New model of load transfer function for pile analysis based on disturbed state model

Abstract

Based on the disturbed state concept (DSC), a new model of load transfer function for pile analysis is established by the idea that the deformed material between pile and soil can be treated as a mixture of two constituent parts, which are in intact or critical state and assumed to obey random distribution. Starting from the homogenization theory of heterogeneous materials and statistics method, a parameter D to describe the disturbance degree is proposed, and a formula to determine the parameter has been derived by using the plastic displacement of a pile as distribution variable. In the model, shear intensity of elements in an intact state are simulated by Duncan-Zhang model and that in a critical state by Mohr-Coulomb criterion. The model of this paper has few parameters, which can reflect the aspects of load transfer function, such as hardening, softening and the effects of confining pressure. The well agreement between the in-situ data and the predicted shows that the validity of the model herein. So the proposed model in this paper is easy to be used in engineering practice.