Can I include the pile capacity check in wall design with DeepEX?
- May 19
- 3 min read
DeepEX allows geotechnical engineers to include axial pile capacity checks as part of excavation wall design when required.
While excavation walls are typically governed by lateral earth pressures, there are cases where axial forces become significant, particularly when anchors are installed at steep inclinations or when substantial vertical components act on the wall. In such situations, verifying the geotechnical axial resistance of the piles (shaft friction + end bearing) becomes necessary.
When should axial pile capacity be considered?
Axial capacity checks are generally not critical for conventional braced excavations. However, they should be activated when:
Anchors are installed at steep angles, generating significant vertical components
Large axial loads are transferred to the wall
Combined loading results in meaningful compression or uplift forces in the piles
In these cases, both structural axial resistance and geotechnical bearing capacity must be verified.
Step-by-step: Including pile axial capacity in DeepEX
Step 1 – Activate axial load consideration in wall design
In the Design tab, enable: “Include Axial Loads on Walls”. This ensures that axial forces are included in the structural checks of the wall elements.
Step 2 – Enable geotechnical pile capacity calculation
In the Stability+ tab, activate the option to calculate the geotechnical capacity of the piles.
This enables computation of:
Shaft resistance (side friction)
End bearing resistance
Step 3 – Define pile calculation settings
Click on “Pile Calculation Settings” to define:
Geotechnical Axial Capacity Safety Factors
Skin friction options
End bearing options
Cohesion friction options
Shear resistance on driving side.
The installation method plays a key role, as it influences shaft and base resistance values used in the calculation.
Step 4 – Define soil–wall bond properties
For shaft resistance to be calculated, the skin friction between the wall and soil must be defined.
In the Soil Properties dialogue, open the Bond tab and enter the appropriate interface parameters. Without these values, shaft capacity will not be computed.
How does DeepEX perform the axial capacity check?
DeepEX calculates:
Ultimate shaft resistance
Ultimate end bearing resistance
Total ultimate axial capacity
The software then applies the specified reduction factors to determine the design axial capacity.
This reduced design capacity is compared directly against the calculated pile axial load to verify adequacy.
Recommendations and good practice
In typical anchored wall practice, tiebacks are installed at relatively shallow angles to minimise vertical components and maintain predominantly lateral support. Standard guidance suggests that angle ranges between 15–25° are preferred to reduce vertical effects, and installation steeper than about 25–30° introduces a non-negligible vertical force component that should be explicitly checked in design.
When tiebacks are steeper than this range, it is good practice to:
Enable axial load checks in the Design tab
Activate geotechnical capacity calculations in Stability+
Accurately define soil–wall interface (bond) parameters for shaft friction
Review and, if needed, adjust reduction factors in the Pile Calculation Settings
This ensures that both structural and geotechnical axial capacities are verified where vertical components are significant.
Summary
Although excavation walls are usually governed by lateral loading, DeepEX provides the option to include full axial geotechnical capacity checks when required. By activating axial loads in the Design tab, enabling pile capacity in Stability+, defining installation parameters, and specifying soil–wall bond properties, engineers can ensure that both structural and geotechnical axial verifications are properly addressed.
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