A Reliable Method of Pile Load Test on Cast-in-Situ Pile Group of Existing Building for Retrofitting

Following the foundation failure of a building, with an aim of economical solution to strengthen other existing buildings of the same project, a new arrangement was implemented experimentally to test the adequacy of load bearing capacity of a few selected cast-in-situ RCC (reinforced cement concrete) pile groups without demolishing the existing buildings. In this test, the column bottom of an existing building was removed by the help of scaffolding and after that a frame system consisting tension piles and hollow beam was constructed over the pile cap of the to be tested pile group. The load was tested by the help of hydraulic jack system and the constructed frame system. This paper contains the detailed plan, arrangement and method of the test with illustrations. The deflection and loading data analysis is also included which was performed to determine the outcome of the test. Through this test method the appropriate assessment of capacity of pile group of existing building could be done successfully and in result the structure could be saved by only super structure retrofitting.