Effect of loading history on the compression and uplift capacity of driven model piles in sand

Abstract

Model piles were tested in dry uniform sand to study the effect of loading history on the behaviour of piles in compression and tension. A sand bed was prepared by the raining technique, and a smooth cylindrical instrumented pile was driven into the sand. Load tests on piles were conducted at a constant rate of penetration of 0.5 mm/min. The effects of length to diameter (L/D) ratio and sand density were also investigated. The load transfer along the pile surface was studied for an L/D ratio of 33. The pile tip resistance was measured for model piles with L/D ratios of 20–33 and was generally found to be constant. A significant decrease in the pile capacity both in tension and compression was noted for piles having a loading history. When a pile was loaded in compression after being loaded in tension, the tip load could be mobilized only after a certain movement of the pile. The mobilization of the shaft load, however, started immediately. Key words : load tests, model piles, dry sand, loading history, tip capacity, shaft capacity, compression, tension, load transfer.