Experimental Studies on Behavior of Single Pile under Combined Uplift and Lateral Loading

Abstract

Abstract1-g model experiments were carried out in the laboratory to investigate the behavior of a single pile in sand under combined uplift and lateral load. Dimensions of the model pile were ascertained using physical scaling laws, based on adopted material properties of model and prototype pile foundations. The model pile is made up of aluminum and has outer and inner diameters of 25.4 and 19.0 mm, respectively. Different length-to-diameter ratios of 18, 28, and 38 are considered by varying the pile length to simulate behavior of both stiff and flexible piles. The test tank dimensions were chosen such that boundary effects are minimized. The size of the model steel tank is 1.0×1.0×1.2 m (depth). Experiments were performed on single piles embedded in sandy soil under independent uplift and lateral loading, and combined lateral and uplift loading. Results indicate that the load-deflection behavior is nonlinear for independent uplift and lateral load tests, as well as in the case of combined loading. It i...