IS-code compliant.
FEA validated.
Site-specific bearing,
not catalogue values.
PEN Foundation is governed by IS 2911 Part 4 as a battered micropile group. Soil classification follows IS 1498. Concrete is M50 per IS 456. Bolts are grade 4.6 per IS 1367. We share design notes, FEA outputs, load test reports, and BIM/CAD assets with qualified specifiers under NDA.
Skin friction.
Not bearing pressure.
Conventional RCC footing logic computes Required Area = Factored Load ÷ Safe Bearing Capacity. PEN does not work on this principle. Load is transferred along the embedded length of battered GI pipe nails through skin friction, not through bearing stress on a footing base. IS 2911 Part 4 is the governing standard. IS 6403 should not be applied.
| Design Parameter | PEN System | Conventional Pad Footing |
|---|---|---|
| Governing standard | IS 2911 Part 4 | IS 6403 / IS 456 |
| Load transfer | Skin friction along nail group | Bearing pressure on base area |
| Soil classification | IS 1498 | IS 1498 |
| Site validation | Project-specific load test | Plate load test or SBC |
| Excavation | None | Required |
| Curing window | None (precast node) | 21 to 30 days typical |
Real soil.
Real load tests.
| Site | Soil (IS 1498) | Key Parameters | Enhancement Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIT Calicut Campus | CI Clay | c=11 kPa, φ=25°, LL=50%, PI=22% | 2.04× field-validated |
| Kalpetta, Wayanad | MH Silt | High-plasticity silt | 2.76× field-validated |
| MatterLab Test (Gujarat) | Mixed | Soil + PEN + Tungsten configurations | Peak observed: 667 kN/m² (not design value) |
Numerical models
that match the field.
Finite Element Analysis
Component-level and group-level analysis, including connection modelling, batter angle sensitivity, and soil-structure interaction. Annexure with full plot set available on request.
FAMC Method
Failure And Material Combination method developed in collaboration with NIT Calicut, providing a load-test-anchored verification path used in the PEN AI Design Calculator.
Geotechnical Modelling
Soil-structure interaction modelling for project-specific cases. Available for site-critical projects under engagement.
Project-Specific Trials
Pull-out, lateral, and compression load tests at chosen sites. Reports are signed off and shared with the consulting engineer of record.
Where PEN performs.
Where it doesn’t.
| Soil Type | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CI Clay | Validated | NIT Calicut campus, EF 2.04× |
| MH Silt | Validated | Kalpetta Wayanad, EF 2.76× |
| SP / SW Sand | Compatible | Project-specific load test required |
| SC / SM | Compatible | Site profile review required |
| CH (high plasticity clay) | Case by case | Swelling considerations apply |
| Soft saturated clay (CL very soft) | Limitation | Skin friction development limited |
| Loose hydraulic fill | Limitation | Not recommended without ground improvement |
| Hard rock at shallow depth | Case by case | Tungsten tip allows penetration up to design depth, then bedrock anchoring |
Resources for the design table.
FEA report, validation papers, BIM/CAD assets (DWG, IFC), and the PEN AI Design Calculator are available to qualified specifiers under NDA. Send your project brief and we’ll route the right files.