Calculation Method for the Socketed Length of the Rock Socketed Pile by the Settlement of the Pile Top

Abstract

The load transferring mechanism was investigated and then used to establish the load transferring equation. A calculation method for the vertical load transferring characteristic of the rock socketed pile was proposed to make up for the deficiency of that method in current norms. This method can derive not only the expression of the socketed length of pile, but also the load sharing ratio at the pile tip. Case histories were used to observe the variation of the socketed length and the load sharing ratio at the pile tip over the settlement at the pile top. The results indicate that the required socketed length increases as the settlement requirement at the pile top decreases. The larger the settlement at the pile top, the higher the load sharing ratio at the pile tip. The increment of the socketed length ratio results in the descent of the bearing ratio of the pile tip resistance when other conditions remain unchanged. The method can determine the socketed length of the pile both safely and economically by considering the settlement required by the upper structure and the load sharing ratio at the pile tip.