Integral equation method for analysis of piled rafts with dissimilar piles under vertical loading

In a piled raft, the length and arrangement of piles has a significant effect on the stresses and deflections of the raft. The use of piles with different dimensions and properties below a raft is an innovative concept and can optimize the design of a piled raft. In this study, an integral equation method with a fictitious pile model was adopted to analyze the piled raft foundation with dissimilar piles. The Fredholm integral equations of the second kind were obtained for this problem. The loads shared by piles and subsoil, the load transfer, and the settlement of the piled raft were obtained using numerical calculation. The results from the present method were compared with those in the literature. An optimization technique was introduced to design piled rafts with dissimilar piles. The stiffening effect of piles on the surrounding soil is also discussed as compared the conventional interaction factor approach.