2004 Specifications CSJ 3136-01-172, etc

SPECIAL SPECIFICATION
4657
Micropiling

1. Description. Furnish and place micropiling consisting of a small diameter steel bar installed in a
drilled borehole and support casing, grouted in place, and conforming to the locations, depths,
and details shown in the plans and as described in this special specification.

2. Location. The micropiling will be constructed in the Balcones Canyon Preserve (BCP), an
environmentally sensitive and protected area. Refer to plans and reports for project location.

3. Micropile Contractor’s Experience Requirements and Submittal. The micropile Contractor

shall be experienced in the construction and load testing of micropiles and have successfully
constructed at least 5 projects in the last 5 years involving construction totaling at least 100
micropiles of similar capacity to those required in these plans and specifications.

The Contractor shall have previous micropile drilling and grouting experience in soil/rock
including karst formations similar to project conditions. The Contractor shall submit
construction details, structural details and load test results for at least three previous successful
micropile load tests from different projects of similar scope to this project.

The Contractor shall assign a project manager to supervise the work with experience on at least 3
projects of similar scope to this project completed over the last 5 years. The Contractor shall not
use consultants or manufacturers’ representatives to satisfy the supervising requirements of this
section. The on-site foremen and drill rig operators shall also have experience on at least 3
projects over the past 5 years installing micropiles of equal or greater capacity than required in
these plans and specifications and in the same or similar karstic geologic formations.

At least 45 calendar days before the planned start of micropile construction, the Contractor shall
submit 5 copies of the completed project reference list and a personnel list. The project reference
list shall include a brief project description with the owner’s name and current phone number and
load test reports. The personnel list shall identify the micropiles system design engineer (if
applicable), supervising project manager, drill rig operators, and on-site foremen to be assigned
to the project. The personnel list shall contain a summary of each individual’s experience and be
complete enough for the Engineer to determine whether each individual satisfies the required
qualifications. The Engineer will approve or reject the Contractor’s qualifications within 15
calendar days after receipt of a complete submission. Additional time required due to incomplete
or unacceptable submittals will not be cause for time extension or impact or delay claims. All
costs associated with incomplete or unacceptable submittals shall be borne by the Contractor.

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 Work shall not be started, nor materials ordered, until the Engineer’s written approval of the
Contractor’s experience qualifications is given. The Engineer may suspend the work if the
Contractor uses non-approval personnel. If work is suspended, the Contractor shall be fully
liable for all resulting costs and no adjustment in contract time will result from the suspension.

4. Construction Site Survey. Before bidding the Work, the Contractor shall review the boring logs
provided in the plans and visit the site to assess the site geometry, equipment access conditions,
and location of existing structures.

5. Re-Design of Micropiles. Redesign of micropiles is permissible if approved by Engineer.

Should the Contractor choose to redesign the micropiles, the micropiles shall be designed to meet
the specified loading conditions, as shown on the contract plans and approved working drawings
and in conformance with the appropriate articles of the most current Edition of the AASHTO
LRFD Bridge Design Specifications. Micropile tip elevations shall not penetrate deeper than
elevation 511 feet.

Micropiles redesigned shall be completed by a Texas Registered Professional Engineer with

experience in the design of at least 3 successfully completed micropile projects over the past 5
years, with micropiles of similar capacity to those required in these plans and specifications and in
similar karstic formations. The micropile design engineer may be either an employee of the
Contractor or a separate Consultant design engineer meeting the stated experience requirements.

A. Micropile Design Submittals. At least 21 calendar days before the planned start of
micropile structure construction, submit complete design calculations and working
drawings to the Engineer for review and approval. Include all details, dimensions,
quantities, ground profiles, and cross-sections necessary to construct the micropile
structure. Verify the limits of the micropile structure and ground survey data before
preparing the detailed working drawings.

The drawings and calculations shall be signed and sealed by the contractor’s Professional
Engineer or by the Consultant designer’s Professional Engineer, previously approved by
the owner’s Engineer. If the micropile contractor uses a consultant design engineer to
prepare the design, the micropile contractor shall still have overall contract responsibility
for both the design and the construction.

B. Design Calculations. Design Calculations shall include, but not be limited to, the
following items.
1. A written summary report which describes the overall micropile design.
2. Applicable code requirements and design references.
3. Micropile structure critical design cross-section(s) geometry including soil/rock strata
and piezometric levels and location, magnitude and direction of design applied
loading, including slope or external surcharge loads.
4. Design criteria including, soil/rock shear strengths (friction angle and cohesion), unit
weights, and ground-grout bond values and micropile drillhole diameter assumptions
for each soil/rock strata.
5. Factors of safety and allowable stresses used in the design on the ground-grout bond
values, surcharges, soil/rock and material unit weights, steel, grout, and concrete
materials.
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 6. Design calculation sheets with the project number, micropile structure location,
designation, date of preparation, initials of designer and checker, and page number at
the top of each page. Provide an index page with the design calculations.
7. Design notes including an explanation of any symbols and computer programs used
in the design.
8. Pile to footing connections calculations.
9. Should the alternate design provide for an alternative number of micropiles(e.g.,
provide fewer high capacity micropiles), footing design calculations shall be
provided.

6. Guidelines for Karst Protection for Work Within the BCP Infrastructure Corridor.
Micropiles will be installed in a karst limestone within the Balcones Canyon Preserve (BCP).
The following guideline shall be adhered to protect potential subsurface habitat during the
drilling of micropile boreholes.
A. General Guidelines
1. A significant void is defined as any void 12 inches or greater or any void that results
in 50% or more fluid loss as determined by the Engineer. If a significant void is
encountered, immediately stop all activity within 500 feet until given notice to
continue operations by the Engineer.
2. The only drilling fluids allowed will be natural/untreated water or biodegradable
polymer such as EZ Mud
3. All water for drilling shall come from an approved location on Barton Creek or the
Colorado River
4. All drilling fluids shall be decanted to remove water which may be disposed of on-
site. Cuttings shall be contained, containerized, and transported offsite to an
appropriate disposal site
5. Trash shall be hauled out at the end of each work shift
6. The Owner will provide a qualified geologist or hydrogeologist on-site at all times to
ensure detection and evaluation of any caves, karst features or subterranean voids that
may be encountered, including the loss of drill fluids. Notify the Engineer 3 business
days prior to start of all drilling activities.

7. Materials.

A. Use materials that meet requirements of the following Items:

1. Item 440, “Reinforcing Steel”

2. Item 441, “Steel Structures”
3. Item 442, “Metal for Structures”
4. Item 421, “Hydraulic Cement Concrete”

B. Provide the following materials:

1. Type B Stud connectors as defined in AWS D1.5, Section 7.
2. Grade 75 All-Thread bar reinforcement.
3. Grade 80 API Steel Casing.
4. Grout in accordance with Item 421, “Hydraulic Cement Concrete” and the
plans.

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 a) Admixtures which control bleed, improve flowability, reduce water
content and retard set may be used in the grout subject to the approval
of the Engineer.
b) Comply with manufacturer’s recommendations for use of admixtures.

8. Working Drawings. Submit complete project specific working drawings for the micropile
system, to the Engineer, in conformance with Item 5.2, "Plans and Working Drawings," of the
Standard Specifications.

Include all information required for the construction and quality control of the piling, including
the following:

A. Information on space requirements for installation equipment that verify that the
proposed equipment can perform at the site.

B. Step-by-step procedure describing all aspects of pile installation including personnel,

testing and equipment to assure quality control. Indicate the step-by-step procedures
on the working drawings in sufficient detail so that the Engineer can monitor the
construction and quality of the micropiles.

C. Details for drilling a plumb hole.

D. Details of centralizers.

E. Grout mix designs.

F. Details and procedures involved in testing components, including grout.

G. Pipe and reinforcement splice type and locations.

H. Details of equipment and operation for grouting. Include provisions for monitoring
grout quality, volume installed, and pressure during installation.

I. Information on the minimum cure time and strength requirements of the pile system
for test piles.

J. Drawing showing micro pile location, number, design load, type and size.

K. Post construction, Within 30 calendar days after completion of work, submit the
following: As-built drawing showing locations of the micro piles and length; detailed
drilling records; grouting records indicating the cement type and quantity injected;
micro pile test results and graphs.

Allow the Engineer sufficient time to review the working drawing submittal after a complete set
has been received. Do not install micropiling until the Engineer has approved, in writing, the
working drawing submittal.

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9. Construction. Dispose of cuttings and micropile installation and spilled or wasted grout in
accordance with the Plans and federal, state and local laws.

A. Advancing Borehole and Steel Casing

1. Use core drilling, rotary drilling, percussion drilling, auger drilling, driven
casing or other acceptable means for advancing a borehole in a karst
subsurface environment unless otherwise directed.
2. Extend micropile borehole as needed to achieve the minimum depth and bond
length, as depicted on Plans.
3. Borehole bond length shall extend into slightly weathered limestone or better,
as verified by Professional Engineer with background in Geotechnical
Engineering, and retained by Contractor. Verification shall include core
samples taken from at least one borehole per foundation bent.
Documentation shall include a field report sealed by Contractor’s
Professional Engineer.
4. Bond length shall exclude encountered soil layers or voids greater than 6
inches in determining whether the minimum bond length as been achieved.
5. In no case shall soil layers or voids greater than 24 inches be allowed within
the minimum bond zone. The minimum bond length must begin from the
bottom of an occurrence.
6.The minimum and maximum micropile borehole diameters shall be 7 inches
and 12 inches respectively, unless otherwise approved in writing by the
Engineer.

7. Do not use drilling mud or chemical stabilizers, unless approved by Engineer.

8. Remove foreign material dislodged or drawn into the hole during construction
of the micropiles. Remove loose material existing at the bottom of the hole
after drilling operations are complete before placing grout.

9.Install steel casing during drilling as needed to support borehole, void

mitigation, and at a minimum as shown on Plans.

B. Bar Reinforcement
1.Bar reinformcement can be installed in the drill hole after drilling or it can be
advanced by the drill.

2. Use centralizers when installing bar reinforcement.

C. Grouting

1. Provide a minimum of 2 inch clear cover around bar reinforcement.

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 2. Provide a positive means of support for maintaining the position of the casing
and reinforcement until the grout has set.

3. Use a neat cement grout or a sand-cement grout with a minimum 28 day

unconfined compressive strength of 5,000 psi and a minimum 7 day
unconfined compressive strength of 4000 psi.

4. Mix the grout to produce a uniform mixture free of lumps and undispersed
cement. Equip the pump with a pressure gauge to monitor grout pressures.
Provide a pressure gauge capable of measuring pressure of at least 150 psi or
twice the actual grout pressures used by the contractor, whichever is greater.
Use grouting equipment capable of pumping the grout in one continuous
operation. Continuously agitate the mixed grout during pumping operations.

5. Inject grout from the lowest point of the drilled hole. The grout may be
pumped through grout tubes, casing, hollow-stem-augers or drill rods. Record
the quantity of the grout and the grout pressures. Control the grout pressures
and grout takes to prevent excessive heave. Fill the entire Micropile with
grout.

The grout tube may remain in the hole provided it is filled with grout.

6. Do not load the Micropile until three days after grouting.

10. Performance and Testing. Load test micropiles as follows:

A. Verification Load Tests: Install a minimum of one (1) non-production verification

test pile for performance testing within the footprint of each proposed bent footing
and as directed by the Engineer at the abutments. Load the test pile to 100 percent
the nominal resistance and evaluate the ultimate pile capacity in accordance with
FHWA-HI-97-014, “Design and Construction of Driven Pile Foundations, Volumes
2”, Section 19.8.3 to insure compliance with job performance requirements. Notify
the Engineer one week before installing test micropile groups that are to be
performance tested.

1. Apply the load with a calibrated hydraulic jack.

2. Preform compression load testing in accordance with ASTM D1143 and
tension load testing in accordance with ASTM D 3689-07, “Testing of Piles
under Static Axial Tensile Load”, Paragraph 8.1.2 – Quick Pile Test. When
both compression and tension load testing is to be performed on the same
pile, the pile shall be tested under compression loads prior to testing under
tension loads.

3. Apply the test load in increments of 5% of the anticipated failure load to

maximum of a 100 percent of the nominal resistance shown on the
Micropile Details sheet. Add load increments until reaching a failure load, but
do not exceed the maximum testing load ( 100% of the nominal resistance).

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 During each load interval, maintain load increments for 5 min and record test
readings taken at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 min after completing the application of each
load increment. Use the same time interval for all loading increments through
the test. Remove the load in six approximately equal decrements. Keep the
load constant for 5 min using the same time intervals for all unloading
decrements. Record test readings taken at 1 and 4 min after completing each
load decrements. Take and record readings at 1, 4, 8 and 15 min after
removing all loads. Refer to a constant elevation benchmark for readings of
settlements and rebounds. Record them to 0.01 in. for each increment or
decrement of load.

4. The maximum test loads applied to the micropiles in the verification tests
shall not exceed 80 percent of the structural capacity of the micropile
structural elements, including steel yield in tension, steel yield and buckling
in compression, or grout crushing in compression. Any required increase in
strength of the verification test micropile elements above strength required for
production micropiles shall be included in the Contractor’s bid price.

5. Test piles will be considered acceptable if results meet the following:

a) No failure occurs or
b) The pile capacity from load test is not less than 80% of its nominal
resistance.

6. The test pile may not be a production pile.

7. If the test pile fails to give acceptable results, modify the design and install
and test another pile at no additional expense to the Department.

B. Proof Load Tests: Perform proof load tests on production piles as shown in the
contract plans and directed by the Engineer. Load the test pile to 85 percent the
nominal resistance and evaluate the pile capacity in accordance with FHWA-HI-97-
014, “Design and Construction of Driven Pile Foundations, Volumes 2”, Section
19.8.3 to insure compliance with job performance requirements. Notify Engineer one
week before installing test micropiles that are to be performance tested.
1. Apply the load with a calibrated hydraulic jack.
2. Preform compression load testing in accordance with ASTM D1143 and
tension load testing in accordance with ASTM D 3689-07, “Testing of Piles
under Static Axial Tensile Load”, Paragraph 8.1.2 – Quick Pile Test. When
both compression and tension load testing is to be performed on the same
pile, the pile shall be tested under compression loads prior to testing under
tension loads.
3. Apply the test load in increments of 5% of the anticipated failure load to
maximum of 85 percent of the nominal resistance shown on the Micropile
Details sheet. Add load increments until reaching a failure load, but do not
exceed the maximum testing load (85 percent of the nominal resistance).

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 During each load interval, maintain load increments for 5 min and record test
readings taken at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 min after completing the application of each
load increment. Use the same time interval for all loading increments through
the test. Remove the load in six approximately equal decrements. Keep the
load constant for 5 min using the same time intervals for all unloading
decrements. Record test readings taken at 1 and 4 min after completing each
load decrements. Take and record readings at 1, 4, 8 and 15 min after
removing all loads. Refer to a constant elevation benchmark for readings of
settlements and rebounds. Record them to 0.01 in. for each increment or
decrement of load.
4. The maximum test loads applied to the micropiles in the proof tests shall not
exceed 80 percent of the structural capacity of the micropile structural
elements, including steel yield in tension, steel yield and buckling in
compression, or grout crushing in compression. Any required increase in
strength of the verification test micropile elements above strength required for
production micropiles shall be included in the Contractor’s bid price.
5. Test piles will be considered acceptable if results meet the following:
a) No failure occurs or
b) The pile capacity from load test is not less than 80% of its nominal
resistance.
6. If the test pile is acceptable, it may used as a production pile.
7.If the test pile fails to give acceptable results, modify the design and install
and test another pile at no additional expense to the Department.

11. Measurement. This Item will be measured by each micropiling installed.

12. Payment. The contract unit price paid for micropile includes full compensation for designing and
furnishing all labor, materials, tools, equipment, and incidentals, and for doing all the work
involved in constructing micropiles, including casings, grout, reinforcement, cutting tips, drill
bits, pile anchorage, and disposing of materials resulting from pile installation, complete in place,
as shown on the plans, as specified in the Standard Specifications and this special specification,
and as directed by the Engineer. Performance test micropiling, including anchor piles, will not be
paid for directly bit will be subsidiary to the micropiling.

No payment will be made for micropiles that are damaged either during installation or after the
micropiles are complete in place. No payment will be made for additional excavation, backfill,
concrete, reinforcement, nor other costs incurred from footing enlargement resulting from
replacing rejected micropiles.

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