AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION INTO PILE GROUP-LAYERED SOIL INTERACTION

An interaction analysis of an axially loaded single pile and pile grou p with and without a pile cap in a layered soil medium has been invest igated using the two-dimensional photoelastic method. A study of the p ile or pile group behaviour has been made, varying the pile cap thickn ess as well as the embedded length of the pile in the hard stratum. Th e shear stress distribution along the pile-soil interface, non-dimensi onalized settlement values of the single pile and the interaction fact or for the pile group have been presented. Wherever possible, the resu lts of the present analysis have been compared with available numerica l solutions.