Numerical simulation of static load test on barette piles

• Main Author: Lim, Su Ling.
• Other Authors: Wong Kai Sin
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Civil engineering::Geotechnical
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/39854
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Pile load tests are often conducted to determine the ultimate load capacity for deep foundations. It is used to ensure that the proposed design load is adequately supported by the pile. The load settlement curve could be developed after the various types of pile load tests such as the compression, tension and lateral load tests, are carried out. In order to investigate how the load is distributed along the pile, strain gauges are installed at different depths along the pile and the load-distribution curve could be developed. During the construction of bored or barrette piles, there may be irregularities such as necking, bulging and honey combs along the pile. The main objective of this project is to study the effect of these geometry irregularities on the load distribution along the pile during pile load test. Numerical simulations on different combinations of irregularities along the pile are carried out using the computer program PLAXIS 2D. The stresses at various depths along the pile are retrieved from the program, and the forces at the cross-section could be calculated. The analysis of the results revealed that irregularities such as bulging could cause a significant decrease in the load-distribution curve while necking causes an increase in the load-distribution curve.