Ultimate bearing capacity of MV piles derived from load tests, a suggested new design approach

Driven steel beams with grout injection (MV-piles) are since the 80’s in use in the Rotterdam harbour to deliver tension bearing capacity for anchoring large deep-sea quay walls. This paper discusses the results from pile load tests on two sites within a historical context of port development and evolving load tests. The tested tension piles were fully instrumented with fiber optic strain sensors allowing for capturing a continuous strain profile along the full length of the piles. Practical information on instrumentation, testing and interpretation will be illustrated with actual test results