Pile testing competitions ― A critical review

摘要

A number of pile testing competitions, using low-strain techniques, took place in different countries between 1987 and 1996 and soon started heated debates by the professional community. Since the outcome of these competitions was obviously contentious, they do deserve a critical review. Such a review may serve as a basis for more productive competitions in the future. These, in turn, will highlight both capabilities and limitations of existing methods and contribute to the advancement of new techniques. The authors describe for each competition the testing scope and program, piles tested, the nature of the defects installed, the participating parties, and the results obtained. They go on to analyze each competition, specifically stressing those items that if done differently could have significantly improved the outcome. Based on the lessons learned from these events, the authors present ground rules for future pile-testing competitions. In addition, the importance of organizing competitions also in downhole testing applications is strongly recommended.