MECHANISM OF SHAFT RESISTANCE OF NODULAR CAST-IN-PLACE CONCRETE PILES BASED ON MODEL TESTS

Abstract

For the development of nodular cast-in-place concrete pile, the vertical loading tests of model nodular piles were carried out in loose wet sand ground. The tests were carried out for the piles with four kinds of distances between nodes and three kinds of taper angles of nodal base. The load-settlement relations and the ultimate bearing capacities were examined. The results of the tests indicate that the nodular pile with large distance between nodes can develop the bearing resistance at the nodal base, while that with small distance induces shear along cylinder with the same diameter of node. These characteristics of bearing mechanism are same as those in dense dry sand ground.