ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Study on Uplift Bearing Characteristics
of Micropile Group in Gravel-Containing
Silty Clay Regions
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1
State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection Chengdu University of Technology,
Chengdu, China
2
State Grid Sichuan Electric Power Company Communication Company, China
3
State Grid Sichuan Electric Power Company Economic and Technological Research Institute, China
Submission date: 2023-10-03
Final revision date: 2024-02-03
Acceptance date: 2024-03-05
Online publication date: 2024-07-08
Publication date: 2025-01-02
Corresponding author
Guangming Ren
State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection Chengdu University of Technology, 610059, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2025;34(1):165-175
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ABSTRACT
Considering the diverse mountainous environments, the uplift resistance of conventional micropiles
is constrained when configured with small diameters. The integration of belled micropiles may serve as
a viable alternative to enhance the micropiles’ pull-out performance, with the aim of improving pullout
performance while achieving both economic benefits and outstanding performance. This study establishes
a belled micropile model through mutual validation between prototype tests of uniform section micropile
configurations and numerical inversion models. It compares the load-bearing performance of single
micropiles and micropile groups between uniform section and belled micropile designs. Additionally,
it proposes a simplified calculation method for the ultimate pull-out capacity of belled micropiles and
elucidates the load-bearing mechanisms of belled micropiles. The results highlight that uniform section
micropile groups have limited pull-out capacity due to steep load-displacement curves, risking sudden
failure. In contrast, belled micropiles exhibit asynchronous load distribution during uplift, with bells
contributing over 50% of total capacity. The bearing capacity of bell-shaped micropiles is roughly double
that of uniform section micropiles. This integration resolves uplift issues, offering cost-effectiveness and
safety. Based on the results obtained, the bell-shaped micropile is expected to outperform traditional
micropiles in terms of load-bearing capacity enhancement.