Analytical evaluation of partially stiffened granular piled raft with the effect of rigidity of bearing stratum

Present study aims to improve the utilisation of granular piles (GP) for ground improvement by analysing the partially stiffened end-bearing granular piled raft (EBGPR) resting on the bearing stratum (BS). The study incorporates the use of the mirror image method and an elastic continuum approach to estimate the vertical settlement of the soil at the interface of the EBGPR. The study focuses on finding normalised variables such as settlement ratio, settlement reduction factor, settlement reduction factor for the BS, settlement influence factor (SIF), SIF for any depth, percentage load on the GP and on the base and normalised shear stress along the length of the GP with the effect of relative size of the raft. Based on the study, it was concluded that the SIF tends to decrease with an increase in the stiffening factor for the top portion of the GP. This finding suggests that the stiffening of the upper part of the GP can improve its strength and stiffness, and can potentially enhance the performance of the EBGPR foundation. Overall, the study is a comprehensive analysis of the partially stiffened EBGPR foundation, and provides useful insights into the behaviour and performance of such foundations.