Ultimate loads for reinforced concrete square pile caps

This paper reports the test results for eight high-strength concrete square pile caps. The main variables are the area of flexural steel bars and the configuration patterns of flexural steel bars. The test results show that the ultimate load on the pile cap increases as the total area of the flexural steel bars increases. The load–displacement curves are not significantly affected by an increase in the total area of the flexural steel bars. For a specific area of flexural steel bar, the ultimate load on the pile caps in a bunched square reinforcement pattern is no greater than that for pile caps in a grid reinforcement pattern. Pile caps in a bunched square reinforcement pattern exhibit no significant mechanical advantage over pile caps in a grid reinforcement pattern. Square pile caps in a grid reinforcement pattern perform better because this pattern is more conducive to concrete casting than a bunched square reinforcement pattern. The softened strut-and-tie model more accurately predicts the ultimate load for pile caps than the ACI sectional method for various shear span-to-depth ratios and compressive strengths of concrete. The ACI sectional method overestimates the flexural strength of the square pile cap.