Model Test and PFC 2D Numerical Analysis on Soil Arching Effects Surrounding Passive Laterally Loaded Piles

This article uses a model test and PFC(2D) discrete element simulation for systematic research on the mechanism and behavior of soil arching around passive piles in sand. In the model test, soil arching effects with different pile spacing was studied. In the discrete element simulation, the influence of pile spacing on soil arching was revealed at the meso-level. The model test indicates that pile spacing influences soil arching effects significantly. Numerical analysis also shows that pile spacing is the most significant factor on soil arching surrounding passive laterally loaded piles. From this study, the meso-mechanism and behavior of soil arching are discovered further.