Application of the T-Z Method to the Analysis of Rigid Inclusions

This paper revisits the use of the load transfer (i.e., "t-z") approach for modeling rigid inclusions (RI) and demonstrated through an analysis of a recently published load test case study on an RI-supported embankment in Connecticut. The load on the head of the rigid inclusion was estimated using a published "soil cone" model for the pullout capacity of shallow circular plates that accounts for the peak friction angle and dilation angle of the fill. A consolidation settlement analysis was performed to estimate the profile of ground settlement between RIs for input into a pile "t-z" analysis. The load distribution in the RIs was modeled and compared to the load distribution observed in the full-scale load tests. The modeled and observed results were in very good agreement further supporting the efficacy of the approach as a simple analysis tool.