Pile Capacity Calculator – α, β, Meyerhof Methods | Axial Load Capacity for Driven & Bored Piles

Pile Capacity Calculator – α, β, Meyerhof Methods

Axial capacity • End bearing + skin friction • Driven & bored piles • Safety factor • Geotechnical design

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📐 1. Pile Capacity – Three Methods (α, β, Meyerhof)

Piles transfer loads through end bearing (toe) and skin friction (shaft). This tool implements:

• α-method (clay): skin friction = α · c_u (undrained shear strength). α from empirical correlation.
• β-method (sand): skin friction = β · σ'_v (β = K·tanδ).
• Meyerhof (end bearing): q_p = N_q · σ'_v (sand); q_p = N_c · c_u (clay).

Ultimate capacity Q_ult = Q_skin + Q_tip
Allowable Q_all = Q_ult / FS (typical FS = 2.5–3.0).

🚀 2. Pile Capacity Calculator

Pile typeDriven (displacement)Bored (replacement)

Pile diameter D (m)

Pile length L (m)

Soil type (primary layer)Sand / granularClay / cohesive

Undrained shear strength c_u (kPa) – for clay

Friction angle φ' (deg) – for sand

Effective vertical stress at tip σ'_v (kPa)

Safety factor FS

Batch CSV (D, L, soil type, cu/phi, sigmaV)

Get PDF Report via Email

CSV Template

📊 3. Pile & Soil Profile

📈 4. Capacity vs Pile Length & History

📘 5. How to Use the Calculator

1. Select pile type (driven or bored).
2. Enter pile diameter and length.
3. Choose soil type (sand or clay). Provide c_u for clay, φ' and σ'_v for sand.
4. Set safety factor (typical 3.0).
5. Click "Compute" – skin friction, end bearing, Q_ult, and Q_all are displayed.
6. 2D schematic shows pile and soil layers.
7. Batch CSV: upload multiple designs for comparison.
8. PDF report includes all parameters and sketch.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

❓ What is α (adhesion factor)?

α = 1.0 for soft clay (c_u < 25 kPa), reduces to 0.3 for stiff clay (c_u > 150 kPa). Interpolated.

❓ What is β for sand?

β = K·tanδ; for driven piles K=1.0–1.5, δ=0.8φ; for bored piles K=0.7, δ=φ. The tool uses conservative values.

❓ How is end bearing calculated for rock?

For rock, use unconfined compressive strength (q_u) → q_p = N_c·q_u (N_c=9). Not included here – will be added in rock version.

🌐 References

API RP 2GEO – Geotechnical design | Bowles Foundation Analysis | Tomlinson Pile Design

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© ERH Pile Capacity Calculator – α, β, Meyerhof. For preliminary design only. Final design requires site‑specific testing.