Geomaterial classification criteria for design and construction of driven steel H-piles

Methodologies are proposed to develop criteria for classifying geomaterials into soils, intermediate geomaterials (IGMs), and hard rocks to achieve efficient driven pile designs. IGMs were categorized into IGM-soils and IGM-rocks to reduce the uncertainties in pile resistance estimations associated with properties ranging from soils to rocks. A boundary between soils and IGM-soils was established based upon the performance of two static analysis methods measured in terms of the coefficients of variation between measured and estimated shaft resistances. A boundary between IGM-rocks and hard rocks was established by limiting the geotechnical resistance in IGM-rocks to the compressive strength of a steel pile. Finally, a geomaterial classification flowchart and sample design charts are proposed to facilitate the classification of geomaterials specifically for the design and construction of driven steel H-piles. The proposed framework can be adapted for other driven pile types. Key words: intermediate geomaterial, classification, rock, pile, foundation. Des methodologies sont proposees pour elaborer des criteres de classification des geomateriaux en sols, les geomateriaux intermediaires (IGM) et roches dures afin d'obtenir des modeles efficaces de pieux fores. Les IGM ont ete categorises en sols IGM et en roches IGM pour reduire les incertitudes dans les estimations de resistance des pieux associees aux proprietes allant des sols jusqu'aux roches. Une limite entre les sols et les sols IGM a ete etablie sur la base du rendement de deux methodes d'analyse statique mesurees en termes de coefficients de variation entre les resistances mesurees et estimees des arbres. Une limite entre les roches IGM et les roches dures a ete etablie en limitant la resistance geotechnique des roches IGM a la resistance a la compression d'un pieu en acier. Enfin, un organigramme de classification des geomateriaux et des diagrammes de plan d'echantillonnage sont proposes pour faciliter la classification des geomateriaux specifiquement pour la conception et la construction des pieux en forme H en acier fore. L'ossature proposee peut etre adaptee a d'autres types de pieux fores. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : geomateriau intermediaire, classification, roche, pieux, fondation.
Introduction The structural limit state, based on the buckling failure mode, governs the axial capacity (compressive resistance) of piles driven in hard rocks while the geotechnical resistance, based on the [...]