Aiming at the problem that pile-soil interaction is neglected in the conventional design of lattice independent lightning rods in the backfill area of booster stations

this study is intended to clarify the influence of pile-soil interaction on the overall performance of lightning rods and propose measures to improve the horizontal bearing capacity of single piles.Taking a 35 m lattice independent lightning rod of booster station in Hunan as an example

the m-method was adopted to consider the pile-soil interaction

and the effects of different pile lengths and types of bearing layers on the overall performance and pile internal forces of the lightning rod were analyzed.Furthermore

numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the improvement effects of stepped variable-section cast-in-place piles and cast-in-place piles with wing walls at the pile top on the horizontal bearing capacity of single piles.The results show that pile-soil interaction has a significant and non-negligible impact on the overall natural period and displacement of the lightning rod;when the pile length satisfies the condition of ■

the overall structural indicators are independent of the pile length and the embedment condition of the pile bottom;the stepped variable-section piles with a variable-section depth of 2 m～3 m and the piles with wing walls with a wing wall depth of 2 m～2.5 m can effectively improve the horizontal bearing capacity of single piles

and save concrete consumption.