A Theoretical Solution for Pile-Supported Embankment with a Conical Pile-Head

This paper, with a focuses on the pile-supported embankment with a conical pile-head, proposes a theoretical solution which incorporates all the load transfer mechanisms, namely the soil arching effect, the pile–soil interaction, and the support from the substratum, whilst an improved cylindrical unit cell model is introduced to analyze the soil arching effect. The theoretical solution has been verified via numerical analysis and a literature method. The comparative results indicate that the proposed theoretical solution can effectively evaluate the pile-supported embankment with a conical pile-head. Furthermore, parametric studies have also been conducted to analyze the effect of model parameters on the load sharing ratio (ne), the pile–soil stress ratio (n), and the pile shaft friction.