Abstract: The testing of pile side resistance is an important part of testing the load distribution along piles, but its testing accuracy is often affected by the tip resistance during the test procedure. To obtain the relative accuracy of the side resistance along piles, the tip resistance should be approached to zero. This article presents a case history of the axial load test of a cast-in-place reinforced concrete pile in the loess region of northern Shaanxi Province. A comparative study between the suspended pile and the conventional cast-in-place reinforced concrete pile are performed, and the side resistance of the suspended pile are analyzed. The results show that as a special pile type, the suspended pile can be considered as a typical friction pile, and the tip resistance could be ignored. The load applied to the pile top is completely resisted by the side resistance. The pile resistance shows a monotonic increase with the pile top load increasing. The growth rate (slope) of the pile side resistance is significantly higher than that of in the conventional piles. The testing results could provide a reference for the relevant engineering projects.

Key words: Suspended Pile, Static Axial Pile Load Test, Pile Side Resistance, Tip Resistance