A Modified <i>p</i>-<i>y</i> Hyperbolic Model Considering the Soil Unloading Effect for the Bored Pile

Abstract

The effect of soil radial unloading existing in the bored pile hole excavation process can weaken the bearing capacity of pile foundations, and the relevant theoretical method of calculating the pile horizontal bearing capacity without considering the effect of soil radial unloading can have a certain deviation compared with the measured results. A modified p-y hyperbolic model of horizontal piles considering the effect of soil radial unloading on bored piles was proposed based on the theoretical analysis results. A numerical simulation model for analyzing the horizontal bearing characteristic of bored piles was also established and verified using the field test results. The rationality of the modified p-y hyperbolic model was verified using the numerical simulation analysis results, other scholars’ theoretical calculation results, and field test-measured results. Based on the modified p-y hyperbolic model, a series of parametric studies were conducted to analyze the horizontal bearing characteristics of bored piles. The analysis results show that the increase of soil unloading degree and pile length–diameter ratio weakens the horizontal bearing capacity of the bored piles. The effect of soil Poisson’s ratio and pile body elastic modulus on the horizontal bearing capacity of the bored piles can be ignored.