Caissons and Piles - Design Responsibility

[alandjen]

I am a structural engineer in the Philadelphia region. Within the past year or two, there has been a trend where the design of the CIP piles, caissons, and concrete-filled pipe piles has not been provided by the geotechnical engineer for the project. My questions are: 1) Have other people seen this trend, whether in Phila region or other?, 2) Who has the responsibility of the design of these elements - structural engineer or geotechnical engineer, or some combination of both?, 3) How can a structural engineer design a deep foundation element, other than the code-required minimum seismic steel acting as dowels, etc, without the knowledge and tools required that a geotechnical engineer has, and knows how to use/analyze results?

Thanks

 

[DRC1]

I have seen a trend toward design of foundations by structural engineers. What I am seeing is a increased use of spread footings where a deep foundation may be more appropriate. This seems to driven by a need to produce designs in very short time frames rather than ecconomics.

 

[conceng]

Our geotech guys typically give the structural guys end bearing capacity at an expected depth and skin friction values if any. It's up the structural to design the structure from there.

Gregory A. Johnson, P.E.

http://www.midwesttestinglabs.com