Mechanism-based Interpretation of Soil Arching in Piled Embankments Based on Compression–Extension Zoning
Periodica Polytechnica Civil Engineering, cilt.70, sa.3, ss.781-796, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 70 Sayı: 3
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.3311/ppci.43609
- Dergi Adı: Periodica Polytechnica Civil Engineering
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Compendex, Geobase, ICONDA Bibliographic, The International Construction Database (ICONDA), Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), East & Central Europe Database (ProQuest), Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Earth, Atmospheric, & Aquatic Science Collection (ProQuest), Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.781-796
- Anahtar Kelimeler: soil arching, lateral earth pressure coefficient (K), pile-supported embankments, full-scale embankment finite element model, critical embankment height
- Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
- Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
The behavior and design of piled embankments constructed on soft soils are governed largely by soil arching, defined as the redistribution of stresses from yielding zones to adjacent non-yielding regions resulting from stiffness contrasts between pile-supported and unsupported areas. Lateral spreading also constitutes a significant component of the load redistribution within the embankment. Arching is characterized by the spatial distribution of the lateral earth pressure coefficient (K). K-contours delineate the compression (K > K0) and extension (K < K0) zones, while the K0 isoline defines the interface between these regions and thereby represents arch geometry. This study employs full-scale finite element modelling to investigate arching development while accounting for lateral spreading in both high-and low embankments. Results show a transition from shear-plane arching at low fill heights to partial and ultimately full arching beyond a critical height, after which further increases in fill height have limited influence on arch geometry. Extraction of K-fields from FEM highlights the governing role of system deformation in stress redistribution. A parametric comparison between FEM and analytical design methods across varying pile spacings and embankment heights reveals stage-dependent arching evolution, characterized by an initial sharp decrease in stress reduction ratio followed by gradual stabilization as embankment height increases. Among the analytical methods, Hewlett and Randolph and BS8006-1 show the closest agreement with FEM trends. The commonly accepted equal settlement plane concept is shown to be valid primarily for closely spaced piles, whereas for wider spacings, differential settlements persist well above the critical embankment height.