Numerical simulations of horizontal bearing performances of step-tapered piles

Abstract

In this study, we tried to understand the horizontal bearing performances of step-tapered piles using numerical simulations. The influence of the geometric parameters, e.g. the diameter (D) and the distance (L), and the length (H) of the pile were considered, and the soil distribution imposed on the horizontal bearing capacity of the piles was simulated. Numerical results show that when the other geometrical parameters of step-tapered piles are kept unchanged: (a) the increasing diameter (D) of the enlarged upper part of step-tapered piles improves the horizontal ultimate bearing capacity of step-tapered piles; (b) reduced distance (L) improves the horizontal ultimate bearing capacity of the step-tapered piles; (c) Increasing length (H) of the enlarged upper part of steptapered piles increases the horizontal ultimate bearing capacity; (d) the reduced length (H) decreases the bending moment of the pile body. Higher soil strength surrounding the enlarged upper part of step-tapered piles can increase the horizontal ultimate bearing capacity of step-tapered piles. The change of soil strengths at the end of the step-tapered piles does not influence the horizontal ultimate bearing capacity of step-tapered piles