Static and cyclic lateral pile behavior in clay

Abstract

While deep foundations have been used extensively in clay to support both monotonic and cyclic lateral loading, significant uncertainties still now exist in predicting the field behaviour of such foundations, especially under cyclic loads. Cyclic loads are a result of waves and winds forces on offshore structures or on bridge piers, mooring of boat on quays and variable overloads on many constructions and buildings. Useful data on cyclic loading of piles in sand have already been obtained from centrifuge model tests and the purpose of the present study is to provide new data on the response of piles in clay under lateral static and cyclic loads. Undrained static and cyclic loading tests of rigid and flexible pile models installed in normally consolidated clay (at scale 1/50) are performed and the effect of the number of cycles on the pile head displacement is discussed.