Pile Raft Foundations for Tall Buildings

Geotechnical Engineering Journal of the SEAGS & AGSSEA ISSN 0046-5828

Vol. 42 No.2 June 2011

Pile Raft Foundations for Tall Buildings

H.G. Poulos, J.C. Small and H. Chow

ABSTRACT: Piled raft foundations are increasingly being recognised as an economical and effective foundation system for tall buildings. This paper sets out some principles of design for such foundations, including design for the geotechnical ultimate limit state, the structural ultimate limit state and the serviceability limit state. The advantages of using a piled raft will then be described with respect to two cases: a small pile group subjected to lateral loading, and then the design of the Incheon Tower in South Korea. Attention will be focused on the improvement in the foundation performance due to the raft being in contact with, and embedded within, the soil.

KEYWORDS: Piled rafts, Design, Lateral load, Case studies

DOI: 10.14456/seagj.2011.24