Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of micropile parameters on bearing capacity of footings

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Micropiles, on account of their versatility, can serve as both a new foundation and a long-term option for prevailing foundations without disturbing the subgrade underneath. They can improve highway facilities, historically significant structures, or distressed structures. The present laboratory model study is conducted on a square footing installed with micropiles all around it and subjected to vertical concentric loading. A parametric analysis based on the impact of five micropile parameters is also performed. The results obtained from this study reveal that the inclination of micropiles has little effect on ultimate vertical load but can profoundly impact the horizontal load. As the diameter of micropiles is progressively increased from 10 to 20 mm, the bearing capacity improves by around 27%. As the micropile spacing decreases from five times diameter (5d) to three times diameter (3d), the footing system’s bearing capacity increases nearly by 22.2%. The bearing capacity ratio shows a reduction beyond the value of L/b = 2. Installing micropiles nearer to the footing edge (ED/b = 0.3) provided approximately 76% improvement with respect to the unreinforced footing. The optimum value of the different parameters is equal to L/b = 2, d = 20 mm, ED/b = 0.3, and S/d = 3. There is a 98% improvement in bearing capacity at the optimum values for 30° inclined micropiles.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

All the data was generated through experimental tests performed in the laboratory by the authors.

Abbreviations

L :

Length of the micropile

b :

Width of the footing

d :

Diameter of the micropiles

S :

Spacing between the micropiles

S p :

Settlement of the plate

E D :

Edge distance of micropiles from the edge of the footing

SR:

Settlement ratio

BCR:

Bearing capacity ratio

L/b :

Length of micropiles to the width of the footing ratio

S/d :

Spacing between micropiles to the diameter of micropiles ratio

E D/b :

Edge distance to width of the footing ratio

q ur :

Ultimate bearing capacity of the footing excluding micropiles

q r :

Ultimate bearing capacity of the footing including micropiles

References

  • Alnuaim AM, El Naggar H, El Naggar MH (2014) Performance of micropiled raft in sand subjected to vertical concentrated load: centrifuge modelling. Can Geotech J 52(1):33–45. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2014-0001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Armour, T, Groneck Paul, Keeley, J, Sharma, S. (2000). Micropile design and construction guidelines: implementation manual (No. FHWA-SA-97-070). The United States. Federal Highway Administration.

  • Bassett, R. H., and Last, N. C. (1978). Reinforcing earth below footings and embankments. In Symposium on Earth Reinforcement, ASCE, 202–231.

  • Bhattacharjee A, Mittal S, Krishna AM (2011) Bearing capacity improvement of square footing by micropiles. Int J Geotech Eng 5(1):113–118. https://doi.org/10.3328/IJGE.2011.05.01.113-118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Binquet J, Lee KL (1975) Bearing capacity tests on reinforced earth slabs. J Geotech Eng Div ASCE 101(12):1241–1255

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choudhary AK, Jha JN, Gill KS (2010) Geotextiles and geomembranes laboratory investigation of bearing capacity behaviour of strip footing on reinforced fly ash slope. Geotext Geomembr 28(4):393–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2009.09.007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dash SK, Sireesh S, Sitharam TG (2003) Behaviour of geocell-reinforced sand beds under circular footing. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Ground Improvement 7(3):111–115. https://doi.org/10.1680/grim.2003.7.3.111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El Kamash W, Han J (2017) Numerical analysis of existing foundations underpinned by micropiles. International Journal of Geomechanics 17(6):1–16. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000833

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elsaied AE (2014) Performance of footing with single side micro-piles adjacent to slopes. Alexandria Engineering Journal 53(4):903–910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2014.07.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farouk A (2009) Behavior of micropiles under vertical tension and compression loads. Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. The Academia and Practice of Geotechnical Engineering 2:1243–1246. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-60750-031-5-1243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fragaszy RJ, Lawton E (1984) Bearing capacity of reinforced sand subgrades. J Geotech Eng 110(10):1500–1507. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1984)110:10(1500)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garnier J (2001) Modèles physiques en géotechnique. Rev Fr Géotech 97:3–29. https://doi.org/10.1051/geotech/2001097003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green, D (2014). Modelling geomorphic systems: scaled physical models. 3, 1–17. In: Geomorphological techniques. British Society for Geomorphology; 2014 [Chapter 5].

  • Hage Chehade F, Sadek M, Bachir D (2014) Numerical study of piles group under seismic loading in frictional soil—inclination effect. Open Journal of Earthquake Research 03(01):15–21. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojer.2014.31003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han J, Ye S (2006) A field study on the behavior of micropiles in clay under compression or tension. Can Geotech J 43(1):19–29. https://doi.org/10.1139/T05-089

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang T, Kim K, Shin J (2017) Effective installation of micropiles to enhance the bearing capacity of micropiled raft. Soils Found 57(1):36–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jellen AC, Memari AM (2014) Residential vertical expansion of existing commercial buildings using modular construction methods. 2nd Residential Building Design and Construction Conference 2:216–229

  • Jha JN (2007) Effect of vertical reinforcement on bearing capacity of footing on sand. Indian Geotecnical Journal 37(1):64–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Jha JN, Shukla SK (2015) Bearing capacity and settlement characteristics of sand subgrades with vertical reinforcement supporting a square footing. International Journal of Geosynthetics and Ground Engineering 1(2):1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40891-015-0018-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jha JN, Choudhary AK, Gill KS (2010) Bearing capacity improvement of soil using bamboo micropiles. International Journal of Plasma Science and Engineering 3(1):167–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Latha GM, Dash SK, Rajagopal K (2009) Numerical simulation of the behavior of geocell reinforced sand in foundations. International Journal of Geomechanics 9(4):143–152. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1532-3641(2009)9:4(143)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee TH, Chul IJ, Kim C (2016) A method for reinforcing the ground adjacent to the footing using micropiles. Mar Georesour Geotechnol 34(4):341–355. https://doi.org/10.1080/1064119X.2014.974787

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Misra A, Chen C (2004) Analytical solution for micropile design under tension and compression. Geotech Geol Eng 22:199–225

  • Mittal S, Shah MY, Verma NK (2009) Experimental study of footings on reinforced earth slopes. Int J Geotech Eng 3(2):251–260. https://doi.org/10.3328/IJGE.2009.03.02.251-260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mujah D, Hazarika H, Watanabe N, Ahmad F (2016) Soil arching effect in sand reinforced with micropiles under lateral load. Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering 53(3):1–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11204-016-9379-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Puri, VK, Hsiao, JK, Chai, JA (2005). Effect of vertical reinforcement on ultimate bearing capacity of sand subgrades. Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 10 G(June).

  • Sharma B, Zaheer S, Hussain Z (2014) An experimental model for studying the performance of vertical and batter micropiles. ASCE:4252–4264

  • Unnikrishnan N, Sachin P (2009) Influence of confining micro piles on the bearing capacity of sand. In Contemporary Topics in Deep Foundations:367–374

  • Verma BP, Char ANR (1986) Bearing capacity tests on reinforced sand subgrades. J Geotech Eng 112(7):701–706

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are highly thankful to the NIT Srinagar authorities, in general and the Civil Engineering Department of NIT Srinagar, in particular for helping us execute this project at the institute.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, J & K, 190006, India

    Bilal Ahmad Malik & Mohammad Yousuf Shah

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, 247667, India

    Vishwas A. Sawant

Authors
  1. Bilal Ahmad Malik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohammad Yousuf Shah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vishwas A. Sawant
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Bilal Malik performed the tests in the laboratory and wrote the paper. Dr. Yousuf and Dr. Sawant developed the idea and methodology for the same and reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bilal Ahmad Malik.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Philippe Garrigues

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Malik, B.A., Shah, M.Y. & Sawant, V.A. Influence of micropile parameters on bearing capacity of footings. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 48274–48283 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14062-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14062-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation