Simplified Lateral Load Analyses of Fixed-Head Piles and Pile Groups |
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Authors: | Phillip SK Ooi Brian KF Chang Shuohang Wang |
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Affiliation: | 1Associate Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, Holmes Hall 383, 2540 Dole St., Honolulu, HI 96822. E-mail: ooi@eng.hawaii.edu 2Geotechnical Engineer, Geolabs, Inc., 2006 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819. E-mail: brian@geolabs.net 3Geotechnical Engineer, Geolabs, Inc., 2006 Kalihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819. E-mail: lucy@geolabs.net
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Abstract: | The characteristic load method (CLM) can be used to estimate lateral deflections and maximum bending moments in single fixed-head piles under lateral load. However, this approach is limited to cases where the lateral load on the pile top is applied at the ground surface. When the pile top is embedded, as in most piles that are capped, the additional embedment results in an increased lateral resistance. A simple approach to account for embedment effects in the CLM is presented for single fixed-head piles. In practice, fixed-head piles are more typically used in groups where the response of an individual pile can be influenced through the adjacent soil by the response of other nearby piles. This pile–soil–pile interaction results in larger deflections and moments in pile groups for the same load per pile compared to single piles. A simplified procedure to estimate group deflections and moments was also developed based on the p-multiplier approach. Group amplification factors are introduced to amplify the single pile deflection and bending moment to reflect pile–soil–pile interaction. The resulting approach lends itself well to simple spreadsheet computations and provides good agreement with other generally accepted analytical tools and with values measured in published lateral load tests on groups of fixed-head piles. |
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Keywords: | Piles Pile groups Drilled shafts Lateral loads Bending moments Deflection |
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