Instrumented concrete pile tests – part 1: a review of instrumentation and procedures

Abstract

Preliminary pile tests are becoming increasingly routine in piling projects, some of which are instrumented to help optimise working pile design. However, the execution of a successful test on an instrumented concrete pile (ICP) is not straightforward; practitioners are often faced with difficulties in interpreting the results from the instrumentation due to factors such as installation and curing effects, insufficient and/or malfunctioning gauges and testing procedures. A detailed methodology for the successful execution of an instrumented pile test addressing all of these factors is provided in this paper. Established and emerging trends in ICP testing are captured through a database of over 100 published case histories from the literature. It is envisaged that the methodologies described in this paper, together with the companion paper on strain interpretation, will provide practitioners with a helpful guide to enable a successful ICP test.