2007 Volume 48 Issue 1 Pages 37-43
RC piles are subject to confining pressure from the subgrade, meaning that their deformation capacity is likely to be greater than that demonstrated under atmospheric conditions. The purpose of this study is to establish a simplified evaluation method for the ductility of RC piles that are subject to confining pressure from subgrade reaction. We proposed a method of calculating this ductility with the confining pressure from subgrade reaction converted into an equivalent confining pressure from hoop reinforcements. We then conducted alternate loading tests for RC piles in a pressurizing soil-filled chamber. Finally, we compared these experimental results with those achieved through numerical simulation using the newly developed method, and demonstrated its validity.