A Comparative Study on the End-Bearing Capacity of Toe-Wing & Spiral Screw Piles in Cohesionless Soil
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Testing Procedure
2.2. Model Container
2.3. Model Screw Piles with Toe-Wing (Tsubasa Pile) & Spiral Screw Piles
3. Results and Discussions
3.1. Scenario 1—Fixed Helix/Toe-Wing Position with Increasing Pile Tip Depth from 0 to 90 mm
3.2. Scenario 2—Varying Helix/Toe-Wing Position with Constant Pile Tip Depth
4. Conclusions
- In the case of fixed helix/toe-wing position with increasing pile tip embedment (Scenario 1), the toe-wing screw pile showed lesser installation load requirements than the spiral screw pile. As the helix distance from the pile tip increased (Wp, 0–90 mm), the spiral screw pile installation requirements decreased, whereas, for the toe-wing screw pile, the behavior was reversed, i.e., increased. The installation torque decreased as the helix/toe-wing moved away from the pile tip (Wp > 0) for both types of piles. However, at Wp = 0 (helix/toe-wing at pile tip), less installation torque is needed for the toe-wing screw pile than for the spiral screw pile. Empirical Equations (2) and (3) for installation load requirements and Equations (4) and (5) for installation torque requirements can be used to convert the installation load and torque from one type of pile to another within the considered range of the Ed/Ew ratio (1.0–1.25).
- In Scenario 1, the spiral screw piles showed higher load-carrying resistance than the toe-wing screw piles at relative densities of 55%, 80%, and 90%. At the initial stage of the load-settlement curve, the spiral screw pile showed a stiffer response than the toe-wing screw pile, and this indicates that the soil–helix contact is better than the soil–toe-wing. The result indicated that with the increase in Ed/Ew ratio from 1.0 to 1.25 under Dr = 80–90%, the ultimate pile capacity difference between toe-wing and spiral screw piles decreased from 33% to 16.5%, as the ultimate pile capacity of toe-wing screw pile increased. Moreover, for Dr = 55% with Ed/Ew = 1.0, 1.14, and 1.25, the ultimate pile capacity of the toe-wing screw pile is 47%, 31.75, and 19.4%, respectively, less than the spiral screw pile. Empirical Equations (6) and (7) can convert the ultimate pile capacity of one type of pile to another within the provided range of Ed/Ew, i.e., 1.0–1.25.
- In the case of fixed pile tip depth (Ed) with varying helix/toe-wing position (Scenario 2), spiral screw piles have higher load-carrying resistance than toe-wing screw piles when the helix/toe-wing position is less than 90 mm (Wp < 90 mm). Both piles showed a similar ultimate pile capacity at Ed/Ew = 1.33. In the case of spiral screw piles, the result indicated that with the increase in Ed/Ew (1.0–1.62) or increase in Wp from 0 to 140 mm, the ultimate pile capacity, Qu(s) decreased from 5% to 30%. Moreover, when comparing the ultimate pile capacity of the toe-wing screw pile with the spiral screw pile having helix position at Wp = 0, it is found that the toe-wing screw pile capacity increased, and the difference between the capacities of both piles reduced from 18% to 8% as the toe-wing position (Wp) increased from 0 to 140 mm. However, a further increase in the toe-wing position decreased the pile capacity, resulting in an increase in the pile capacity difference between the two piles by 43%. Empirical Equations (8) and (9) can convert the ultimate pile capacity from one pile type to another with varying Ed/Ew ratio (considered in this study) at a relative density of 80%. It is also found that the spiral screw pile’s helix and central shaft tip act independently when Wp/Dh ratio >1.38. Whereas, in the case of the toe-wing screw pile, the toe-wing and central shaft act independently when Wp/Dh > 2.15.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Test Materials | Specific Gravity | D50 | Emax | Emin |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dry Toyoura Sand | 2.645 | 0.19 | 0.973 | 0.609 |
[mm] | [mm] | [mm] | [mm] | [°] | [mm] | [mm] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
500 (Toe-wing) | 21.7 | 65 | 3.6 | 25 | 0, 50, 90 | 365, 415, 455 |
500 (Spiral) | 21.7 | 65 | 3.6 | 0, 50, 90 | 365, 415, 455 |
Screw Pile Type | Dh (mm) | Wp (mm) | Pitch (mm) | Ew (mm) | Wp/Dh |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toe-wing Screw Pile | 65 | 0, 50, 90, 140, 220 | 28 | 365 | 0, 0.77, 1.38, 2.15, 3.38 |
Spiral Screw Pile | 65 | 0, 50, 90, 140 | 28 | 365 | 0, 0.77, 1.38, 2.15 |
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Sahil, A.W.; Uchimura, T.; Malik, A.A.; Kabir, M.R. A Comparative Study on the End-Bearing Capacity of Toe-Wing & Spiral Screw Piles in Cohesionless Soil. Buildings 2025, 15, 525. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15040525
Sahil AW, Uchimura T, Malik AA, Kabir MR. A Comparative Study on the End-Bearing Capacity of Toe-Wing & Spiral Screw Piles in Cohesionless Soil. Buildings. 2025; 15(4):525. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15040525
Chicago/Turabian StyleSahil, Ahmad Waheed, Taro Uchimura, Adnan Anwar Malik, and Md Raihanul Kabir. 2025. "A Comparative Study on the End-Bearing Capacity of Toe-Wing & Spiral Screw Piles in Cohesionless Soil" Buildings 15, no. 4: 525. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15040525
APA StyleSahil, A. W., Uchimura, T., Malik, A. A., & Kabir, M. R. (2025). A Comparative Study on the End-Bearing Capacity of Toe-Wing & Spiral Screw Piles in Cohesionless Soil. Buildings, 15(4), 525. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15040525