Study on Shielding Effect of the Pile Group in a Soft-Soil Foundation

Abstract

Pile groups are frequently employed to reinforce soft soil foundations, while the piling process frequently disturbs the adjacent foundation. The shielding effect, which prevents the transmission of disturbances from pile installation, is indispensable for minimizing engineering disturbances and optimizing pile group construction techniques. However, current research focuses predominantly on characterizing the phenomenon of shielding, with a limited exploration of the mechanism. To eliminate the limitation, a numerical investigation of the shielding mechanism of pile groups in a pile–soil system is performed this study. Using the finite difference program FLAC3D and the cavity expansion theory, a three-dimensional numerical model of a pile–soil foundation was created. During the sequential penetration of piles, the response characteristics of the soil surrounding the piles were investigated. Displacement field was first investigated to determine the presence of shielding effects in the pile group and then highlighted the effective role of the existing piles in controlling deformation. Furthermore, through a combined analysis of the stress and strain fields during piling, the mechanism of the shielding effect induced by pile construction is proposed, which is attributed to the direct obstruction effect of piles and the “soil arching effect” created by the soil between piles. The former is reflected by the direct barrier of the existing pile to the soil displacement induced via the installation of the new piles. The latter is reflected by the obstruction of soil between two existing piles to the displacement of soil passing through the two existing piles. This research provides a comprehensive understanding of the mechanical behavior of the pile–soil system and has practical implications for controlling disturbances and optimizing construction techniques in piling engineering projects.