Development of Resistance Factors for Axial Capacity of Driven Piles in North Carolina

Abstract

Resistance factors were developed in the framework of reliability theory for the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) of driven pile's axial capacity in North Carolina utilizing pile load test data available from the North Carolina Department of Transportation. A total of 140 Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) data and 35 static load test data were compiled and grouped into different design categories based on four pile types and two geologic regions. Resistance statistics were evaluated for each design category in terms of bias factors. Bayesian updating was employed to improve the statistics of the resistance bias factors, which were derived from a limited number of pile load test data. Load statistics presented in the current AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications were used in the reliability analysis and the calibration of the resistance factors.

Reliability analysis of the current NCDOT practice of pile foundation design was performed to evaluate the level of safety and to select the target reliability indices. Resistance factor calibration was performed for the three methods of static pile capacity analysis commonly used in the NCDOT: the Vesic, the Nordlund, and the Meyerhof methods. Two types of First Order Reliability Methods (Mean Value First Order Second Moment method and Advanced First Order Second Moment method) were employed for the reliability analysis and the calibration of the resistance factors. Recommended resistance factors are presented for the three methods of static pile capacity analysis and for seven different design categories of pile types and geologic regions. The resistance factors developed and recommended from this research are specific for the pile foundation design by the three static capacity analysis methods and for the distinct soil type of the geologic regions of North Carolina. The methodology of the resistance factor calibration developed from this research can be applied to the resistance factor calibration for other foundation types.