Estimating the elastic settlement of vertically loaded single piles in rock

Abstract

An extensive finite element analysis was performed to study the settlement behavior of vertically loaded piles entirely embedded in non-homogeneous rock. To avoid utilizing interrelated parameters, pile-rock relative stiffness was expressed as a function of the elastic modulus of rock mass near the pile head that does not depend on pile length. Cases of pile-rock stiffness ratios that are typical for reinforced concrete piles bored in sedimentary rocks were investigated. Charts were developed to predict the elastic settlement of vertically loaded piles in non-homogeneous media. An equation was also introduced to incorporate the effect of rock non-homogeneity in estimating the depth at which settlement becomes insensitive to the increase of pile length.