Applicability of dynamic load test on a toe improved pile

Many dynamic load tests have been carried out to validate the bearing capacity of pile in Japan. However, most of them are performed on the driven piles. The dynamic load test was also performed on the pile having a grouted pile toe by cement in order to improve pile capacity recently. This type of pile was used as the foundation of underground sub-way station structures and platforms. In this paper, the author presents an applicability of dynamic load test on the so-called "toe-improved pile" around H-shaped cored steel pile. A result of signal matching analysis using added-mass model for the shaft resistance on the pile clearly shows a reflection of stress waves from the pile toe and suggests that the dynamic load test will be applicable to interpret the bearing capacity of the toe-improved pile.