Prediction of unknown deep foundation lengths using the Hilbert Huang Transform (HHT)

Prediction of unknown deep foundation embedment depth is a great deal nowadays, especially in case of upgrading or rehabilitation of old structures. Many old bridges and marine or pier structures in the United States are established using deep foundations system of timber piles and their foundation records do not exist. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) or Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) method for a great variety of materials and structures has become an integral part of many tests. However, the process of testing long piles, deeply embedded in the ground, is more complex than (NDT) of the other structural materials. This paper summarizes some of the most common non-destructive test methods for deep foundations and presents a new method called the Hilbert Huang Transform (HHT). This Hilbert Huang Transform (HHT) method is used now by a wide range in a different health monitoring of many systems. In this paper, some field tests on the timber Piles of one bridge at North Carolina was performed to verify the using the (HHT) method for predicting the embedded depth of the unknown piles. Percentage of the accuracy achieved using HHT method for pile length compared to the actual pile length data was performed. Finally, a recommendation is presented for the limitation of using this new method as a new non-destructive method for deep foundations.