Numerical and Analytical Modeling for Predicting Drag Load Induced on Pile in Collapsible Soil because of Inundation

Negative skin friction that develops on the pile surface when the soil (adjacent to the pile shaft) settles but the pile is in static condition, causes an additional load (known as drag load) induced on pile. Substantial settlement of collapsible soil occurs only because of inundation. In such a case, the magnitude of drag load is influenced by several parameters, such as the collapse potential, inundation pressure, pile roughness, pile diameter, radius of wetting, depth to the neutral plane, and thickness of collapsible soil subjected to inundation.

A numerical model is developed to simulate the case of a single pile in collapsible soil to predict negative skin friction and drag load by giving consideration to kinetic friction angle between the pile and the settling soil. The comprehensive interdependent relation among the parameters influencing the magnitude of drag load was revealed based on numerical results. Analytical models are developed for predicting the average negative skin friction and depth of neutral plane to quantify drag load because of the inundation of collapsible soil adjacent to the pile shaft.

The model coefficients were determined by analyzing the numerical results. The drag loads obtained from the analytical model developed and those from previous experimental studies are found in good agreement. For a given soil profile, the magnitude of drag load is found to vary widely (e.g., between 252 and 925 kN) because of the variations in the pile diameter, pile roughness, and radius of wetting. Thus, this study provides a design guideline for choosing the design pile diameter considering the magnitude of drag load due to inundation of collapsible soil adjacent to the pile shaft.