Experimental Study on the Bearing Characteristics of Rigid-Flexible Long-Short Pile Composite Foundations in Thick Collapsible Loess Areas

The bearing and deformation characteristics of embankments with rigid-flexible long-short pile composite foundations (RLPCFs) in thick collapsible loess strata are not yet accurately understood. In this study, a large-scale field experiment was conducted, and screw (long) and compaction (short) piles were employed to reinforce a section of the foundation of the Lanzhou-Zhangye high-speed railway in thick collapsible loess. The pile load transfer, foundation settlement, pile-soil stress distribution, and load sharing characteristics were analyzed to reveal the bearing properties of the composite foundation. The results show that negative friction arises along the upper part of the pile, and the neutral points of the short pile and long pile are located at 2/5 and 1/3 down the pile lengths, respectively. The short pile eliminates the collapsibility of the shallow loess and enhances the foundation’s bearing capacity. The long pile transfers the load of the shallow foundation and pile top to the deep foundation through lateral friction, which reduces the settlement of the shallow foundation. When the soil arch in the embankment is fully formed, the short pile bears approximately 20% of the load, while the long pile and the soil between piles bear 80%. With the increase in embankment filling height, the load borne by the long pile rises, and the load borne by the soil between piles decreases gradually. The top settlement of the cross-section of the composite foundation is distributed in a concave basin shape, and the maximum settlement occurs in the center of the embankment. The parameters of the short pile can be obtained on the basis of the collapsibility grade and bearing capacity of the loess foundation, the length and area replacement rate of the long pile can be obtained based on the settlement control requirements of the superstructure of the composite foundation, and the lateral friction of the long pile can be increased by increasing the roughness of the pile and setting the screw.