Uplift Resistance of Coated Driven Steel Piles: Fid-Bau Portal

Uplift Resistance of Coated Driven Steel Piles

Lutenegger, Alan J. / Khalili, Jahan

Results of axial tension (uplift) tests on driven open-end pipe piles and H-Piles with difference surface coatings are presented. Piles included plain steel, galvanized steel and piles coated with Slickcoat, a silicone epoxy surface coating. Open-end pipe piles with outside diameters of 2.875 in. and 4.5 in. and H-piles consisting of standard steel W6x9 sections were evaluated. Piles were installed using a simple gravity drop hammer. Uplift tests were conducted at four sites consisting of both clay and sand to evaluate the influence of surface coating on the short-term behavior and long-term behavior. Short-term tests were performed seven to ten days after driving; long-term tests were performed on the same piles 200 to 400 days after driving. Axial tension tests were performed to failure for each pile. A comparison of the installation driving records is presented which shows a similarity in driving resistance for the different surface coatings. Load tests are also presented and show that the Slickcoat coated piles gave a substantial decrease in shaft resistance for both short-term and long-term behavior as compared with plain or galvanized piles.