We appreciate the discusser's interest in our research.The discussion primarily centers on two key points: (1) the load estimates for the pile cap, backfill, and bridge pier, along with their comparison to the design loads; and (2) the determination of pile termination depth based on standard penetration test (SPT) and cone penetration test (CPT) data.These two points are addressed in sequence in the following.
Prezzi et al. (Fri,) studied this question.