Author: Steve Olson

A practicing geotechnical engineer continuing to learn after earning a BS degree in Civil Engineering from the University of North Dakota and have taken a special interest in geotechnical innovation and understanding the performance of deep foundations that began in 1983 while monitoring the installation of driven piles as a field engineer on my first project, the Columbia Road Overpass at Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Side Resistance First

Posted on by Steve Olson

Many drilled shafts in soil have been designed for side resistance only. Drilled shafts generally are larger diameter than driven piles and therefore conducive to side resistance. However, I believe the reaction is the same when loaded. Side side resistance is mobilized first, then the base as needed. Several studies have found side resistance to…

Neutral Plane – why is its location important?

Posted on by Steve Olson

Recall from the initial post, a deep foundation’s Neutral Plane (NP) occurs at the location of transition from downward drag load at the upper portion of the pile to upward side resistance (support) at the lower portion of pile. Primarily two properties are important at the NP location. The first of these is the NP…

Neutral Plane – what is it?

Posted on by Steve Olson

Amid the Covid-19 virus craziness, let’s get this discussion started. Most readers at this site are familiar with the Neutral Plane (NP) method in driven pile analysis and are using it at least to some extent. However, I am not sure the NP is completely understood, even by those using the technique, so let’s start…