SUPPORTING PROGRAMME

This article describes some tests performed as part of the massive programme of the Californian Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to upgrade its highway structures. The programme was initiated as a result of the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, where much of the damage and casualties resulted from the collapse of road structures. It had been found that some structures experienced ground forces up to 50 times larger than what they had been designed to withstand. Since 1989, increased seismic loadings and soil amplification values have been used. To support the design of its retrofit strengthening programmes, Caltrans conducted field trials on the performance of different pile types under cyclic compression and tension loading. In particular, it investigated the performance of piles founded on deep soft Bay Mud, the type of ground where a viaduct had collapsed in 1989. The capacity of the soft clay was estimated by comparing the performance of piles founded in it with that of long pipes founded in dense sand. Full scale load tests of many pile types were performed in 1992, and aimed to determine numerical values of various important parameters. Three types of pile driving hammer were used. Charts of the test results are given.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00174653
• Corporate Authors:

  Thomas Telford Limited

  London,   United Kingdom 
• Publication Date: 1919

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 10-2,14
• Serial:
  • GROUND ENGINEERING
  • Volume: 27
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: EMAP CONSTRUCT LIMITED
  • ISSN: 0017-4653

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bearing capacity; Bridges; Clay; Foundations; Loss and damage; Reinforced concrete; Repairing; Seismicity; Soft soils; Support piles
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Softness
• ITRD Terms: 3085: Bearing capacity; 3455: Bridge; 4177: Clay; 5905: Compressibility; 1614: Damage; 3377: Foundation; 3399: Pile; 4794: Reinforced concrete; 3635: Repair; 5731: Seismic; 8122: USA
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00665395
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Sep 9 1994 12:00AM