The Performance Evaluation of Lightweight Concrete Piles on UTHM's Soft Soil under Static and Dynamic Loading Tests

Abstract

Light-weight concrete generally has low density and low strength compared with normal
concrete, the use of the lightweight concrete for piling is still very rare due to high porosity
and underestimate the strength. This research was done to find out the performance of light
weight concrete piles (LCP’s) which were made by Palm Oil Clinker (POC) and Foamed
Concrete (FC) and to compare their performance with normal concrete pile (NC).
Conventional static load test (slow maintained load test, SM) using kenteledge system to
obtain pile capacities were performed for those three type of piles (NC, POC and FC)
embedded in soft soil at RECESS, UTHM, Batu Pahat. Performance of piles were also
evaluated using Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) in dynamic loading. The results shows close
correlation between static and dynamic test results and the stresses of compression and tensile
under both loadings were within the allowable limit state thus, the application of LCP’s for
deep foundation on soft soil is feasible.