Axially Loaded Behavior of Driven PC Piles

Abstract

To obtain a fair load‐settlement curve of a driven pile, and to evaluate the ultimate pile capacity more accurately, a numerical model was created to simulate the ground movements during a pile being driven. After the procedure, the axially loaded behaviors of the piles in silty sand were analyzed. The numerical results are compared with those results by full scale pile load tests. It was found, although the loads added on the tested piles are different from those by the numerical analyses which applied displacement increments on piles, the load‐settlement behaviors of piles calculated from the numerical model were close to those measured from field tests before the piles stressed to peak. Total load, shaft friction, and point bearing do not reach peak values at the same pile settlement; furthermore, the point bearing slowly increases all the while, with no peak. However, the point bearing only contributes 10∼20% of ultimate pile capacity. No matter which relative density of silty sand, pile diameter, and pile length increased, ultimate pile capacity increased as well.