Rock-socketed piles (RSPs) have been used to support the heavy loads of civil infrastructure, such as high-rise buildings and bridges, in response to urbanisation challenges. Despite extensive research, engineering practices often use conservative safety margins in designing RSPs, especially when existence of smear (soft materials) at the pile–rock interface is considered to determine the load-carrying capacity. Meanwhile, the...

This study presents a new 3D coupled damage-plasticity model with energy-based regularisation in Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) for modelling fractured quasi-brittle rocks. The model accounts for energy dissipation in both the tensile and compressive regimes by distinctly separating damage evolution in tension and compression. A semi-analytical solution is introduced to derive damage evolution parameters linked to energ...

The shaft resistance of rock-socketed piles (RSPs) is primarily influenced by the interactions between the pile, rock and any soft interface materials. This study presents a fundamental experimental and numerical investigation to predict the shaft resistance of model RSPs in soft rocks through a comprehensive shear strength framework incorporating the major variables such as roughness and smear fabric. By calibrating the Discr...

The sustainability of social–ecological systems within river deltas globally is in question as rapid development and environmental change trigger “negative” or “positive” tipping points depending on actors’ perspectives, e.g. regime shift from abundant sediment deposition to sediment shortage, agricultural sustainability to agricultural collapse or shift from rural to urban land use. Using a systematic review of the literature...