Analytical Model and Back-Analysis for Pile-Soil System Behavior under Axial Loading

The interaction mechanism between piles and soils is very complicated. The load transfer function is generally nonlinear and is affected by factors such as pile side roughness, soil characteristics, section depth, and displacement. Therefore, it is difficult to solve the pile-soil system based on load transfer function. This paper presents a new method to study the soil-pile interaction problem with respect to axial loads. First, the shapes of the axial force-displacement curves at different depths and the displacement distribution curves along pile axis at different pile-top displacements were analyzed. A simple exponential function was taken as relationship model to express the relationship curves between two distribution functions of axial force and displacement along pile shaft obtained by using the geometric drawing method. Second, a new analytical model of the pile-soil system was established based on the basic differential equations for pile-soil load transfer theory and the relationship model and was used to derive the mathematical expressions on the distribution functions of the axial force, the lateral friction, and the displacement along pile shaft and the load transfer function of pile-side. We wrote the MATLAB program for the analytical model to analyze the influence laws of the parameters u and m on the pile-soil system characteristics. Third, the back-analysis method and steps of the pile-soil system characteristics were proposed according to the analytical model. The back-analysis results were in good agreement with the experimental results for the examples. The analysis model provides an effective way for the accurate design of piles under axial loading.