A simple method for settlement evaluation of loess–pile foundation

Collapsible soils have been regarded to be a significant engineering concern for foundation constructions in northwest China. Given that the collapsible soils, also known as loess, cover most of northwest China, all buildings, structures, and utility pipelines have to deal with the collapse of loess. Despite the many empirically based methods available for evaluation of the collapse of loess, methods to assess the collapse of loess surrounded by piles are, however, rarely seen. This study proposes a simple method for evaluation of the collapse of loess surrounded by piles by taking into account both the collapsible deformation characteristics and friction at the loess–pile interface. The results of an application of the proposed method to three more loess–pile foundation worksites are presented and indicate that the proposed method can predict the settlement of loess–pile foundation satisfactorily.