NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF LATERALLY LOADED PILE GROUPS ADJACENT TO A SLOPE

Abstract

This paper is a numerical study based on a number of numerical model tests of pile groups, subjected to static lateral loading. Tests were conducted on single, (2x1), and (2x3) pile groups at three-diameter (3D) spacing. The model piles studied is concrete piles with 25 cm diameter and 10m length founded in loose sand (Dr=25%). The model is developed to study the effect of the number of piles in group on its lateral capacity on level ground and adjacent to a slope of inclination (3H:2V). The behavior of the piles was analyzed using a 3-D elasto-plastic finite element method (FEM) computer program Plaxis 3D ver. 2020, which represents a realistic model to simulate the problem. The response of the piles in the group was compared with the response of the single pile. It was found that the behavior of laterally loaded pile group depends largely on the arrangement of piles in group with respect to direction of load. In case of a slope it was found that the behavior of pile groups depends on the distance of lead row of pile groups from the slope crest (B/D) and arrangement of piles in group corresponding to load direction. &nbsp