This paper presents the results of four full-scale static pile load tests that were performed at a site in Astana, Kazakhstan that is underlain by problematic soils. In each test, the bored pile measured 1000 mm in diameter and had a length of 31.5 m. Two of the four static pile load tests were of the standard “top-down” variety. One of these tests was performed in accordance with ASTM D 1143-07; the other was performed in accordance with GOST 5686.2020. The remaining two static pile load tests were bi-directional tests that used an Osterberg (“O”) cell. For both types of static pile load tests the results were in good agreement with each other. Comparing the top-down static pile load test results, the ratio of the load in the former to the load in the latter was 1.1 at fixed settlements based on the standard methods tested. Four empirical methods were next applied to the results of these tests and the resulting ultimate capacities compared against the results of the aforementioned four static pile load tests.
