Abstract:
In contemporary practice, foundations for structures are constructed predominantly with concrete, steel, or a combination of the two. Deep foundation elements are predominantly steel H or pipe piles, precast prestressed concrete piles, and cast-in-place reinforced concrete drilled shafts. In the past, driven piles were fabricated from natural timber sections, but over time, they were replaced by concrete and steel elements. In the United States, timber piles are used for limited applications including piers, residential structures, small bridges, and pedestrian facilities. The instance of timber in infrastructure applications is rare.
Laminated timber products are engineered to overcome many of the shortcomings that prevent the use of traditional timber in many structural applications. One area where timber is seldom used is foundations for the support of buildings and other structures.
The objective of this research study was to demonstrate and evaluate the use of glue-laminated timber elements for deep foundation applications with particular emphasis on deployed systems.
Two 18-inch square timber piles were designed, fabricated, and installed at the Auburn University National Geotechnical Experimentation Site. These are believed to be the first laminated timber piles driven. The piles were installed in a residual soil profile with an ICE-19 diesel hammer.
This presentation will discuss the motivation for the work, rationale for design, timber pile layup, driving performance, dynamic testing, and derived static capacity.