Analysis of vertically loaded piles in multilayered transversely isotropic soils by BEM

This paper presents a boundary element method (BEM) for the static analysis of vertically loaded single piles embedded in multilayered transversely isotropic soils by using an analytical layer-element solution. The solution which is especially suitable for numerical calculation is deduced through the combination of the order reduction approach and the technology of integral transform. A boundary element formula for axially loaded piles with both enlarged tip and head cap is established by taking the solution as the kernel function, and the compressibility of piles is further considered based on a direct algorithm which can avoid the occurrence of non-convergence results from the conventional iterative scheme while the stiffness of piles approaches to that of the soil foundation. Numerical examples including piles in a finite depth soil and multilayered soils of transverse isotropy are carried out to study the influence of soil properties on single pile behaviors. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.