Enhancing the Load-Bearing Capacity of H-Pile Foundation by Using Electrokinetic Treatment

This experimental study was carried out to investigate an innovative technique to increase the ultimate load capacities of H-pile foundation system embedded in a low plastic clay soil. Electrokinetics was utilized to treat the clay soil in the vicinity of the foundation system. The study comprised three testing categories: control, remediation, and full treatment. The control was used as a baseline load capacity of the H-pile for comparison purposes. The remediation test assessed the load capacity of the H-pile after the pile was loaded to failure and then treatment by electrokinetics. The full treatment estimated the load capacity of the H-pile after electrokinetic treatment. Two perforated steel electrodes were installed into PVC cells in the center between H-pile flanges. The H-pile and perforated electrodes were connected to a direct current power supply with the H-pile serving as the anode and electrodes as cathodes during the six-day treatment period. Intermittent current (two minutes on and two min off) was applied during the treatment. After the completion of the treatment, the H-pile was tested using tensile and compression loadings to determine the ultimate tensile and compressive load capacities. The results show that electrokinetics increases the compressive capacity of the H-pile to 227% for the remediation test and 259% on the full treatment test as compared with the capacity of the control test. For the tensile tests, the increases were equally valued at 279% for both the remediation and full treatment tests compared with the control test. The undrained shear increased in the vicinity of the H-pile after the electrokinetic treatment.