Use of rigid inclusions for foundations of container yards

Steel-reinforced concrete (RC) piles have traditionally been the main foundation type for container yards in Singapore. However, RC piles are difficult and expensive to be demolished when the port is used for redevelopment in the future. One solution to this problem is to use unreinforced rigid inclusions in lieu of RC piles. An innovative method involving rigid inclusions, a load transfer platform, and plinth beams has been proposed as the new foundation approach for container yards. A full-scale pilot test using this new foundation approach was conducted under various load conditions, and the results demonstrated that the proposed solution was effective. In addition to overcoming future demolition challenges, the new foundation approach was proved to be more cost-effective and quicker to construct as compared with the existing method. This paper presents the design concept and corresponding numerical simulations, which showed good agreement with the monitoring data from the pilot test.