Pile Strain Monitoring

The project team are involved in a joint venture, in an element of research to measure the load experienced in two of the largest piles on the project.

The purpose of the research is to determine the load share between the pile and raft foundations, which can then be used to rationalise pile design on future projects in similar ground conditions. This improved understanding will not only result in material and cost savings but will also reduce the embodied carbon of future structures.

The project team have received financial support from the internal contractor innovation fund to help deliver the research and are hoping to utilise the results to generate carbon savings for future nearby schemes.

This is the first time that fibre optic cables acting as strain gauges have been used on a live construction site to monitor the load experienced within a pile. The research required the installation of 10 fibre optic cables in each pile which are then connected to a data logger and PC on site. These cables need to remain in place and undamaged throughout the top-down construction sequence over the 3 year duration of the project.

This element of research aims to rationalise future pile design which will result in material and embodied carbon savings.