Analytical method for laterally loaded short piles near clay slopes considering the soil-pile-slope surface deformation mechanism

Abstract

Piles are inevitably installed on sloping coastlines or inclined seabeds to support offshore wind turbines, offshore bridges, and other structures. The objective of this paper is to develop an analytical method for investigating the lateral response of short piles near clay slopes. The soil-pile interaction is modelled by a two-spring model which is used to describe the soil resistance around the pile and the horizontal shear force at the pile base. Considering the combined effect of slope angle and near-slope distance, the ultimate soil resistance along the pile is divided into three cases based on the nearby soil flow mechanism. The soil-pile-slope surface deformation mechanism is established according to the rotational deformation characteristics of short piles. In contrast to the modification of the initial stiffness, the p-y curve around the pile is constructed by considering the deformation mechanism. The accuracy of the analytical method is verified by comparing its results with two piles on level ground and five piles near slopes. Considering the soil-pile-slope deformation mechanism, the secant stiffness of the p-y curve is automatically adjusted and reduced without the need for additional numerical simulations or pile tests to determine the reduction factor of the initial stiffness.