Laboratory model tests about the sand embankment supported by piles with a cap beam

Abstract

ABSTRACTPiled embankment is widely used in soft soil areas. Most researches focused on effects of embankment height-net pile spacing ratios and equal settlement plane; there are limited publications paying attention to the shape of slip surfaces occurring in the embankment. In some extreme conditions, such as the ground being quite soft or embankment height needed to be restricted, to reduce the differential settlement and lateral displacement, piles are usually installed in several rows and cap beams or isolated caps are placed on the heads of piles. In this paper, five laboratory tests were carried out to investigate the effect of embankment height on the slip surfaces and stress exerted on the subsoil. Based on the observation of the slip surface’s shape within the embankment fill, a new calculation model is proposed to predict the stress exerted on the subsoil. In comparison with the experimental results, the accuracy of this new method is verified. From the perspective of reducing the differential settlement and cost savings, the embankment height is about four times net pile spacing according to this calculation model, since continuing to increase the embankment will not make an obvious difference to the reduction of soil stress exerted on the subsoil.