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Abstract: The penetration of a model pile through sand was investigated via a numerical analysis. Data from nine triaxial compression tests on dense specimens at different stress levels was generalized and used to create an empirical non-linear plastic hardening stress-strain relation for use in the analysis. As the computer program used is capable of large displacement analyses in radial symmetry, we expected that the analysis would easily reproduce the tip resistance penetration profile of the model pile in sand of known density and stress. However, initial attempts led to over-prediction. Successful analyses required both successive reformations of the mesh and the complete elimination of the dilatant peak in soil strength, which is naturally eliminated under large confining stress directly beneath the advancing tip, and that soil in the far-field had strained insufficiently to reach peak strength. Thus, the soil around the shaft must have been sheared to a critical state as it flowed past the tip. The hypothesis that the resistance to displacement piles in sand is mainly a function of the deformability of the sand was again proven, and the use of peak strength in the traditional bearing capacity formulae was found to be inappropriate. Independent investigation in this direction is needed to quantify the hypothesis.

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