Analysis of Deformation of Vertically Loaded Piles

An approximate closed-form solution has been obtained to the problem of a vertically loaded pile in a linear elastic soil. This solution has been derived by uncoupling the load-transfer for the pile into separate shaft and base components. Throughout the development of the analysis, well-proven numerical techniques have been used to verify that the assumptions made are reasonable. The final form of the solution gives the load-settlement ratio of the pile in terms of the pile geometry and stiffness and soil stiffness. The analysis has been used to back-analyze pile tests, enabling immediate estimates of the soil stiffness profile to be made from the measured load-settlement curve of the pile. The application of the method to pile design is demonstrated—design curves being sketched for piles of different geometries in two typical soft clay deposits.