This paper examines the effect of top sandy soil on the response of piles to investigate the adequate socket length needed for rock socketed piles subjected to a lateral load. The performance of rock socketed piles has been investigated by finite element based numerical analysis using PLAXIS 3D software. In this analysis, the concrete pile behaviour is assumed as linear elastic. The sand layer is treated as an elastic-perfectly plastic material based on hardening soil model. The behaviour of rock is simulated by assuming an elastic-perfectly plastic material defined by Hoek-Brown model. The lateral responses of single pile are analyzed by varying the rock socket lengths (Lr) from 0 to 4 times the pile diameter (Dp). Parametric studies are performed by varying the ratio of soil embedment length (Ls) to relative stiffness (T) values (Ls/T). The limiting rock socket length (Lr) is proposed with respect to pile displacement criteria for various Ls/T ratios corresponds to the ground with top loose sandy soil underlying a moderately weathered rock with weak strength. The maximum beneficial rock socket length (Lr) for the ground conditions used in this paper is found to twice the pile diameter (Dp).
Subjects: pile, lateral load, soil embedment length (Ls), rock socket length (Lr) and relative stiffness (T)
Author: Jeya Sonia J., M.E. and Karthigeyan S., M.E., Ph.D.