Numerical Analysis to Study Lateral Behavior of Cement Fly Ash Gravel Piles under the Soft Soil

Abstract

Cement Fly ash and Gravel Piles are modern soil improvement techniques widely used in China for infrastructure development. It significantly impacts the fundamental characteristics of load-carrying capacities and deformation. The cement fly ash and gravel (CFG) piles are located on highways, railway embankments, essential projects, and problematic soil. These are often subjected to high risk of external load like flooding, seismic, etc. In such a case, foundation design can be governed by a required lateral resistance. The present study is based on the deformation behaviour of a CFG pile subjected to axial, lateral, and combined loading in soft clay. Numerical analysis using Plaxis 3D on a CFG pile with various influencing parameters soil condition, diameters, length, length to diameter ratio, and pile head loading condition to observe its effect. Overall, the pile study found variations in initial stress level, pile type, and pile head constraint. Still, these were minor compared to the impact of soil behaviour and mobility. The soil models varied stiffness and strength properties. The effects originating from the boundary conditions used were responsible for significantly decreasing lateral resistance for inner CFG piles under the active and passive loading.