Comparative analyses of large diameter bored piles using international codes

Abstract This paper presents a series of comparisons of the load settlement behaviors of single large diameter bored piles, for two international codes (, 1990, and ) in addition to the Egyptian code (). The ultimate bearing capacities calculated by those codes for 38 pile case studies located in the Nile Delta and Port Said regions in Egypt are evaluated by the modified method. The main objective of this research is to compare the performance of the Egyptian code design methodology for large diameter bored piles, with the other international codes. Extensive comparisons are made between the calculations of the different codes regarding the total ultimate pile load as well as the individual contributions of the tip and skin resistances. Finally, an empirical simplified load settlement model deducted from code calculations of the ultimate load of large diameter bored piles is proposed. This model could simplify the analysis of piled raft as it can easily predict the pile settlement. The study assured that the pile load test is an irreplaceable process to estimate the ultimate pile capacity.