Capacitor pile head

What are pile caps?

Generally, pile caps are constructed to connect one pile, two piles, three piles, four piles or a group of files. Dimensions of the pile caps are decided based on the loads and connecting arrangement of the superstructure and the pile foundation. Mainly there are two methods to design pile caps.

Why is a pile head pinned instead of a pinned pile cap?

The fixity of pile head into pile cap, instead of pinning into pile cap, enhances higher lateral stiffness of the pile groups. For instance, for the same deflections, a cap with fixed connected piles can sustain far more loads than that of pinned connected piles.

How to reduce rotational stiffness of pile head and pile cap?

In addition, the joint part between pile head and pile cap is filled by concrete and confined by steel pipe in order to reduce rotational stiffness and improve ductility. In order to make such as the connection method practicable, the main subjects to be resolved are follows.

How to design pile caps?

Mainly there are two methods to design pile caps. Mostly, up to the four numbers of piles are connected by a pile cap to support the concentrated load from the superstructure, truss theory is used to design the pile caps. Equations derived considering the strut and tie model are available to calculate the area of reinforcement.

What is a pile head?

The pile head is the point where the pile is connected to the structure. This is generally a critical interface between two different types of engineering (structural and geotech-nical). The design and detailing of the pile head calls for knowledge of soil mechanics, the structural analysis of reinforced concrete and steel and corrosion protection.

Can a pile cap sustain more load than a pinned pile?

For instance, for the same deflections, a cap with fixed connected piles can sustain far more loads than that of pinned connected piles. To satisfy the criterion of fixed connection, the minimum embedded length of piles into pile caps should be at least two times the diameter of piles.