Experimental and Numerical Study on Behaviour of Model Sheet Pile Foundation Subjected to Vertical and Horizontal Loading

In recent years, efficient installation methods of piles have been developed. Nowadays, a challenge in piling engineering is to reduce costs including transportation and construction costs, and at the same time to keep safety of foundation structures. Hence, a target in this research is to show a possibility to use steel sheet piles for permanent piled raft foundations, because time and cost of construction of sheet piles could accurately be lower than those of pipe piles. In this study, a series of model tests were conducted first to investigate the load transfer behaviours of model foundations supported by three different types piles in dry sand ground subjected to vertical and horizontal loading. Then, corresponding numerical analyses of model tests on sheet piles were conducted using a three-dimensional finite element program PLAXIS 3D. According to the test and calculated results, a sheet pile foundation would be a promising alternative to conventional pipe pile foundation, especially in high-seismic areas