File: NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF LATERALLY LOADED PILES
A back analysis of a lateral load test of a bored pile is reported in this paper. Full scale laterally loaded pile tests have been carried out on 1.0m diameter bored cast in-situ piles in residual soils. This paper presents a Finite element model for simulating these lateral load tests on large diameter piles embedded in residual soils using PLAXIS 2D. The simulation is carried out for a single pile with horizontal load at ground level so as to evaluate the lateral load capacity of the pile in residual soils. The soil stratum is idealized by 15 nodded triangular elements with elastic-plastic Mohr Coulomb model and the pile behavior is assumed to be linearelastic. Interface elements have been used to model the interface between the pile and the soil elements. Sensitivity analyses have been carried out for selecting the appropriate mesh size and its gradation and also appropriate constitutive relationships. Finally the results of the models are compared with the results of the field lateral load test. Limitations in the present methods for understanding the behavior of large diameter piles in residual soils have also been brought out.Keywords: Pile foundation, Laterally loaded piles, Field tests, PLAXIS 2D.
