes
Do You Know? Thinking Points

• Significant difference between Hong Kong and Overseas practice

• If work in overseas projects, MUST NOT be limited by HK experience /
Code
• For Hong Kong Projects, still a lot more room for innovation. My own
observation:
• In Hong Kong Code is like a law
• In US or Europe Code is more like a guidance
Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point Site Formation and
Infrastructure Works
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsxSJgjfsk4
How to construct a PILE CAP. Step by step guide & pile integrity test -
YouTube
Geotechnical Investigation
Geotechnical Investigation – YouTube
Drilling and Sampling - YouTube
An introduction to drilling and sampling in geotechnical practice -- 2nd
Edition – YouTube
Document Item (hkie.org.hk)