Glossary

Cap Material

Blocks, stack or coils of material such as wood, plastic, compressed paper, aluminum, rope, etc. which are placed in drive cap under a pile hammer to receive and absorb a portion of the impact blow. See also Cap Material, Cushion Blocks, and Dolly.

French: matériaux d'amortissement

Capacity

The maximum or ultimate soil resistance mobilized by a foundation unit. See resistance, ultimate

Capacity Modification Factor

A factor used to modify (reduce) the calculated, factored bearing-capacity of a foundation unit.

Capacity, Bearing or Geotechnical Capacity

The maximum or ultimate soil resistance mobilized by a loaded foundation unit, e.g., a footing, or a pile. (The structural capacity of a foundation unit is the ultimate resistance of the unit itself as based on the strength of the building materials.)

Capacity, Geotechnical

See capacity, bearing

Capacity, Lateral

The maximum or ultimate resistance mobilized by a foundation unit subjected to loading perpendicular to the axis of the shaft.

Capacity, Structural

The maximum or ultimate strength of the foundation unit.

Capacity, Tension

The maximum or ultimate soil resistance mobilized by a foundation unit subjected to tension (upward) loading.

Capblock

Obsolete term. See “Hammer cushion.”

French: Bloc de garniture

Bruns Pile

Trade name for a concrete pile precast with short pieces of pipe at ends for adding lengths with a tapered drive splicer.