Abstract
abstract: Pile caps are structural elements used to transfer loads from the superstructure to a group of piles. The design of caps is normally based on analytical formulations, considering the strut and tie method. Through the advance of computational technology, the use of an integrated soil and foundation model may suggest a behavioral trend to obtain a more realistic modeling for the structural element being studied. This work aimed at analyzing, in numerical fashion, the structural behavior of reinforced concrete two-pile caps considering the lateral friction between the piles and the ground through a continuous modeling, as well as to analyze the portion of the load that is transferred to the ground directly by the cap. The lateral friction was modeled considering node coupling and through contact elements. Simulations were performed considering three soil types (sandy, clayish, and soilless), three cap heights, and three pile lengths. Soil parameters were obtained through semi-empirical correlations. Through these analyses, the conclusion was reached that, on average, 4.50% of the force applied to the pillar is transferred directly to the ground by cap. In terms of the principal compression stresses, in the superior nodal region, the strut tends to form beyond the section of the column. Alternatively, increasing cap stiffness provided, on average, an increase in the load carrying capacity of the models.
Highlights
The act of determining the type of foundation to be used in a construction is realized through technical studies, the main purpose behind these studies is to analyze the characteristics of the soil in terms of its load capacity and compressibility of the soil, along with the condition of the foundations of the neighboring buildings, as well as economic factors
In the analysis of variance developed in this work, fixed factors were used, where four study variables were chosen, those being the height of the pile cap (28 cm, 50 cm and 70 cm), the type of soil, the length of the piles (5 m, 7 m and 9 m), and the type of pile-soil bond
In the pile cap models with a height of 28 cm and with no soil, there was an expansion of the stress field in the lower nodal region beyond the external region of the piles, a fact noted in the models of the same height, with soil presence
Summary
The act of determining the type of foundation to be used in a construction is realized through technical studies, the main purpose behind these studies is to analyze the characteristics of the soil in terms of its load capacity and compressibility of the soil, along with the condition of the foundations of the neighboring buildings, as well as economic factors. Knowledge regarding soil parameters, the intensity of the forces that will be distributed through it, along with an understanding of the building limits, allows one can choose the type of foundation most suitable for a given construction. There are situations in which the superficial layers of the soil do not have sufficient support capacity to absorb and distribute the forces arising from the superstructure. In such cases, it is necessary to use one of the deep foundation types. It is understood that deep foundations are those that transmit the load to the soil through its base or through lateral friction, these being the piles and the caissons. The choice of foundation, requires the construction of structural elements - the pile cap
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