John F. Kennedy Airport Site Redevelopment: Tapertube Pile Foundation-Paper

Paper

Pdf Summary

The paper describes the tapertube pile foundations used for the 30-foot expansion of American Airlines Terminal 8 at JFK International Airport. The airport’s subsurface profile includes hydraulic sand fill, a soft peat and organic clay layer, and deep glacial sand and gravel that become denser with depth. Because these granular soils provide strong frictional resistance, tapered piles were selected to achieve high axial capacity. Designed piles had 30- or 80-ton allowable capacities; PDA and static compression tests were used to assess performance.<br /><br />Construction took place beside an existing terminal and was complicated by restricted headroom, underground utilities and structures, equipment failure, difficult driving, and water or soil entering some piles through weld or splice cracks. To work within the headroom limit, piles were installed in sections and field-welded. The team reviewed existing records, excavated and surveyed the site, and pre-augered pile locations to reduce the risk of hitting obstructions. Video inspections helped locate pile defects. Where obstructions or excessive blow counts prevented installation to the planned depth, piles were relocated or additional piles were added.<br /><br />Monitoring was essential because of the nearby terminal and utilities. Vibration readings remained below project limits, and no settlement was recorded during pile driving.<br /><br />Key lessons include accounting for headroom and equipment constraints early, coordinating closely between designer and contractor, and responding quickly to unexpected field conditions. The authors also recommend vibration and settlement monitoring near existing structures and emphasize that fast-paced design-build work requires flexible engineering support.

Keywords

tapertube pile foundations

JFK International Airport

American Airlines Terminal 8

axial capacity

frictional resistance

glacial sand and gravel

pile driving tests

restricted headroom

vibration monitoring

design-build construction