Modelling foundation piles in SAP2000

[james37]

Hi everyone,

I have a building project in hands in which is required to simulate several foundations conditions:

1 - Foundation slab among piles;

2 - Only Piles.

My doubdt relies on the the best way to simulate those referred piles. Until now i'm modelling the piles "only", by assigning "winkler" springs. Is it the correct way?

I'm also asking this, because, in the reality those piles might get to its stress limits and, in that case part of the loading goes to the slab. That's why i'm not sure if the way i'm simulating is the correct way.

The only data received from the foundations team (it is another company) is the pile stifness and its strees capacity.

Thank you,

 

[stressed]

The answer is "it depends". Modeling piles as springs is perfectly reasonable in many foundation slab designs. Compare max vertical reactions with the pile capacity limits. You may also need to check for punching shear, depending on the thickness of your foundation and the loading.

If you were designing the pile, you could model it as a frame "column" element, just make sure that you add enough joints along the pile length to enable you to assign soil springs as a function of depth. With a frame/column element, you can not only analyze but also design required reinforcement.

CSI's SAFE program analyzes and designs slabs and foundation including design of required reinforcement and punching shear checks per code.