Plate Load Test What is the Static Plate Load Test?

Procedure for performing static plate load test

Performing a static plate load test involves the following steps:

1. Excavate a test pit to the desired depth. At least five times the test plate’s size is required for the pit.
2. A small depression or hole is created in the center of the pit. The size of the hole is the same as the size of the steel plate. There should be a correspondence between the bottom level of the hole and the actual foundation level. In order to achieve the right ratio between the depth and the width of the hole, the depth of the hole is created such that it equals the foundation’s depth to its width.
3. As load-bearing plates, mild steel plates should have a thickness of at least 25mm and a size between 300mm and 750mm. The plate can be rectangular (square) or round. Circular footings use circular plates, and square footings use square plates.
4. A column is placed in the center of the plate. Columns are positioned centrally to transfer load to plates.
5. There are two methods of transferring load to a column: gravity load transfer and truss load transfer.
6. In order to apply gravity loads, a platform is constructed over the column. Sandbags or other dead loads are used to transfer loads to the platform. A hydraulic jack is used to apply gradual loads between the column and the loading platform. Reaction loading refers to this type of loading.
7. The settlement should be recorded by at least two dial gauges at diagonal corners of the plate. Rather than settling on top of the plate, the gauges are placed on a platform.
8. In the event of a loading operation, apply a seating load of .7 T/m2 and release it before loading occurs.
9. The initial readings are noted for the static plate load test.
10. The load is then applied through the hydraulic jack and increased gradually. An increment of one-fifth, one-tenth, or any other smaller value is generally taken into account. Using a pressure gauge, you can find out how much load is applied.
11. Observe the settlement of the dial gauge after each increment. When the load is increased, settlement should be observed after 1, 4, 10, 20, 40, and 60 minutes. Then at hourly intervals until it is less than .02 mm per hour. The readings are noted in tabular form.
12. After completing the collection of data for a particular load, the next load increment is calculated. Readings are noted under the newly applied load. Until the maximum load is applied, this increment and data collection are repeated. Which is generally a maximum load equal to 1.5 times the ultimate load or 3 times the bearing pressure allowed by the design.