Estudo numérico de estacas helicoidais submetidas à tração

Abstract

This paper presents results from numerical simulations of steel piles with helical bearing plates, subjected to tensile loading, installed in a sedimentary sand deposit. The models have been validated against the results from full sized field tests. Finite element analysis was used to model the tests. Parametric analysis were performed to evaluate the behavior of helical piles focusing on the effects of changing spacing between helices, helix diameter and installation depth. The failure mechanisms developed in the studied cases were highlighted. Satisfactory agreement between numerical simulations and field results was verified. Enlarging the helix diameter resulted in linear increases in pullout capacity. After increasing the spacing ratio, it was observed load transfer from the top helix to the lower helices and the transition from cylindrical shear to individual plate failure. Piles with less than 2.5 m depth exhibited shallow plate behavior.