A variational solution for nonlinear response of laterally loaded piles with elasto-plastic winkler spring model

Abstract

Piles are frequently used to support lateral loads. Nonlinear p-y analysis is one of the most widely used methods to design laterally loaded piles. However, nonlinear p-y analysis requires special computer programs to perform the analysis. In this paper, an alternative solution based on a variational approach is presented to capture the behaviors of laterally loaded piles using Winkler beams on elastoplastic foundation. The displacements of piles are represented by finite series, and no discretisation of the pile shaft is required. Therefore, the proposed nonlinear solution can be easily implemented using the general computational software such as MATLAB. To facilitate the use of the numerical solution, methods for determining the parameters of the model are provided. The validity of the proposed method is confirmed through comparisons with existing theoretical solutions. Case studies are also presented to show the application of the present method to laterally loaded piles in field. The simplicity and the relative ease of the solution makes the proposed method a good alternative approach to analyze the nonlinear response of laterally loaded piles.