Optimum pile arrangement in piled raft foundation by using simplified settlement analysis and adaptive step-length algorithm

This paper presents an optimal design method for determining pile lengths of piled raft foundations. The foundation settlement is evaluated by taking into account the raft-pile-soil interaction. The analysis of settlement is simplified by using Steinbrenner's equation. Then the total pile length is minimized under the settlement constraint. An extended sequential linear programming technique combined with an adaptive step-length algorithm of pile lengths is used to solve the optimal design problem. The accuracy of the simplified settlement analysis method and the validity of the obtained optimal solution are investigated through the comparison with the actual measurement result in existing piled raft foundations.