Foundation design for the Emirates Twin Towers,

Abstract: This paper describes the foundation design process adopted for two high-rise buildings in Dubai, the Emirates Twin Towers. The foundation system for each of the towers was a piled raft, founded on deep deposits of cal-careous soils and rocks. The paper outlines the geotechnical investigations undertaken, the field and laboratory testing programs, and the design process and describes how potential issues of low skin friction and cyclic degradation of skin friction due to wind loading were addressed. An advanced numerical computer analysis was used for the design pro-cess, which was carried out using a limit state approach. This necessitated analysis of a large number of load cases, and the paper describes how the information was processed to produce design information. A comprehensive program of pile load testing was undertaken, and class A predictions of both axial and lateral load–deflection behaviour were in fair agreement with the load test results. Despite this agreement, the overall settlements of the towers observed during construction were significantly less than predicted. The possible reasons for the discrepancy are discussed. Key words: case history, footings and foundations, full-scale tests, piles, rafts, settlement. Résumé: Cet article décrit le processus de conception des fondations adopté pour deux tours à Dubai, les « Emirates Twin Towers ». Le système de fondation pour chacune des tours consistait en un radier sur pieux reposant sur des dé-pôts profonds de sols et roches de carbonate. Cet article donne les grandes lignes des études géotechniques réalisées, les programmes d’essais en laboratoire et sur le terrain, et le processus de conception, et décrit comment les problème