Analysis of the static load test results referred to limit the bearing capacity of a pile

In the paper the authors used results of static load tests of piles that have been conducted in a full range of loads in order to verify the analytically calculated parameters obtained for a continuous load-settlement curve. For a description of continuous static load test curve of a pile the authors have used Meyer-Kowalow method (M-K method). The result of a static load test is a load-settlement set { N i , s i } which is the background for further calculations of M-K curve parameters. Calculations that are presented in the paper were carried out using an original computer program and the authors compared M-K curve parameters, specifically limit the bearing capacity of a pile calculated and measured values obtained from the static load test performed in a full range of load. The research was done in order to determine the optimal method of calculating bearing capacity of pile based on static load test which later can be practically used in the M-K method to obtain full range continuous Q-s curve. Results obtained during the analysis performed by the authors show that the values of the limit bearing capacity of a pile can be calculated with sufficient for practical use accuracy from different parts of the data set, as an example using just the chosen part of the set. The research conducted by the authors points the fact that the limit bearing capacity which is the most important parameter determining safety, can be effectively obtained for different M-K curves using least squares method, even in cases when static load tests were not performed in a full load range. After determining M-K curve parameters it can later be used for further analysis of the pile-soil interactions.