Axially Loaded Piles in Layered Soil

Abstract

The behavior of axially loaded piles in layered soil is investigated in terms of effective stresses, using a rigorous elastic load transfer theory. Following the technique of Muki and Sternberg, the problem is decomposed into extended soil layers with elastic properties of the layered soil and a fictitious pile characterized by Young's moduli equal to the difference between the Young's modulus of the real pile and the respective Young's moduli of the soil layers. The unknown fictitious pile force and the fictitious pile top settlement are determined by equating the vertical displacement of the fictitious pile to the vertical displacement caused by a system of interactive forces in the extended soil layers along the centroidal axes of the original pile location. The real pile force and displacement can then be calculated once the fictitious pile force is known. Extensive parametric studies with regard to the base load, bearing layer load, and pile top settlement are presented graphically for the design and analysis of axially loaded piles in layered soil.