Effects of plugging on toe bearing capacity of open-ended piles

In port structures using a pile foundation, with an enlargement of the facility and a change in the type of structure, a large bearing capacity is expected for the pile. However, an estimation of the bearing capacity of deeply embedded piles with a large diameter has complex problems such as an increased bearing capacity owing to a deep embedment, and the plugging effect is decreased when using large-diameter piles. In this study, a double-pipe model of an open-ended pile and a closed-ended pile that can be used to measure the resistance acting on each part of the pile toe, and the degree of plugging on the bearing capacity distribution of a pile toe was examined. As the results indicate, the difference in resistance acting on each part of the open-ended pile decreased with the occurrence of plugging.