Behaviour of Piles Subjected to Lateral Load

Abstract— This paper presents the structural behaviour of vertical piles subjected to lateral load. The study encompassed soil
tests, pile model tests and theoretical analyses. The soil properties were determined using different soil tests. Flexural test was
carried out to determine the flexural rigidity of the piles. A total of fourteen pile tests were conducted in a soil tank of 1 m × 1m ×
1m size to study the effect of lateral load on piles with different soil conditions and different embedded pile lengths. Lateral
deflections and strains in the model piles 1 m long were measured. Model piles made of two materials copper and PVC were used.
Three linear analytical methods such as Brom’s method, Brinch Hansen’s method and Matlock & Reese’s elastic method were used
to predict the pile behaviour. The pile deflection increased as the pile flexural rigidity, pile embedded length and sand compactness decreased. The pile bending moment increased as the pile embedded length and sand compactness decreased. It was also observed that at points below the ground level, the pile bending moment increased as the pile flexural rigidity increased. The results of the model tests generally correlated better with the heoretical analysis as the pile embedded length increased.
Keywords: Vertical pile, lateral load, model tests, bending moment, deflection