Results and Analysis of a Lateral Loading Test on a Large Diameter Pile in Sandy Soil

Abstract

Piles are often subjected to lateral loading even if they are mainly designed to resist axial loading. Some design codes require that the lateral resistance of piles should not be less than 10% of their axial load capacity. In this study, the results of an in situ lateral loading test carried out on a large diameter bored pile installed in sandy soil are presented and analyzed. The pile which has a diameter of 1800 mm, is embedded to a depth of about 18 m below the natural ground level. The maximum applied lateral load is 2380 kN which is about four times the pile working load. The lateral deflection along the pile was measured by means of a digital inclinometer passing through the pile axis. The results indicate that the upper third of pile was substantially deflected with an indication of a structural failure in the pile body occurred during the last load increment. The problem is then solved by using different analytical models and numerically analyzed by using the finite element package ABAQUS. The obtained results are generally consistent with the measured ones.