3D FE analysis of arching in a piled embankment

There is no a generally accepted approach for the design of piled embankments. A series of three-dimensional finite element analyses are presented to examine the performance of piled embankments. The analyses show that when h/ s≤ 0.5, there is virtually no effect of arching, when 0.5 ≤ h/ s≤ 1.5, there is an increasing evidence of arching, and when 1.5 ≤ h/ s, full arching is observed. The ultimate stress on the subsoil (σ_s,ult) at the point of maximum arching normalized by γh. ranges 20% to 40 %.