FEM analyses on effects of earth-resistence pile group in pile-cap outskirt and effect coefficient

This paper was focused on the pile group effect and its effect coefficient of soil resistance by using the three-dimensional finite element method. Some influencing factors, such as the soil type, pile size, pile distance and pile density etc., were introduced and their effects on the pile group effect and its effect coefficient of soil resistance , were deeply discussed respectively. The results indicate that: (1) the soil resistance of the pile-cap outskirt shows an tendency of increasing with the proportion of the pile-cap outskirt width (B) to the pile length (L), and the pile distance (S), while no variation with pile density (n); (2) the pile groups effect and its effect coefficient keep no variations with the B/L and n, while increase with S; (3) the pile groups effect and its efficiency are associated with the soil type.