Centrifuge tests on axially loaded tapered piles with different cross-sections under compressive and tensile loading

Abstract

The compressive behavior of tapered piles, particularly those with circular cross-sections, has been investigated during the last few decades. However, the tensile behavior of such piles has been rarely studied in the literature. In this paper, 12 static axial tests, including six compressive and also six tensile tests, were performed on instrumented piles with uniform and tapered cross-sections by using a geotechnical centrifuge. Three of the piles had correspondingly circular, square and X-shaped uniform cross-sections along their length, while the other three ones were non-uniform (tapered), all of which had the same length and volume. The results are presented in three main forms: the variation of load versus pile head displacement, the distribution of axial force along the pile length, and the distribution of the unit shaft resistance along the pile length. The behavior of tapered piles is compared with that of uniform cross-section piles. The results confirm the superiority of tapered piles over uniform cross-section piles in terms of load-bearing capacity and construction costs under both tensile and compressive loading.