Experimental and Semitheoretical Analyses of Uplift Capacity of Belled Pile in Sand
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 22, Issue 12
Abstract
Although belled piles have been widely applied to structures subjected to large horizontal loads, such as coastal structures, high chimneys, and transmission towers, their uplift capacity characteristics under various conditions have not been investigated in detail. In this study, model tests were performed in circular and half-circular chambers to determine the uplift capacity of belled piles in sandy ground under conditions such as relative density, penetration depth, and pile-tip inclination angle. Furthermore, image analysis was conducted by monitoring the model tests in a half-circular chamber to verify the shape of the failure surface. A semitheoretical model to predict the uplift capacity of belled piles in sandy ground was developed using the pile-tip failure angle and failure surface curve in accordance with the relative density, penetration depth, and pile-tip inclination angle based on the limit-equilibrium equation of a previous conventional pile. The values calculated using the proposed model were in good agreement with those obtained from experimental model tests.
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Acknowledgments
This study was conducted by research funds from Gwangju University in 2022.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
- bb
- tip diameter of the belled pile;
- bs
- shaft diameter of the belled pile;
- Dr
- relative density;
- K
- coefficient of lateral earth pressure;
- K0
- earth pressure at rest;
- L
- pile penetration depth;
- L1
- slope height of belled pile;
- L2
- height at bottom of enlargement;
- Pu
- uplift capacity;
- Pu(Net)
- net uplift capacity;
- ΔR
- reaction force;
- T
- shear stress at failure surface;
- ΔT
- shear force on differential volume inside failure surface;
- Q
- volume inside failure surface;
- ΔQ
- differential volume inside failure surface;
- W
- pile weight;
- ΔW
- weight of the soil within the failure surface;
- α
- failure surface gradient coefficient;
- δ
- pile–soil friction angle;
- δz
- failure surface inflection point coefficient;
- γd
- dry unit weight;
- θ
- constant failure angle;
- θE
- failure angle of belled pile tip;
- θEi
- initial failure angle at the tip of belled pile;
- θi
- pile-tip inclination angle;
- κ
- relative density coefficient;
- λ
- failure surface coefficients;
- φ
- internal friction angle; and
- ψ
- dilatancy angle (ψ = φ/2°; ψ = φ–30°).
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 22 • Issue 12 • December 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 25, 2021
Accepted: Apr 13, 2022
Published online: Sep 23, 2022
Published in print: Dec 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Feb 23, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Analysis (by type)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Failure analysis
- Foundation design
- Foundations
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Geotechnical investigation
- Load bearing capacity
- Penetration tests
- Pile foundations
- Pile tests
- Piles
- Slopes
- Soil dynamics
- Soil mechanics
- Structural analysis
- Structural engineering
- Uplifting behavior
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