A SIMPLIFIED APPROACH TO THE SETTLEMENT ESTIMATION OF PILED RAFTS

In this study, a simplified approach to the settlement estimation of piled rafts resting on over-consolidated clay deposits is presented. For this purpose, a series of plane-strain and three-dimensional analyses were performed and their results are compared with the available data in the literature. It was found that the percentage decrease in the total settlements with the addition of piles with respect to the unpiled case is very closely estimated by both the plane-strain and the three-dimensional, simplified, numerical analyses. Using this phenomenon, a simple method of analysis is suggested for the total settlement estimation of the piled raft foundations and design charts are provided for the cases studied (for the specific soil conditions only) throughout this study.