COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF LOAD CARRYING CAPACITIES OF MODEL SQUARE PILES HAVING DIFFERENT X-SECTIONAL AREAS AND LENGTHS

Abstract

A pile is a relatively small diameter shaft, which is driven or installed into the ground by suitable means. The piles are usually driven in groups to provide foundations for structures. The piles may be subjected to vertical loads, horizontal loads or a combination of vertical or horizontal loads. Piles are useful in transferring load through poor soil or water to a suitable bearing stratum by means of end bearing. Such piles are called end bearing piles or point bearing piles. When the piles are installed in soft soils such that the load is transferred through friction along the length of the piles, they are called friction piles. Pile load test is the only direct method for determining the allowable load on piles. It is considered to be the most reliable of all the approaches, primarily due to the fact that it is an in situ test. Pile load tests are very useful for cohesion less soils. Three types of tests, namely, vertical load test (compression), lateral load test and pull ...