TIMBER PILES FOR COOLING TOWER PLATFORM

[ckar]

I have to design a cooling tower platform on ground. The dimensions will be 40x100ft. The ground is fill up to 20'. the bearing capacity at 20 feet is 0.5TSF and the bearing capacity at 23' is 1.1TSF. I am thinking to use timber piles. Anyone can point me to some references and what i should pay attention to?
thanks

 

[hokie66]

I think your first point of reference would be the piling contractors in your area. Explain your requirements and seek their advice.

 

[SlideRuleEra]

See "Pile Foundations: Know-How", on this page of my website

http://www.slideruleera.net/AWPI-Page.html

Piling "work" by a combination point bearing and skin friction. Having a soil bearing capacity of "so-many" tons per square foot at a given depth has little to do with pile capacity. You will need to get significant pile embedment into the soil under the fill. Also the fill may cause down-drag loading on the pile as it settles. Recommend that you get a geotechincal engineer to participate in the project.

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net