A Case Study on Load Transfer Law of Long Piles in Soft Soil

In recent years, large diameter long piles have been used widely to support high-rise buildings and long span bridges in China because of their high bearing capacity. However, the load transfer mechanism of long piles is not well understood at present. The design method is not based on the actual mechanism of load bearing and deformation. Therefore, research on load transfer for long piles is important to improve design methods. Through analyzing the results of static load test and axial force testing, the bearing capacity character and load transfer mechanism of long bored piles in soft clay are discussed in the paper. It is concluded the load transfer mechanism of long piles is different from general piles, including the distribution of the axial force and lateral friction resistance. Long piles under design load should be considered floating piles. The test results may offer theoretical reference to improve design methods of long piles.