Numerical evaluation of the effect of different modulus of elasticity on the horizontal and vertical bearing capacity of simple and tapered piles in sandy soils

In the case of soils with low bearing capacity, deep foundations (piles) can be used as an option for transferring loads to suitable soil at lower depths. Considerable use of piles in the present era, calls for more research in this field. One kind of piles which can be used to transfer the structure s load to the lower soils, are tapered piles. Tapered piles are the piles that their cross-section is reduced with increasing the depth, and eventually the tip of the pile gets a smaller cross section area than top of the pile. In the present article, numerical analysis of horizontal and vertical bearing capacity of closed-ended concrete cylindrical straight piles with uniform cross section compared with concrete cylindrical simple and step tapered piles (in constant length and volume) in three different modulus of elasticity of 10, 30 and 60 MPa. Simulation was performed by using ABAQUS finite element in 3D. The results showed that tapering of the piles (in both simple and step) in all three different elasticity modulus, resulted in an increase in both horizontal and vertical bearing capacity in respect to the pile with uniform cross section. By increasing the elasticity modulus to 60 MPa in tapered piles, the vertical bearing capacity increases up to 11% and horizontal bearing capacity increases up to 15% in respect to the uniform cross section piles.

Keywords:

tapered piles , piles , vertical and horizontal bearing capacity , ABAQUS , modulus of elasticity , sandy Soil