The base resistance of non-displacement piles in Sand. Part II : Finite-element analyses

A wide range of correlations have been proposed between cone penetration test end resistance, qc, and the ultimate end bearing pressure developed by bored piles. The qc value is typically related to the pile end bearing resistance at a normalised pile displacement equal to 10% of the pile diameter, qb0·1, through a correlation factor, α. While it is generally accepted that constant α factors can be applied for the design of displacement piles, a combination of field tests and finite-element analyses of bored piles in sand has resulted in a myriad of design approaches, some of which suggest that α varies with pile geometry, stress level and sand density. In this paper the results of finite-element analyses are presented which suggest that a constant α factor can be adopted for the design of deep foundations in sand