The response of piles under tension loads based on analytical method and finite element analysis

Abstract

In the past, there were many research studies carried out on the response of single piles and pile groups under compression loads, but it was comparatively lesser for piles and pile groups under uplift loads. Uplift loads on piles usually occur in pile foundations supporting wind farm structures, tall chimneys, transmission towers and jetty structures. During recent decades, research studies on piles under uplift loads have progressed, and were mainly focused on the capacity, failure modes and load displacement performance of single piles, but no research has been done on the influence zone of a pile and its effects within a group. This paper presents the initial findings of research to investigate the stress distribution and influence zone of a single pile under uplift loads using a hybrid approach combining analytical theory and 2D Finite Element (FE) analysis. Finally, the effect of the estimated influence zone was successfully verified in 3D FE analysis which confirmed that group efficiency reduced when an adjacent pile was within the estimated influence zone and thus piles behave as a group.