THE EFFECT OF SOIL CAVITY ON LATERALLY LOADED SINGLE PILE BY USING THE FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

Abstract

The research presents a numerical study of the interaction between single cavity and adjacent pile in homogenous sandy soil by utilizing an efficient finite element formulation. A square cross sectionalconcrete pile, with (9) m length and (0.6) m width, hasbeen used. The interface layer between pile and surrounding soil was represented by thin layer element.The research results indicate that, in the direction perpendicular to the direction of applied load, where the ratio between the distance from the cavity to the pile and cavity length (measured in the same direction), is equal or more than (1.7)the effect of cavity can be neglected. While the values of the maximum bending moment decrease with increasing of the above mentioned ratio, and it became constant when the ratio ≥(2.0). The deformations around cavity increases with increasing lateral load and decreasing the above mentioned ratio, particularly in the nearest side of pile and these deformations are constant when the ratio ≥ (2.0).