An Investigation of the Performance of a Self-Installing Screwfin Pile

This paper presents a centrifuge model study of the performance of a screw pile with enhanced lateral capacity provided by fins (screwfin pile). It is proposed that the installation process of the screw pile is utilized to embed fin attachments located around the pile shaft. As the screw pile drills into the soil the pile shaft engages and drags into the soil a set of fins to a predetermined embedment depth. In this paper a series of preliminary model tests are presented to assess the feasibility of a screw-fin pile. The model tests have been undertaken on the installed screwfin pile and as a consequence full-installation effects are not modelled, but the post-installation performance with regard to lateral capacity is assessed for a range of geometric combinations. The results are compared with the respective values derived from tests on circular monopiles of the same diameter under lateral load and the differences are evaluated and discussed. The results show an increase in the lateral capacity of screwfin piles compared to circular straight shafted monopiles.