Abstract: To meet the requirement of axial pile loading test before the foundation pit excavation, it was decided that the loading test method should be the combination of the surcharging method and the self-balanced method after an estimation of the ultimate axial pile capacity. Meanwhile, the load transducers were placed within the effective range of the pile to monitor the distribution of loads along the pile shaft during the loading process, so that side resistance along the pile can be calculated. The combination of the surcharging method and the self-balanced method can easily solve the problem of completing the pile loading test before foundation pit excavation. All three test piles have no damage under the design maximum loading, and the axial ultimate capacity of the single pile is therefore the design ultimate loading value. The results of pile load distribution test show that the soil layer has not reached the limit state under the maximum test load. The ultimate axial pile resistance is not fully mobilized.

Key words: Self-Balanced Method, Axial Pile Compressive Loading Tests, Load Distribution, Side Resistance