Improvement of the Geotechnical Axial Design Methodology for Colorado’S Drilled Shafts Socketed in Weak Rocks
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Report No. CDOT-DTD-R-2003-6 Final Report IMPROVEMENT OF THE GEOTECHNICAL AXIAL DESIGN METHODOLOGY FOR COLORADO’S DRILLED SHAFTS SOCKETED IN WEAK ROCKS Naser Abu-Hejleh Michael W. O'Neill Dennis Hanneman William J. Atwooll July 2003 COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BRANCH The contents of this report reflect the views of the author(s), who is(are) responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Colorado Department of Transportation or the Federal Highway Administration. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The preliminary design recommendations should be considered for only conditions very close to those encountered at the load test sites and per the qualifications described in Chapter 6. Use of the information contained in the report is at the sole discretion of the designer. i Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. CDOT-DTD-R-2003-6 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date July 2003 IMPROVEMENT OF THE GEOTECHNICAL AXIAL DESIGN METHODOLOGY FOR COLORADO’S DRILLED SHAFTS SOCKETED 6. Performing Organization Code IN WEAK ROCKS 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. CDOT-DTD-R-2003-6 Naser Abu-Hejleh, Michael W. O'Neill, Dennis Hanneman, William J. Atwooll 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Colorado Department of Transportation 11. Contract or Grant No. 4201 E. Arkansas Ave Performed internally by CDOT-Research Office Denver, Colorado 80222 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Colorado Department of Transportation - Research Final Report, January 2002-July 2003 4201 E. Arkansas Ave. Denver, CO 80222 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Study # 80.17 15. Supplementary Notes Prepared in cooperation with the US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration 16. Abstract: Drilled shaft foundations embedded in weak rock formations (e.g., Denver blue claystone and sandstone) support a significant portion of bridges in Colorado. Since the 1960s, empirical methods and “rules of thumb” have been used to design drilled shafts in Colorado that entirely deviate from the AASHTO design methods. The margin of safety and expected shaft settlement are unknown in these methods, however, both are needed for the implementation of the new and more accurate AASHTO Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) method in CDOT design guidelines. Load tests on drilled shafts provide the most accurate design information and research data for improvement of the design methods for drilled shafts. As a part of the construction requirements for the T-REX and I-25/Broadway projects along I-25 in Denver, Colorado, four Osterberg (O-Cell) load tests on drilled shafts were performed in 2002. The bedrock at the load test sites represents the range of typical claystone and sandstone (soft to very hard) encountered in the Denver metro area. To maximize the benefits of this work, the O-Cell load test results and information on the construction and materials of the test shafts were documented, and an extensive program of simple geotechnical tests was performed on the weak rock at the load test sites. This includes standard penetration tests, strength tests, and pressuremeter tests. The analysis of the all test data and information and experience gained in this study were employed to provide: 1) best correlation equations between results of various simple geotechnical tests, 2) best-fit design equations to predict the shaft ultimate unit base and side resistance values, and the load-settlement curve as a function of the results of simple geotechnical tests, and 3) assessment of the CDOT and AASHTO design methods. Implementation: Three implementation products are recommended in this study. First, preliminary design methods as required in the LRFD method for drilled shafts with conditions close to those encountered at the four load test sites. All the qualifications and limitations for using these design methods are presented (e.g., construction procedure). Incorporation of these methods will lead to savings in CDOT future construction projects. Second, preliminary recommendations to improve and standardize geotechnical subsurface investigation for drilled shafts in Colorado. Third, a detailed strategic plan for CDOT to identify the most appropriate design methods per LRFD for Colorado’s drilled shafts embedded in various weak rock formations. This plan of six tasks requires: (1) acquiring the testing and site specific resistance parameters of the LRFD, and (2) the assembly and analysis of a database that contains the results of old and new load tests, and results of simple geotechnical tests at the load test sites. Detailed guidelines for planning and performing new load tests on drilled test shafts in CDOT future construction projects and data analysis are provided. 17. Keywords 18. Distribution Statement LRFD, load tests, load transfer curves, SPT, strength tests, No restrictions. This document is available to the public through pressuremeter tests, base Resistance, side Resistance the National Technical Information Service 5825 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161. 19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price None None 192 Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized ii CONVERSION TABLE U. S. Customary System to SI to U. S. Customary System (multipliers are approximate) Multiply To Get Multiply by To Get (symbol) by (symbol) LENGTH Inches (in) 25.4 millimeters (mm) mm 0.039 in Feet (ft) 0.305 meters (m) m 3.28 ft yards (yd) 10.914 meters (m) m 1.09 yd miles (mi) 1.61 kilometers (km) m 0.621 mi AREA square inches (in2) 645.2 square millimeters (mm2) mm2 0.0016 in2 square feet (ft2) 0.093 square meters (m2) m2 10.764 ft2 square yards (yd2) 0.836 square meters (m2) m2 1.195 yd2 acres (ac) 0.405 hectares (ha) ha 2.47 ac square miles (mi2) 2.59 square kilometers (km2) km2 0.386 mi2 VOLUME fluid ounces (fl oz) 29.57 milliliters (ml) ml 0.034 fl oz gallons (gal) 3.785 liters (l) l 0.264 gal cubic feet (ft3) 0.028 cubic meters (m3) m3 35.71 ft3 cubic yards (yd3) 0.765 cubic meters (m3) m3 1.307 yd3 MASS ounces (oz) 28.35 grams (g) g 0.035 oz pounds (lb) 0.454 kilograms (kg) kg 2.202 lb short tons (T) 0.907 megagrams (Mg) Mg 1.103 T TEMPERATURE (EXACT) Farenheit (°F) 5(F-32)/9 Celcius (° C) ° C 1.8C+32 ° F (F-32)/1.8 ILLUMINATION foot candles (fc) 10.76 lux (lx) lx 0.0929 fc foot-Lamberts (fl) 3.426 candela/m (cd/m) cd/m 0.2919 fl FORCE AND PRESSURE OR STRESS poundforce (lbf) 4.45 newtons (N) N .225 lbf poundforce (psi) 6.89 kilopascals (kPa) kPa .0145 psi iii IMPROVEMENT OF THE GEOTECHNICAL AXIAL DESIGN METHODOLOGY FOR COLORADO’S DRILLED SHAFTS SOCKETED IN WEAK ROCKS by Naser Abu-Hejleh, Colorado DOT (Research Branch) Michael W. O'Neill, University of Houston Dennis Hanneman, Geocal, Inc. William J. Attwooll, Terracon Report No. CDOT-DTD-R-2003-6 Sponsored by the Colorado Department of Transportation In Cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration July 2003 Colorado Department of Transportation Research Branch 4201 E. Arkansas Ave. Denver, CO 80222 (303) 757-9506 iv In Memory of Michael O’Neill, a Co-Author of this Report The CDOT Research Branch would like to acknowledge the death of Michael W. O'Neill, Ph.D., P.E., Cullen Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Houston, Texas. Mr. O’Neill passed away on August 2, 2003, shortly before the publication of this report. We would like to dedicate this report to his memory. His friendship and his dedication to this CDOT research project will be missed by the staff. He was a true partner in research. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Colorado Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration provided funding for this study. The fieldwork was not possible without the continuous support and dedication of the CDOT Foundation Unit, including Hsing-Cheng Liu, Louie Lopez, David Novak, Roman Jauregui, Ilyess Ksouri, Ricky Wilson, and Calvin Jiron. Very special thanks go to Dale Power who performed the pressuremeter tests and to Joan Pinamont who provided the editorial review of this report. Mike McMullen, Greg Fischer, Trever Wang, and Sean Chiang provided an in-depth technical review of this report and valuable comments. Their knowledge and advice kindly offered in meetings, emails and telephone conversations were essential to the successful completion of this report. Substantial help and support to this research were provided by Rich Griffin, Matt Greer, Mark Leonard, and Ahmad Ardani. Thank you all. vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Drilled shaft foundations embedded in weak rock formations (e.g., Denver blue claystone and sandstone) support a significant portion of bridges in Colorado. Since January 1, 2000, it has been the policy of CDOT to incorporate the new and more accurate AASHTO Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) method for the design of its structures (including drilled shafts). On the resistance side, the LRFD method requires information on the shaft ultimate capacity load, shaft head load-settlement curve, and a resistance factor (f) to ensure adequate level of margin of safety. Since the 1960s, empirical methods and “rules of thumb” have been used to design drilled shafts in Colorado that are based on the blow counts of the simple Standard Penetration Test (SPT). The margin of safety (or f) and expected shaft settlement are unknown in these methods, which entirely deviate from the AASHTO design methods. AASHTO offers simple design methods with f that are based on the results of simple geotechnical tests (strength tests for rocks, not SPT as in CDOT method).