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Ultimate Lateral Resistance of Piles in
Ultimate Lateral Resistance of Piles in
The ultimate lateral resistance of piles in cohesive soil is studied using the well-known finite difference code,
FLAC2D. The Modified Cam Clay (MCC) constitutive relation is adopted in the analyses to model the cohesive
soil behavior, whereas the structural pile model with three degree of freedoms, available in FLAC2D library, is
adopted to model the piles. The reliability of Borms's method, still used in the current design practice of piles
under lateral loads, is verified. Comparisons between the ultimate lateral resistances of piles and those
deduced from the graphs proposed by Broms (1964) are presented in graphs. Different factors thought to
affect the lateral resistance of piles in cohesive soil, not adequately consider in Borms's method, such as clay
stiffness, pile length, pile diameter and axial load are parametrically studied. A special concern is devoted to
elucidate the effects of over-consolidation ratio (OCR) on the ultimate lateral resistance of piles in cohesive
soil.
[Fig. 1] Ultimate Lateral Ultimate Load of Piles in Cohesive Soils; (a) Short Pile, (b) Long Pile (Broms, 1964)
In fact, Broms method calls for some comments the vertical component of load as well. The
that be discussed later. Broms’ contribution does numerical modeling also aims to verify whether the
not consider the effect of axial loading on lateral OCR for clayey soil has a significant effect when
bearing capacity of piles. determining the lateral capacity at failure of the
In this study, the finite differences method is loaded pile. Note that the OCR has not been taken
implemented to examine how the lateral load into consideration in several previous
capacity of the pile is influenced by varying the investigations made about the ultimate lateral
length of the pile, its diameter and by considering capacity of piles. Elsewhere, as for Broms’ method,
the vertical load component was not considered in plane strain condition. This pile is modeled by
prior analyses, this study aims to clarify how the means of a plate element which is discretized as a
behavior of laterally loaded pile will be when set of beam elements having three degrees of
subjected to additional vertical load. freedom: horizontal and vertical displacements
Therefore, the main objective is to draw design and a rotation with respect to perpendicular axis of
charts making possible the design of laterally the plan in Figure 2.
loaded pile in cohesive soils and to compare the
numerical predictions by FLAC2D (Fast Lagrangian Material proprieties
Analyses of Continua in 2D) program with the The soil used is soft post-glacial clay, of marine
Broms’ solution. origin, sampled from the site of Grande Baleine
River (Demers, 1980). Two specimens (COE-01
Studied Model and COE-02) have been tested to identify the
geotechnical characteristics of this clay. Table1
Geometry of the model summarizes the recorded geotechnical
The two-dimensional finite differences code characteristics, including results of the oedometer
FLAC2D has been used to model single piles and undrained shear strength, of tested clays.
embedded in a clay layer in non-symmetric loading
V
υ= (1)
Figure 3 presents the oedometer curve in the Vs
semi-logarithmic plot (υ, ln p) where p, is the effective Vs is the volume of solid particles, assumed
pressure and, υ, the specific volume of specimen incompressible, contained in a volume, V, of soil
defined as: specimen.
[Fig. 3] Oedometer curves of tested clays (Demers, 1980)
[Fig. 7] Effect of soil stiffness on lateral load capacity compared with Broms method
References
1. Broms, B.B. Lateral Resistance of Piles in
Cohesive Soils. J. Soil Mech. Found. Div., Vol.
90(2), 1964, pp. 27-64.
2. Britto, A. M., and Gunn, M.J. Critical State Soil
Mechanics via Finite Elements. Chichester U.K.:
Ellis Horwood Ltd, 1987.
3. Brinch Hansen, J. The Ultimate Resistance of
Rigid Piles Against Transversal Forces.
Geoteknish Institute Bulletin No.12, Danish
Geotechnical Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark,
1961, pp. 5-9.
4. Brown, D.A., and Shie, C.F. Evaluation of the
Relative Influence of Major Parameters for
Laterally Loaded Piles in three Dimensional
Finite Element Models. Civil Engineering
Department, Harbert Engineering Center.
Auburn University, Alabama, 1991.
5. Demers, B. Résistance Cyclique d’une Argile
Extra-Sensible. Thesis M.Sc., University of
Sherbrook, Quebec, Canada, 1980.
6. Fleming, W.G.K., Weltman, A.J., Randolph, M.F.
and Elson, W.K. Piling Engineering. Surrey
University Press, London, 1992.
7. Federal Highway Administration. Design and
Construction of Driven Pile Foundations.
Workshop Manual – Vol. I, 1997, Publication
n°13. Washington, D.C.
8. Itasca Consulting Group (2008). FLAC: Fast
Lagrangian Analysis of Continua User’s and
Theory Manuals, Version 6.0, Minneapolis, USA.
9. Jamiolkowski, M. and Garassino, A. Soil
Modulus for Laterally Loaded Piles. Proc., 9th Int.
Conf. Soil Mechanics Foundation Engineering.
Tokyo, 1977, pp. 87-92.
10. Kasch, V.R. Lateral Load test of Drilled Shaft in
Clay. Research report 211-1. Texas
Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University,
1977.
11. Liang, R. Development and Implementation of
New Driven Piles Technology. The Ohio
Department of Transportation and the US
Department of Transportation, Federal Highway
Administration, 1998.