It　is　in　general　difficult　to　construct　piled　foundations　in　karst　area　due　to　the　lack　of　a　stable　holding　layer.　A　new　large　step-tapered　hollow　pile　(LSTHP)　is　used　to　address　this　issue.　In　this　work,　the　load　transfer　model　and　the　theoretical　solution　for　the　settlement　of　the　new　pile　are　presented.　FLAC3D　was　used　to　study　the　load　transfer　mechanism　of　LSTHP　and　the　load　transfer　model　was　then　derived　based　on　the　mechanism　in　combination　with　the　theory　of　disturbed　states　concept　to　characterize　the　non-linear　pile-soil　interactions.　In　this　framework,　the　relatively　intact　state　is　defined　by　a　linear　elastic　model　while　the　fully　adjusted　state　is　described　by　the　Mohr-Coulomb　model.　The　analytical　solution　of　pile　settlement　is　then　established　based　on　the　proposed　load　transfer　model　and　the　equilibrium　equations　governing　the　pile-soil　interactions.　The　solution　is　cross-validated　using　numerical　simulations.　It　was　demonstrated　that　the　proposed　load　transfer　model　can　describe　correctly　the　non-linear　load　transfer　mechanism　at　the　pile-soil　interface　and　the　analytical　solution　is　capable　of　assessing　the　settlement　of　LSTHP.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd