Research on Vertical Bearing Capacity of Single Piles Considering Stratigraphic Variability and Soil Parameter Variability

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-902-5_58How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Stratum variability; Parameter variability; Vertical bearing capacity of single pile; Numerical simulation; Field test

Abstract

Under the strategic context of China’s “New Era Western Development” and the “Belt and Road” initiatives, the geotechnical reliability of infrastructure construction in western regions has become increasingly critical. Addressing the limitations of conventional pile-bearing capacity analysis that neglects spatial variability of geomaterials—particularly the significant impact of soil parameter uncertainties on structural stability in high-fill projects—this study establishes a finite element model for vertical pile-bearing capacity by integrating geological variability and parameter heterogeneity. A 2D coupled Markov chain model simulates stratigraphic variability, while semi-variogram analysis quantifies vertical fluctuation ranges of soil parameters, and covariance matrix decomposition generates stochastic field discretization. Using FLAC3D, finite element models incorporating simulated stratigraphic distributions and parameter random fields were developed. Three configurations were compared: deterministic model, fill parameter variability model, and fill-loess composite variability model. Stepwise loading tests generated Q-S curves for each configuration, validated against field data from the Gansu Provincial CDC Phase I pile foundation project. Results demonstrate that the composite variability model achieves superior accuracy, with only 1.2 mm deviation in maximum settlement compared to field measurements, confirming the necessity of considering multi-layer spatial variability. The proposed probabilistic framework provides theoretical support for reliability-based pile design in western China’s complex geological conditions, effectively bridging the gap between idealized assumptions and engineering realities in spatially variable soils.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Han Fang
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/16
TI  - Research on Vertical Bearing Capacity of Single Piles Considering Stratigraphic Variability and Soil Parameter Variability
BT  - Proceedings of the 2025 7th International Conference on Civil Engineering, Environment Resources and Energy Materials (CCESEM 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 574
EP  - 590
SN  - 2352-5401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-902-5_58
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-902-5_58
ID  - Fang2025
ER  -