Numerical analysis of piled raft foundation under combined vertical and lateral loading

Abstract

Due to lack of research regarding the response of a piled raft foundation under combined lateral and vertical loading, an attempt has been taken in this study to analyse the influence of vertical load on the lateral response of a piled raft foundation. In this study, numerical analyses are carried out on the piled raft subjected to combined vertical and lateral load through 3D finite element modelling. The soil profile used in this study is clayey soil underlain by a layer of sand and the effect of clay layer thickness to the embedded pile length is checked. The lateral load displacement curves for the piled raft and the pile group in the piled raft system are assessed and the effect of the pile positioning on the lateral response are observed. For the structural design aspect, the bending moment, shear force and lateral soil stress along the pile depth are estimated and the lateral load sharing between the piles and the raft are assessed. Prediction models are then developed for estimating the load sharing ratio, p-multiplier and the percent increase in the lateral capacity and the lateral soil stress.