Studying the behavior of axially loaded single pile in clayey soil with cavities

Abstract EN

This paper deals with the interaction between cavities and adjacent axially loaded pile in clayey soil using the three dimensional finite element program (ANSYS 11.0).

Three dimensional SOLID45 and SOLID65 elements were used to model the soil and the reinforced concrete pile respectively.

Druger-Prager model is chosen to simulate the non-linear elastic-plastic clayey soil, concrete model is used to simulate the nonlinear behavior of concrete pile, the steel bars are assumed to be embedded in concrete section.

A comparison of the behavior of load-settlement curve, shear stress on pile (τxy) and lateral soil stress on pile (σx) is made for cases of the variation in the cavity positions in the vertical direction (Z-direction) with case of no cavity.

It has been found that the effect of the cavity on the shear stress along pile length (τxy) and on the lateral soil stress on pile (σx) is ignored to the depth greater than (20 %) of the pile length from the ground level.

Furthermore, the load-settlement curves are quite difference if compared with reference case of no cavity due to the cavity position near the face of pile.