Tapertube Pile Capacity Prediction: Pile Driving Analyzer versus Static Load Test

John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport in New York City is experiencing modification and expansion to meet the increased traveling demand. New terminals are being built supported on piles. The soil formation at the site generally consists of sandy fill, followed by a 5-ft thick organic soft layer. Below the organic layer, deep deposits of glacial sand exist with increased density with depth. Tapertube pipe piles are very efficient in this type of soil conditions. The piles achieve capacity through skin friction along the tapered section. The Nordlund method is generally used to estimate static axial capacity of the tapertube pile. This paper discusses the different analytical methods to predict pile axial capacity and presents assumptions using the Nordlund method for tapered piles that were designed for the expansion of the American Airlines Terminal 8 at JFK Airport. The piles consisted of an 8-in. tip diameter and 14-in. butt diameter with a 15 ft long tapered section plus extension. The paper includes the pile driving analyzer (PDA) results, discussing both CASE and CAPWAP methods. A static load test was also performed, and the results are compared with the PDA results. Lessons learned from this project are shared to help the engineering community with future design and construction of similar projects.