Model tests comparing the behavior of pre-bored grouted planted piles and a wished-in-place concrete pile in dense sand

The compressive bearing capacity of wished-in-place (WIP) concrete piles and pre-bored grouted planted (PGP) piles in dense sand was investigated by means of model tests. In total, three model piles were tested. The load–displacement response, axial force and tip resistance of each model pile were measured in the static load test process. Several conclusions can be drawn from the model test results: the pre-bored grouted planted nodular (PGPN) pile and the pre-bored grouted planted pipe (PGPP) pile have ultimate skin friction 1.23–1.36 times and 1.34–1.46 times greater than the ultimate skin friction of the wished-in-place (WIP) pile, respectively. The tip bearing capacity of the PGP pile is similar to the tip bearing capacity of the WIP pile, and the hyperbolic model of normalized tip resistance (q_b/q_c) and normalized tip displacement (S_b/D) can represent the tip load–displacement response of the WIP and PGP piles well.