Advanced Materials Research Vols.

250-253 (2011) pp 1671-1674

Online available since 2011/May/17 at www.scientific.net
© (2011) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.250-253.1671

Analysis on Infulence of Pile Spacing Acting on Bearing Capacity of Pile

and Soil under Pile Cap Together

Guihua yang1, Huaiqi Li2

1
Civil Engineering Department, North China Institute of Aerospace Engineering, Langfang, Hebei
065000, China
2
Beijing Dingshi Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd. Beijing, 100050, China

Key words: Pile spacing, Composite pile foundation, Sharing ratio

Abstract. In this paper, the caculating model of pile foundation accounting for bearing capacity of
soil under pile cap is established. The influnces of pile spacing on load-sharing ratio, settlement and
pile top force has been analyed. The result shows that load-share ratio of soil under pile cap and the
settlement of pile foundation increase with the pile spacing; and the force of each pile tends to
uniform with the pile spacing increasing gradually.

Introduction
In Tianjin, Wenzhou and Shanghai where soft soil is widely distributed, the layer lying at 1 to 2
meter below surface soil, known as "mantle layer", often has certain bearing capacity and small
compressibility, which is commonly, artificial embankment or cohesive soil. But due to the deep
soft soil layer, if basing on design theory of natural foundation, settlement is too large; if on
traditonal design theory of pile foundation, pile numbers is overmuch, too close. To sovle the above
problem that how to develop settlement control effect of piles, and also to develop baering capacity
of soil under pile cap, many scholars such as Shaoming Huang [1], Zili Guan [2], Jinmin Zai [3],
and Jinli liu [4], have made a great deal of research and put forward the design concept of
composite pile foundation which accouts for the bearing capacity of soil under pile cap.
Usually, the type of pile foundation, which accounts for the bearing strength of pile and soil
under pile cap together, is called composite pile foundation [5]. The pile spacing is usually big and
greater than 5 to 6 times of the pile diameter. But influnced by so many factors like the structure
types, pile type, layout of piles, foundation soil characteristics and so on, the forced mechanism,
working mechanism and deformation characteristics are not fully understood, the research on its
load sharing, settlement characteristics is relatively backward.
Based on geological data of the typical soft soil area, with the method of numerical calculation,
this paper has carried out and analyed a large number of caculating programs and is attempt to
reveal influnce of pile spacing on the bearing strength of pile and soil under pile cap together.

Calculation model
Geometric model. In order to reflect the interaction between pile and soil under the condition of
pile group, the pile foundationthis model with nine piles arranged uniformly under the pile cap is
chose. The pile side length "a" = 0.4 m, pile length "l" = 12m, caps thickness "h" = 0.6 m, pile
spacing is called "sa", which is variable in caculation. The plane geometric model is shown in Fig.1.

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1672 Advanced Building Materials

Meshing. Considering models symmetry, quarter structure is taken for calculation. According
references [7], depth of soil is taken as 1.6 times pile length, width 2.5 (1 -μ) times pile length.
Under this condition, the influnce of Soil size on caculating result can be ignored. The grid is
gradually meshed from pile to soil around; overall 3D meshes are shown in Fig. 2.

Fig.1 Plane geometry model Fig.2 3D mesh for calculating model

Geometric parameters. By simplifying, geometric parameters are derived from typical soft soil
area, such as Shanghai, Wenzhou, Tianjin etc. the soils constitutive law is considered elastic-plastic;
Pile and cap are only considered elastic. Geometric parameters are shown in Table. 1.
Table 1 Geometric parameters of soil layer
name γ(kN/m3) μ E (MPa) C(kPa) φ(o) depth(m)
miscellaneous fill 1860 0.35 5 15 12 0～-1
mucky soil 1750 0.35 2.3 10 9 -1～-9
Gray silty clay 1820 0.35 3.6 12 12 -9～-17
dark green silty clay 2000 0.35 7 3 19 -17～-20
Pile and cap 2500 0.2 25000 / / /

Calculation scheme Considering the influence of the initial stress, the caculation process is divided
intothree steps. First step: applying gravity load, getting the initial stress; second step: importing
initial stress, applying distributed load on pile cap; third step: changing pile spacing (sa) from 3a to
7a.

Calculation results and analysis.

Influence on sharing ratio. Load -sharing ratio of soil affected by pile spacing is curved in Fig.3.
Pile spacing increasing, because of sheltering effects of pile to soil around, the relative displacement
between pile and soil increases, soil counterforce can be give full play, leading sharing-ratio of soil
increaing.
Influence on settlement. The settlement of pile foundation effected by pile spacing is curved in
Fig.4. With increaing of pile spacing, Load -sharing ratio of soil increases; because elastic modulus
of soil is more less than pile, the settlement increases by interaction of soil, pile and cap.
Influence on pile top force. The pile top force affected by pile spacing is curved in Fig.5. With
increaing of pile spacing, pile group effect reduces; the behavior of each pile in pile group is close
to single pile, the bearing capacity of each pile can be full play. Especially when pile spacing is
achieved 6a and more than, force of each pile is nearly equal.
 Advanced Materials Research Vols. 250-253 1673

30
load-sharing ratio of soil( %)
30

load-sharing ratio of soil( % )

28 28
26 26
24 24
22 22
20 20
18 18
16 16
14
14
12
12
10
10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
sa sa

Fig.3 Influence on sharing ratio Fig.4 Influence on settlement

pile in center
1.6 pile in side
1.5
P/Pav

pile in corner
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.1
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
sa

Fig.5 Influence on pile top force

Conclusion
In This paper, the caculating model of pile foundation accounting for bearing capacity of soil under
pile cap is established, and a large number of caculating schemes are conducted with various
parameters. In numerous effective factors, pile spacing influnce on common bearing of pile and soil
is undoubtedly the most important. By Contrast and analysis, the influnces of pile spacing on
load-sharing ratio, settlement and pile top force are carried out; calculation results are intuitive and
reliable.
With the pile spacing increasing, load-share ratio of soil under pile cap increases, the settlement
of pile foundation increases too, the force of each pile tends to uniform. This result illustrates that
pile spacing increasing has significantly benefit to mobilise soil under pile cap to participate in
work and make its and the pile bearing together. It cannot be ignored the soil bearing role when pile
spacing is big.
When the pile spacing is more than 6a, the force of each pile is approaching to the single pile.
That explains that the large pile spacing is in favour of developing and reducing pile group effect.
Evenmore, large pile spacing can equalize each pile force.
Although pile settlement increases with the pile spacing increasing, we can develop bearing
capacity of soil under pile cap by ensuring settlement satisfied, and then, reflect bearing composite
pile foundation superiority.
1674 Advanced Building Materials

It is an effective method for analying behavior of composite foundation by using the finite
element simulation. The caculating results can be used as the auxiliary tools for design, the
construction of the pile foundation accouting for bearing capacity of soil under pile cap.

References
[1] Shaoming Huang. The 6th soil mechanics and foundation engineering conference proceedings.
1991.Shanghai. In Chinese
[2] Zili Guan. Building Structure [J]. 1993. 10. In Chinese
[3] Jinmin Zai. Journal of Building Structures [J]. 1995.4. In Chinese
[4] Jinli Liu Geotechnical Engineering World [J] 2000.2. In Chinese
[5] Technical Code for Building Pile Foundation, JGJ94-2008 In Chinese
Advanced Building Materials
10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.250-253

Analysis on Infulence of Pile Spacing Acting on Bearing Capacity of Pile and Soil under Pile Cap
Together
10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.250-253.1671