Influence of the ribbed steel core on the inner interface mechanical behavior of the ESDCM pile

Abstract

By virtue of the high strength, cost-efficiency and green construction, the expanded stiffened deep-cement-mixing (ESDCM) piles with steel cores own a great prospect to be applied for soft soil treatment in coastal and riverside regions. The dual-interface feature is a crucial factor affecting the bearing capacity of the ESDCM piles. However, the confining pressure characteristics of pile cores and the interface characteristics of steel pipe-soil-cement are unclear, limiting the practical application of ESDCM piles. Hence, in this work, we investigate the mechanical characteristics of the inner interface of ESDCM piles with steel cores via confining pressure transfer test and inner interface shear tests. The results demonstrate that the soil-cement column can withstand over 90 % of the confining pressure exerted on the outer interface, suggesting that the pile core may not be affected by confining pressure. Model piles with different steel cores have different interface failure modes, which can be described using either a three-segment or two-segment constitutive equation. Changing the inner interface structure has been proven to be a highly efficient pathway for enhancing the bearing capacity and adhesion conversion factor of the ESDCM pile. Compared with the smooth steel cores, the adhesion conversion factor can be reinforced up to 114.3 % by employing ribbed steel cores. Then, a model-pile bearing capacity calculation formula was established and verified for reliability. Moreover, the formula of a single pile based on inner interface shaft resistance was further proposed in combination with the actual operating conditions. This study highlights the mechanical characteristics of the inner interface of ESDCM piles, which guides engineering design and construction.