Distribution of pile-soil stress in centrifugal modelling of composite foundation

Based on the centrifugal modelling of PCC pile-supported and geosynthetic-reinforced embankments and the three-dimensional finite element numerical model, the test methods for vertical earth pressure and stress distribution rules of pile-soil in composite foundation are discussed. The results show that the calibration medium has an obvious influence on the coefficient of the earth pressure cells. In the range of single pile reinforced area, the distribution of vertical earth pressure at the top of pile cap and its surrounding soil is uneven. The centroid measuring points of the cap-top and the subsoil top are in the low-stress area and high-stress area, respectively. It is reasonable to calculate the average vertical earth pressure on the pile cap according to the measured force at the top of the pile. Statistics show that the average vertical stress of pile and soil cannot be characterized by the soil pressure obtained from the limited measuring points which are not fully representative.