Foundation Investigation and Analysis for Tall Tower Developments

Abstract

Many tall buildings are supported on piled rafts and / or deep bored cast in situ piles. Good engineering design requires soil-structure interaction analysis and a clear understanding of the factors controlling the performance of the footing system. These rely on a sound understanding of the ground characteristics and individual and group pile performance, including adequate collection of data and testing, which can only be achieved through detailed and targeted ground investigation and in situ testing. This paper focuses on the ground investigation methods available and how the results are used to achieve a reliable estimate of footing system performance using soil-structure interaction analysis. It highlights the importance of accurate inputs into the analyses, especially in respect to the stiffness characteristics of the ground and the load displacement performance of individual piles. This is illustrated through a number of case studies of tall tower projects that the authors have been involved in.