Numerical study on the uplift capacity of under-reamed piles in clay with linearly increasing cohesion

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present study deals with the determination of the uplift capacity for an under-reamed pile in clay, whose cohesion increases linearly with depth, by following the finite element analysis methodology. The analysis was performed for: i) pile without under-ream, ii) single under-reamed pile and iii) double under-reamed pile. The geometry of the pile was selected following the relevant Indian standard code, and the analysis was performed for the different values of linearly increasing cohesion and for the various shaft adhesion. The safe and collapse load determined from the load-deformation curve indicated that its magnitude was highest for the double under-reamed pile followed by the single under-reamed pile. For the selected range of the embedment depth and the linearly increasing cohesion, the safe load for the single and the double under-reamed pile was found about 396% and 547% respectively higher than the pile without any under-ream.