Load tests and numerical modeling of CFA and driven piles in marl in Savannah, Georgia

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dc.contributor.authorZhou, Zhihao
dc.contributor.supervisorLin, Cheng
dc.date.accessioned2024-09-03T21:12:22Z
dc.date.available2024-09-03T21:12:22Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of Civil Engineering
dc.degree.levelMaster of Applied Science MASc
dc.description.abstractMarl along the southeast coast of the US, especially in South Carolina and Georgia, is a stiff, calcium carbonate-rich, over-consolidated fine-grained soil commonly used as a bearing layer for pile foundations. However, two significant engineering challenges arise: unreliable CPT-based estimations of pile resistance and strain-softening behavior complicating the prediction of pile capacity, deformation, and load-transfer mechanisms under axial load. Comprehensive pile load tests conducted in Savannah, Georgia, were used to improve CPT-based pile resistance estimations and develop a numerical model using load-transfer (t-z and Q-z) method for driven and Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) piles. For CPT-based pile resistance estimations, the accuracy of the original LCPC and Eslami and Fellenius methods was first evaluated. Pile load test results were then used to back-calculate the coefficients of these methods for improvement, which were subsequently verified with additional pile load test data. The main strength parameters of the load-transfer (t-z and Q-z) method model were correlated with the improved CPT methods coefficients. After calibration, the numerical model was verified using additional pile load test data. Moreover, a 3D continuum finite element method (FEM) simulation using the ‘OC Clay’ model in Plaxis 3D was conducted to capture strain-softening behavior and examine load-transfer mechanisms. The 3D continuum FEM model was calibrated and validated against separate pile load test data, and a parametric study was conducted to investigate how soil strength parameter, pile dimensions, and embedment depth into marl influence pile performance.
dc.description.embargo2025-08-27
dc.description.scholarlevelGraduate
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/20355
dc.languageEnglisheng
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Web
dc.subjectmarl
dc.subjectdriven pile
dc.subjectCFA pile
dc.subjectnumerical simulation
dc.subjectT-z method
dc.subjectCPT correlation
dc.subject3D continuum finite element method
dc.titleLoad tests and numerical modeling of CFA and driven piles in marl in Savannah, Georgia
dc.typeThesis

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