As buildings and infrastructure projects increasingly rely on numerical modelling, an accurate representation of foundation stiffness becomes more important. While the behaviour of individual piles is generally well understood, the interaction between piles within a pile group may influence the overall stiffness and settlement behaviour of the foundation.
Figure 1: Pile group configurations.
In current design practice, the settlement behaviour of piles subjected to compression loading is typically assessed without explicitly considering pile group effects, in contrast to pile groups subjected to tensile loading. However, when pile spring stiffnesses are implemented in finite element models, compression pile groups appear to exhibit an equalizing effect on the load-settlement response and the relative settlements between individual piles. The significance of this effect and the way it should be incorporated into foundation design remain uncertain.
The aim of this thesis is to investigate how piles and the surrounding soil act as a composite system, and how this interaction influences the overall stiffness and deformation behaviour of pile groups subjected to compression loading.
During your thesis at ABT, you have the opportunity to:
- Work from our office located on the UT campus in Enschede (The Gallery), or from our offices in Delft (close to TU Delft) or Velp.
- Collaborate with our experts in geotechnical engineering and water safety engineering.
- Conduct research based on real-world engineering challenges using ABT projects and data.
- Tailor the thesis topic to your own interests and academic goals.
- Gain first-hand experience in a multidisciplinary engineering consultancy.
- Receive an internship allowance.
ABT Supervisors
Tom Maatkamp
Antoinet Peek
UT Supervisors
