Numerical investigation on reinforced cement concrete helical piles subjected to combined axial and lateral loading

Abstract

The research proposes the introduction of helices into the very popular reinforced cement concrete (RCC) piles to enhance the soil–pile interaction. The behavior of RCC helical piles under combined axial and lateral loading are reported. A 3D finite element model is developed using Abaqus software to simulate the pile–soil interaction. Steel helical piles have gained popularity due to their ease of installation and higher load-carrying capacity in comparison with plain RCC piles. The presence of helices in steel helical piles interlocks with the surrounding soil and exhibits higher load-carrying capacity. The load-bearing capacity of RCC piles is generally lower than that of steel helical piles; however, RCC piles are considered more economical. This study aims to enhance the performance of RCC piles by introducing a helical groove. In this paper, the performance of RCC helical piles is studied by varying the L/d (length-to-diameter) ratio of the pile and the elastic modulus of the soil. The outcomes reveal that RCC helical piles exhibit superior performance compared to plain piles, showcasing a significant reduction in settlement by 32%. This improved performance of RCC helical piles is observed across various combinations of L/d ratios and soil elastic modulus as compared to plain piles.