Field tests on compacting effect of high-cap pipe piles in soft soils

The PHC pile foundations with high rafts, part of piles exposing in the air due to the lack of backfill soil, are firstly adopted in the construction of coastal ports in Tianjin. Thus, to evaluate the deformation characteristics of these pipe piles becomes a challenge in engineering practice. A series of field tests are conducted to investigate the soil squeezing effect resulting from pipe piles supporting high rafts in soft soils. The excess pore water pressure and the lateral displacements of soils are monitored and analyzed. The behaviors of dissipation of the excess pore water pressure and the lateral displacement of soils are obtained. The application characteristics of PHC pipe pile foundations with high rafts is presented based on the results. It provides a reference for the application of similar PHC pipe pile foundations with high rafts.