Experimental Investigation on Pile Bearing Capacity Installed in Frozen Sandy Soil

The bearing capacity of piles in frozen soils is a critical consideration in foundation design of cold regions. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the bearing capacity of pile foundations installed in frozen sandy soil. The research was conducted at Clarkson University, where axial loading tests were performed on model piles within a specially designed frozen soil–pile interaction lab. A soil box with dimensions of 1.38 m length, 0.9 m width, and 1.22 m height was constructed in a cold room, allowing precise temperature control ranging from −50°C to 75°C. Two steel model piles (Pile 1 and Pile 2), each with a diameter of 6.35 cm and a length of 81 cm, were installed in the soil box. To monitor strains, strain gauges were strategically placed along the surface of the piles. Notably, one of the piles was equipped with a steel angle to protect the sensors. The ultimate bearing capacity of the pile was conducted by using the ASTM D5780 quick loading test method. Throughout the tests, the temperature of the frozen soil was maintained at −4.62°C and −4.35°C for Piles 1 and 2, respectively. The results obtained from the quick loading test showed that the addition of the steel angles has increased the ultimate capacity of the pile by 26%. The load transfer analysis revealed load reduction with increasing depth into the soil.