Some new insights with regard to load distribution in piles, based on a detailed interpretation of a large number of instrumented pile load tests

Since the 1970’s several pile load test campaigns have been carried out in Belgium. A general overview of these test campaigns and the types of tested piles, have been given in Holeyman et al. (1997). Since 1997, a lot of supplementary scientific pile load test have been performed by the Belgium Building Research Institute (BBRI), in particular with the viewpoint to anticipate on the success of the soil displacement screw pile types on the Belgian market, and to support the establishment of a background document for pile design according to Eurocode 7 in Belgium (BBRI, 2008).