Pile cap design according to

ACI (BM) & EC2 (STM & BM)

By PHAN Sophea
phansophea@gmail.com
CIVIL ENGINEER
20161103
More info: https://goo.gl/djVdNF

Define
Pile cap
Deep foundation of n pile(s),
Connection between column(s)/wall(s) to pile(s): loads transferring from
column(s)/wall(s) to pile(s),
Distance between axes of piles shall be between 2.5 to 3.0
Distance from edge of pile to edge of cap shall be minimum 15cm or maximum 1.5
(ACI code)

Design Methods:
Bending Method (BM): applicable for cap standing on any number of piles
Or Strut and tie method (STM): applicable for cap standing on 5 piles maximum.

In this text: ACI (BM) and EC2 (BM & STM)

Design Steps:
1. Columns design forces: (N, Mx, My)
2. Define reaction of each pile by considering cap as rigid if caps height is
bigger than 40% of distance between axe of piles (H >= 0.4 a Ref: Fascicule
62 V. C.2.3.4) where a is distance between axe of piles. As a cap is rigid,
reaction of pile (i) is determined by:

Ri = N / n Mx*|yi| / yi2 My*|xi| / xi2

Ri,max at service limit state is for checking with limit compression force.
Ri,max at ultimate limit state is for the design.
3. The fictitious axial force N is determined by N = n * Ri,max at ULS
This axial force N is now used as columns axial load for cap design.

Design Steps:
4. Bending Method (BM):
a.
b.
c.
d.

Check one-way shear (beam shear) at critical section,

Check two-way shear (punching shear) at critical contour(s).
Determine Bending Moment (Mu) at critical section (columns face).
Rebar design and compared to As,mini

5. Or Strut and Tie Method (STM): applicable for n<=5 piles

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Strut angle shall be between 45o to 55o

Check strut below column to the limit by code
Check struct above piles head to the limit by code
Determine Tension force (Ts) between piles head.
Rebar design: As = Ts / fyd and compare to As,mini

4. Bending Method (BM)

ACI Code
a. One-way Shear check
Critical section is located at d/2
a in figure = L - (d/2-/2)
a/b : axe of pile considered.
L : dist. from face of column to axe of pile

EC2
a. Beam Shear Check (cl. 6.2.2)
Critical Section is located as below:
av = as shown in figure and 0.5d<=av<=d
For 4 piles: av = a/2 - a/2 0.3
a: distance between axes of piles
a : column dimension

4. Bending Method (BM)

ACI
a. One-way Shear check
Pu,red = a/*Ri,max
Check: Vu = Pu,red / (b*d) <= Vc
Vc = 0.75*0.17*1*fc0.5
For cap on 2 piles, shear rebar need to
be designed the same way of beam
and is beyond the scope of this text.

EC2
a. Beam Shear Check (cl. 6.2.2)

= max[ 0.25, av / (2*d) ]

Ved,red = *Ved
Vrdc = b*d* max (Vmin , Vrdc1)
Vmin = 0.035*k3/2*fck0.5
Vrdc1 = 0.18/1.5*k*(100**fck)1/3
= As / (b*d), As = caps rebars
Check: Ved,red <= Vrdc

For cap on 2 piles, shear rebar Asw =

13.08cm2 if N<=220t and this section is
increased linearly with the increase of
N if N >220t. (Ref: Professional
Standard of France)

4. Bending Method (BM)

ACI Code
b. Two-way Shear check
Critical section is located at d/2

EC2
b. Punching Shear Check (cl.6.4.4)
Critical Section is located as below:
If distance between axes of pile is smaller or
equal to 3, there is no need to check
punching shear.

4. Bending Method (BM)

ACI
b. Two-way Shear check
Pu,red = Pu SW of cap within u1 part
of piles load within u1
u1 = 2*(a+b)+*d
Check: Vu = Pu,red / (u1*d) <= Vc
Vc = 0.75*0.33*1*fc0.5

EC2
b. Punching Shear Check (cl.6.4.4)

= 1.15 (interior column)

u1 = 2*(a+b) + 4**d
Vrdc = u1*d* max (Vmin , Vrdc1)
Vmin = 0.035*k3/2*fck0.5
Vrdc1 = 0.18/1.5*k*(100**fck)1/3
= As / (b*d), As = caps rebars
Check: *Ved <= Vrdc

If distance between axes of pile is smaller or equal to

3, there is no need to check punching shear.

Punching column:
N <= VRdmax
VRdmax = 0.4*0.6*(1-fck/250)*fcd*u0*d
u0 = 2*(a+b): perimeter of column.

4. Bending Method (BM)

ACI
c. Bending Rebar Design
Mu = (Ri x Li): moment at cols face

EC2
c. Bending Rebar Design
Med = (Ri x Li): moment at cols face

Ri : reactions created bending moment.

Li : level arm of each relevant Ri

Find As total in cross section of critical

section (bw x H).
Note: bw is bottom of bending section.

Ri : reactions created bending moment.

Li : level arm of each relevant Ri

= Med / (b*d2*fcd)
= 1.25*[ 1-(1-2*)0.5 ]
z = d*min(0.95, 1-0.4) >= 0.95d
As = Med / (z*fyd)
As: total in cross section of critical
section (bw x H).
Note: bw is bottom of bending section.

4. Bending Method (BM)

The case on cap on a single pile

B=+2*Edge, Edge>=15cm
H>=0.75*B
Bending moment is defined as:
Med = Ned * etolerant + max (Mx,My)
etotalrant = 0.075m
pile must be checked to be able to resist moment Mx or My => (interaction P+M check)

= Med / (b*d2*fcd)
= 1.25*[ 1-(1-2*)0.5 ]
z = d*min(0.95, 1-0.4)
As = Med / (z*fyd)
Please read STM for horizontal tie bar design

5. Strut-and-Tie Method in EC2

tan=d/(a/2-a/4)
a : distance between axe of piles
a : dimension of column
1<= tan < 1.4 or 45 <= <= 55

tan=d3/(a-0.52a)

tan=d2/(a-a/2).

5. Strut-and-Tie Method in EC2

STM = CHECK TIE AND CHECK STRUT
Tie is tension rebar
Strut is compress in concrete

Shear Check?
No shear check if is from 45 to 55 degrees
Check shear if smaller than 45,
but >=21.8 degrees

5. Strut-and-Tie Method in EC2

Note *cap on 3 piles:
Tc = Ned**(1-0.5a/)/(9d)
Ned = 100%*N
: distance between axe of piles
a: dimension of column
Ac = Tc / fyd and Ar = Ac / 5
Ac rebar from pile to pile
Ar repartition rebar across cap.
Or in stead, we can rebar our cap
uniformly by Arx = Ary = 2*Ac
Note **cap on 4 piles:
Or we can rebar our cap by
Ac takes 80% of N and
Ar takes 1.2*40% of N

5. Strut-and-Tie Method in EC2

The case on cap on a single pile

B=+2*Edge, Edge>=15cm
H>=0.75*B
There is no calculation of bottom and top bar for STM method
But there is calculation of side bar Ah
Ah is side rebar to resist splitting force Fs defined in cl.9.8.4(2).
Fs = 0.25*(1-c/h)*Ned
h = min (b, H)
Ah = Fs / fyd

6. Minimum rebars_ACI

Ref ACI318-14M

Ref BS EN1992-1-1: 2004

6. Minimum rebars_EC2

Application 1: Minimum rebar ratio (ACI/EC2)

Bending section b x h, b=4m, h=1.3m, fc=25/fy=400Mpa
ACI: As,mini = Max(0.25*25^0.5/400 ; 1.4/400)*b*d
= Max(1.25/400,1.4/400)*b*d
= 0.0035*b*d = 0.0035*400*120 = 168cm2
EC2: As,mini = Max(0.26*0.3*fck^(2/3)/400 ; 0.0013)*b*d
= Max(0.0016, 0.0013)*b*d
= 0.0016*b*d = 0.0016*400*120 = 80cm2
Conclusion:
ACI: ( = 0.35%) > EC2: ( = 0.16%)
The different is about twice.

Application 2: Cap on a single pile

Application 3: Cap on a single pile with accident

eccentricity as pile installation
If pile is accidentally installed in wrong position
(ex, and ey). So how to justify this?
First of all, we can see that those eccentricity
exceeds the design tolerant e which is limit to
0.075m. So justification is needed to be done!!!
The design chart:
ea is eccentricity tolerant (e.g. 0.075m),
ec is eccentricity admissible of pile,
ed is eccentricity admissible of pile and column
combined
ee is eccentricity admissible of pile and reinforced
column combined

In conclusion: there two choices:

1. Rebar the column for the remining eccentricity

2. Rebar the strap beam for the total or remaining
eccentricity.

Application 3: Cap on a single pile with accident

eccentricity as pile installation
Example (ref dt0060-excentre_pieux):
We are determining the maximum that pile
Column
height L=2.80m
fck=25, fyk=500, and pile: f*cd = 12Mpa
Cover c=25mm
Load: NG = 55MN and NQ = 0.3MN
NEd = 1.35 NG + 1.5 NQ = 1.1925MN

Pile:
D=sqrt(4*NEd/(*f*cd)) =sqrt
(4x1.1925/(x12)) = 0.356m
Take D=0.4m
v = 4.NEd / (.D2.f*cd )
v = 4x1.1925/(x0.42x12) = 0.791

can receive.
Rebar in pile: 0.5% according to EN 1536
As = 0.5/100xAc = 0.5/100xx0.42/4
As = 6.28cm2 => we take 6T12=6.79cm2
Do an interaction calculation using
interaction curve. To get As=6.79cm2, the
eccentricity must be ec = 46.5mm. We can
see the ec < ea = 0.075mm for 0.5% rebars
and D=0.4m!!!
To be able to receive e=0.10m for example,
pile need to be rebar 2.23% (28.03cm2 =
9T20)!!!! Then we can consider the two
solution stated in previous slice whether to
reinforce column or add strap beam(s) for
remining eccentricity e=erealec or ereal total

Application 4: Cap on two piles with moment

Design cap on 2 piles

Pu : 175t
Mu: 35t.m
Col: axb=0.6x0.4m
Pile: =0.5m
a=3=1.5m
Edge=15cm
Cover=5cm
Fck/fyk=25/500

ANSWR:
tan = d/(a/2-a/4)
Take tan = 1 (=45o)
d = 1*(1.5/2-0.6/4) = 0.6
Check tie:
Ri,min = Pu /n Mu / a = 175/2 - 35/1.5
= 87.5t 23.33t = 64.2t
Ri,max = Pu /n + Mu / a = 175/2+35/1.5
= 87.5t + 23.33t = 110.8t
N=n*Ri,max = 2*110.8=221.6t

Med = (Ri,max * Li)=110.8*(a/2 a/2)

= 110.8*(1.5/2 0.6/2)
= 49.86t.m
Take d=0.65m, H=0.70m
As = Med / (z*fyd)
= 49.86/(0.9*0.65*4.35)
= 19.59cm2 over bw = + 2*Edge
Asw = 13.08cm2 because N 220t
OR calculate Asw by EC2 cl.6.2.3
Check strut:
Near col: =P/(Bcol.sin2) <=0.9.fck
Near pile: =P/(2.Bp.sin2) <=0.9.fck

Application 5: Cap on 3 piles by STM

Check tie:

Design cap on 3 piles

Pu : 500t
Mu: 0t.m
Col: axb=0.6x0.6m
Pile: =0.6m
a=3=1.8m
Edge=15cm
Cover=5cm
Fck/fyk=30/500

Ri,max = Pu /n + Mu / a = 500/3 - 0/1.8

ANSWR:
tan = d*sqrt(3)/(a-0.52a)
Take tan = 1 (=45o)
d = (1.8-0.52*0.6)/sqrt(3)=0.86
Take d=1m, H=1.10m

= 166.7t
Med = (Ri,max * Li) : section bw x H
=166.7x(2/3.a.sin60 0.3.a)
=166.7x(2/3x1.8x3/2-0.3x0.6)
= 143.2t.m
As = Med / (z*fyd)
= 143.2/(0.9*1.00*4.35)

bw

= 36.57cm2 over bw (see figure)

Check strut:
Near col: =P/(Bcol.sin2) <=1.15.fck
Near pile: =P/(3.Bp.sin2) <=1.15.fck

Practice 1
Design cap on 1 piles

Pu : 210t
Mu: 0t.m
Col: axb=0.35x0.35m
Pile: =0.6m
Edge=15cm
Cover=5cm
Fck/fyk=30/390
Answers:
Dim: 0.9x0.9x0.7
Asx=Asy=7.94cm2 (5T16 T&B)
Ah=11.46cm2 (link 4T14=12.32cm2)

Practice 2
Design cap on 2 piles

Pu : 300t
Mu: 40t.m
Col: axb=0.55x0.55m
Pile: =0.6m
a=3
Edge=15cm
Cover=5cm
Fck/fyk=25/500
Answers:
Dim: 2.7x0.9x1.2
Asx=31.20cm2 (8T25=39cm2)
Asw=26.74cm2 (Link T16@200=26.81cm2)

Conclusion
Pile cap can be designed using BM and STM method
BM (any n) ; STM (n<=5)
Cap can be considered as rigid if its height is bigger than 40% of distance
between axes of piles
As cap is rigid, reaction of each pile can be calculated by formula:
Ri = N / n Mx*|yi| / yi2 My*|xi| / xi2
The fictitious axial force N is determined by N = n * Ri,max at ULS
This axial force N is now used as columns axial load for cap design.
Minimum rebars are usually bigger than design rebar and
As,mini (ACI) > 2*As,mini (EC2)

References
ACI318-14M
BS EN1992-1-1:2004
Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures 1e, 2008, Vol. 3
Henry Thonier tome 7
How to design reinforced concrete to Eurocode 2
Professional Standard of France
dt0060-excentre_pieux, henry thonier

Thanks!
More info: https://goo.gl/djVdNF
The author:
PHAN Sophea, CIVIL ENIGNEER, ITC
Mail: phansophea@gmail.com
Tel: 016 218 127 / 089 787 727