A Simplified Method for Analysis of Laterally Loaded Piles considering Cyclic Soil Degradation

Abstract

This paper proposes a simplified method to analyze the bearing behavior of pile undergoing cyclic lateral load. Firstly, a modified strain model is proposed by utilizing the Duncan–Chang model to describe the stress-strain behavior of soils in the strain wedge. Then, a cyclic degradation model of soft clay considering the accumulation of plastic strain and pore water pressure is presented based on the cyclic triaxial test. Combining with the modified strain wedge model and degradation model of soil, a simplified method is established for the cyclic laterally loaded pile. The accuracy of the present method is verified by comparing it with existing model tests. The results show that the pile lateral displacement and strain wedge depth increase with the number of cycles and cyclic load amplitude. It is necessary to consider the effect of cumulative pore water pressure during the analysis of cyclic laterally loaded pile embedded in soft clay.