ABSTRACT
Design correlations linking the capacity of a displacement pile with the Cone Penetration Test (CPT) tip end resistance (qc) have been in popular use in Europe for over 50 years and are finding increased application worldwide. However, the form of these correlations varies widely, as illustrated by De Cock et al. (2003), primarily because the factors controlling axial pile capacity are influenced by more soil parameters than those affecting CPT qc. For example, the similarity between the mode of installation of a cone and pile suggests a strong link between the CPT qc value and the pile end-bearing. However, the relationship
between shaft friction and qc is less obvious, and even less so, if the displacement pile is open-ended and penetrates the soil in a coring mode.
