Numerical Investigation of Axial Monotonic Performance of Reinforced Helical Pulldown Micropiles

Abstract

The axial compression behavior of reinforced helical pulldown micropiles (RHPMs) and fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)-RHPMs is investigated through three-dimensional finite-element (FE) analysis. The model was calibrated using the results of full-scale load tests conducted by the authors. The calibrated numerical model was then used to conduct a parametric study to examine the behavior of RHPMs and FRP-RHPMs in different soil conditions. The numerical analysis provided important insights into the load-transfer mechanism, shaft resistance, and factors influencing the pile response. Based on the results of the numerical simulations coupled with experimental data, design guidelines are developed for the implementation of RHMPs and FRP-RHPMs in foundation design.