A Numerical Approach on Bearing Capacity of Drilled Shafts Embedded in Clay

This study numerically investigates the bearing capacity of drilled shafts (bored piles) in clay using FLAC2D. The results obtained in this study are compared with centrifuge test results. The results of the empirical relationships available in the literature are compared with the results of the present numerical study. A series of analyses is also conducted to assess the effects of various soil and pile parameters on the magnitude of tip and side resistance of bored piles embedded in clay. These parameters include the soil elastic modulus, pile length and diameter, undrained shear strength, unit weight, and Poisson rsquo;s ratio of soil. Furthermore, the coupling effect of soil undrained shear strength and elastic modulus of soil on tip resistance are investigated. The results show that the lower value of soil elastic modulus results to lower effect of soil undrained shear strength. The effect of soil undrained shear strength on tip resistance is approximately constant (about 83% for a change of soil undrained shear strength between 25 to 200 kPa) for the range of elastic modulus between 20 and 180 MPa. Also, a new equation is proposed to estimate the bearing capacity factor of N*c.