Numerical Study on Pervious Concrete Pile Composite Foundation under Embankment Loading for Deformation Control

This study innovatively investigates the deformation control performance of the pervious concrete pile (PCP) composite foundation under embankment loading with a full three-dimensional FEM. Compared with the conventional large-diameter cast in situ concrete pile (PCC) foundation, the PCP foundation significantly accelerates consolidation, meanwhile limiting total settlement to a magnitude comparable to that of the PCC foundation. This enhanced performance is mainly attributed to the high permeability of PCP, which facilitates consolidation settlement and also effectively controls postconstruction settlement. Additionally, the PCP foundation performs better in terms of lateral displacement, demonstrating its capability to mitigate time-dependent deformation under sustained embankment loads. Furthermore, the numerical simulation analyzes the effects of embankment height, filling rate, pile length, and area replacement ratio on critical performances, involving settlement, consolidation, and lateral deformation. Combined with statistical analysis, it is revealed that PCP composite foundation can effectively improve deformation control as a promising technology for embankments on soft soil, particularly in scenarios of large embankment loads and rapid construction. Insightful suggestions, such as the avoidance of overdesign in pile length and the position of the inclinometer pipe for critical deformation monitoring, are provided for engineering practices.