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NUMERICAL MODELLING TECHNIQUE TO PREDICT THE LOAD VERSUS SETTLEMENT BEHAVIOR OF SINGLE PILES IN UNSATURATED COARSE-GRAINED SOILS
Session: Foundations IV / Fondations IV
Mohammed Al-Khazaali, University of Ottawa (Canada)
Sai Vanapalli, University of Ottawa (Canada)
The load-settlement behavior of three model piles with 38.3, 31.75, and 19.25 mm base diameter tested with different capillary suction values of 0, 2, and 4 kPa in two coarse-grained soils are presented. A simple finite element analysis technique using PLAXIS 2D is proposed to estimate the load versus settlement behavior of the model piles using the information of the predicted stiffness and the shear strength behavior of unsaturated soils derived from the information of saturated soil properties and the soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC). There is a good comparison between the numerical modeling results and the experimental results. The results of the study highlight the contribution capillary suction towards load-settlement behavior of pile foundations in coarse-grained soils. The proposed numerical modeling methodology is encouraging for implementing the mechanics of unsaturated soils into engineering practice.
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