Case study on viability of using head-separated micropiles as foundation system for check dams

Check dams constructed in steep mountainous areas require the rationalization of the dam body and foundation system. In general, soil cement replacement or caissons are often adopted for foundations. In such cases, reducing the construction effort is a critical issue. To address this, the authors studied the viability of a new type of check dam foundation consisting of a group of micropiles whose heads are structurally disconnected from the dam body. The system, coined a head-separated micropile group (HMG) foundation, enables the saving of labor and a reduction in the cross-sectional forces applied to the micropiles. Firstly, a full-scale loading test of the HMG was conducted. Then, a finite element model was formulated and its parameters fitted to make it suitable for reproducing the experimental results. Finally, using the FE model, the performance of a typical rigidly connected micropile foundation and that of the HMG system were compared in terms of the bearing capacity and displacement of the check dam body. The results confirmed that, although its displacement was 1.25 times larger than that of the rigidly connected foundation, the HMG system led to a factor of safety of 3.5 against micropile buckling.