A solution to the problem of pile settlement caused by vertical static loading with consideration to plastic properties of the foundation soil

Abstract

Introduction. The article addresses the problem of nonlinear analyses of structures having pile foundations. The purpose of the study is to develop a method for determining the nonlinear behaviour of a single pile. The tasks of the study are to use the analytical method to define and solve the settlement problem of a single pile, taking into account the plastic properties of soils along the lateral surface and under the tip, as well as to verify the obtained solutions using the field data obtained by testing the pile subjected to static loading.
 Materials and methods. The analytical model of the telescopic motion of coaxial cylindrical soil layers around the pile was applied to obtain the solution. Pile settlement due to the punching of the bottom layer was calculated using the available formula dealing with a circular rigid stamp located at a given depth from the surface. To verify the solution, the authors used the materials of static loading tests conducted in respect of three reinforced concrete prismatic piles of the base of a hospital building located in the city of Tver. A static method was used to drive the piles.
 Results. A comparison between the results of the analysis obtained using the proposed solution and the field test data is presented. The analysis of this comparison shows that the solution allows describing the load-settlement curve for the static loading of a single pile. A reasonable mismatch between the calculated and field data is identified; it is associated with the inability of the derived formula to take account of soil consolidation.
 Conclusions.The solution, obtained for single pile settlement, takes into account plastic properties of soil on the lateral surface and under the pile tip. This solution describes the regularity of single pile deformation under static loading. Further research will take soil consolidation into account. The assumed values of the ultimate resistance of a pile along a lateral surface and under the pile tip have a considerable influence on the results of the calculation according to the solution obtained by the authors. A relevant task, to be solved in the course of further research, is to find alternative methods of their determination.