Micromechanical Modeling of Pile Resistance in Crushable Soils Using Discrete Element Method

Description

The axial capacity of driven piles in crushable soils presents a high degree of uncertainty for geotechnical engineers. The source of uncertainty comes from a lack of a full understanding of the mechanisms controlling penetration into the soil. In this research, we propose a comprehensive investigation on the penetration behavior of a driven pile into a crushable coarse-grained soil using micromechanical modeling. The major thrust of the project is to establish a grain-scale linkage between soil properties and base and shaft resistance of a driven pile via a critical state soil mechanics approach. The outcome of this research will be a potentially transformative advancement of pile resistance in crushable granular soils. The improved understanding of base resistance and shaft resistance will translate into enhanced ability of engineers to optimize designs of pile foundations in Hong Kong and worldwide.