Effect of Variation of Degree of Saturation with depth on Soil–Concrete Pile Interface in Clayey Soil

Abstract

Bearing capacity of a concrete pile in fine grained cohesive soils is affected by the degree of saturation of the surrounding soil through the contribution of the matric suction. In addition, the embedded depth and the roughness of the concrete pile surface (expressed as British Pendulum Number BPN) also have their contribution to the shear strength of the concrete pile, consequently its bearing capacity. Herein, relationships among degree of saturation, pile depth, and surface roughness, were proposed as a mathematical model expressed as an equation where the shear strength of a pile can be predicted in terms of degree of saturation, depth, and BPN. Relationship among undrained shear strength of the soil, depth and degree of saturation also found and expressed as mathematical equation that represents a 3D- surface; where the value of c_u can be predicted by knowing the other aforementioned factors. Relationship between shear strength and the concrete surface roughness was also shown reflecting that the shear strength increases with the increase of surface roughness.