Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
5-31-1987
Degree Name
Master of Science in Civil Engineering - (M.S.)
Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
First Advisor
John R. Schuring
Second Advisor
Dorairaja Raghu
Third Advisor
R. John Craig
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis was to physically examine the failure mode of a rock mass as a result of pile penetration. In addition, the static bearing capacity of piles bearing in rock was investigated. This was accomplished in the laboratory by performing model tests using a dynamic pile driving device.
Tests were performed using 1 inch nominal diameter model pipe piles and H-piles. Piles were driven into a simulated rock mass consisting of clay-masonry bricks. Following pile driving, the rock mass was carefully dissected and observations of the failure mode were made.
A new technique was developed to preserve the fractured rock mass which consisted of saturating the rock mass with polyester resin. Preliminary tests indicate that this technique permits more effective study of the failure mode, and is recommended for future studies.
The primary failure mode for all pipe piles was an expanding spherical bulb of pulverized material beneath the pile tip. The failure mode for H-pile was predominantly punching and splitting of the rock mass.
The bearing capacity of the model rock mass observed in the experiments was compared with various static bearing capacity theories. The experimental values deviated from the various theories by a factor of 1.0 to 6.0. The theories which take into account the brittleness and discontinuities agreed most closely with the experimental results. Based on the experimental data presented in this thesis, the empirical relationship for the bearing capacity of the simulated rock mass was 1.75 to 2.00 times the unconfined compressive strength.
Recommended Citation
Mehta, Girish, "A study of failure modes in rock resulting from pile penetration" (1987). Theses. 3287.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/theses/3287
