Behavior of Micropiles in Soft Soil under Vertical Loading

Abstract

The behavior of micropiles in soft clay, under vertical compression and tension loading, was examined by field tests at a site in Shanghai. The soil profile consists of topsoil, silty clay, sandy silt, muddy clay, and clay soil. Two compression and three tension loading tests were conducted on five single micropiles. The piles were instrumented with vibrating wire force sensors, and they were monitored during the process of loading to investigate the mechanisms of load transfer. Both the ultimate vertical load capacity and the deflection at applied loads were examined. The results indicate that the pile load–displacement response under vertical compression or tension loadings was nonlinear. Both the compression and the tension load carrying capacity basically increased with a linear trend. But, the ultimate load capacities under tension were about 50-60% of those under compression. Tip resistance was about 10-15% of the applied compression load, not existing in the micropiles under tension. The average skin friction for micropiles under compression loading was about 50% higher than that for piles under tension loading.