Abstract
Disconnected piled raft (DPR) or non-connected piled raft is a foundation approach with highly growing interest over the past few decades. This technique, where the raft is separated from the piles by interposing a load transfer platform (LTP), allows engineers to apply a much lower safety factor against structural failure compared to the piled foundations in which piles are structurally connected to the raft. Also possible damage to structural connections is no longer a design issue, and the horizontal loads can be effectively transmitted through the mobilized frictional force along the soil-raft interface. This paper aims to study the behavior and performance of DPR foundation under vertical loading through a parametric study. In this study, three dimensional finite element method (3D FEM) via Plaxis 3D has been employed to model the complex interactions of this DPR taken into account the load transfer in the LTP and along the pile. The analysis consists of the investigation of the effect of dominant parameters such as the area replacement ratio (pile area to mesh soil area), soil and pile stiffness, and the thickness and strength parameters of LTP. Edge effect resulting from the friction between reinforced soil and non-reinforced soil is also investigated. The results from parametric study have shed some light on design optimization.
