Source: Untar Public Relations – CS
Research on the bearing capacity of bored piles offers new possibilities for more efficient building foundation design, particularly in Jakarta’s soil conditions. By developing a prediction model based on field testing, the number of foundation piles required could potentially be reduced without compromising construction safety.
The research was conducted by Ali Iskandar through his dissertation entitled “Development of a Prediction Model for Bored Pile Bearing Capacity.” Ali was officially awarded his doctoral degree as the 115th graduate of the Doctoral Program in Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering (FT), Universitas Tarumanagara (Untar), at Untar Campus I, Jakarta, on Friday (30/10/2026).
Ali’s research addresses the challenges of building foundation design in cemented soil conditions, which are commonly found in Jakarta. Conventional calculation methods are considered not yet fully capable of accounting for the characteristics of this type of soil, potentially resulting in estimates of foundation bearing capacity that are lower than its actual capacity.
To address this issue, Ali developed a bored pile bearing capacity prediction model using data from direct field tests. The model is designed to produce calculations that better reflect local soil characteristics and help civil engineering practitioners determine foundation requirements more accurately.
“I developed a tool to assist engineers, particularly those working in Jakarta, when dealing with cemented soil, so they can perform calculations more efficiently,” he said.
The research results show that the model produces bored pile bearing capacity predictions approximately 20 percent higher than those generated by conventional calculation methods. This finding creates opportunities to reduce the number of piles required in foundation design, potentially making construction costs more efficient.
Nevertheless, Ali emphasized that efficiency must never come at the expense of building safety. Calculations using the model must still be verified through direct field testing to ensure that the foundation can withstand the loads required by the construction project.
The development of this model is expected to provide an alternative calculation method for geotechnical practitioners, particularly when dealing with Jakarta’s soil conditions, which require a specialized approach to foundation design.
In addition to serving as a lecturer at FT Untar, Ali is a co-founder, director, and Senior Geotechnical Engineer at PT Solusi Andal Geointegra. He also works as a geotechnical competency assessor at LSP Geoteknik Indonesia.
Through this research, Ali seeks to bridge scientific development with the practical needs of the construction industry. His findings offer an approach to more efficient foundation design while maintaining building safety as a primary consideration.