Numerical Simulation of Predicting the Shaft Capacity of Single Pile in Unsaturated Soil

Abstract

Pile foundations that placed above the groundwater table zone where the soil is typically in a state of the partially saturated case have been considered in this study. To appreciate the effect of the matric suction on the skin resistance of single pile foundations that placed in unsaturated clayey soil. A series of small scale and full-scale single model pile are simulated using the software Plaxis 3 D. Mohr-Coulomb model (Elastic-perfectly plastic model) that takes into account the effect of the matric suction has adopted in the analysis. Also, in this study comparison among numerical models and laboratory, small scale single and full-scale pile models have done. In general, the value of shaft capacity obtained by the numerical investigations are in good agreement with laboratory model pile test results.