Single Piles in Lateral Spreads: Field Bending Moment Evaluation

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The results of the six centrifuge models of instrumented single pile foundations presented in a companion paper, are used to calibrate two limit equilibrium (LE) methods to evaluate bending response and factor of safety against bending failure of piles in the field subjected to lateral spreading. These six models simulate single reinforced concrete piles in two- and three-layer soil profiles, mostly end bearing but including also one floating pile, with and without a reinforced concrete pile cap, and one model where the liquefiable sand layer was densified locally around the pile to simulate the effect of pile driving. The measured permanent maximum bending moments in the pile, Mmax, invariably occurred at the boundaries between liquefied and nonliquefied soil layers, and in most cases the moments at such boundaries reached their peak Mmax and then decreased during shaking. These values of Mmax before decrease, which were associated with failure of the soil against the deep foundation, are used to calibra...