Skip to main content

Full-Scale Lateral Load Tests to Determine Load-Displacement Characteristics of Driven Piles in Soft Clay

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
  • 522 Accesses

Part of the book series: Sustainable Civil Infrastructures ((SUCI))

Abstract

This paper presents the details and preliminary results of full-scale lateral load tests on driven piles in soft Bangkok clay. Steel pipe piles with a diameter of 0.25 m and a depth of 12.5 m were instrumented with strain gauges at various depths. Load tests were performed to large pile displacements. Based on the framework of elastic beam on foundation, the strain gauge outputs were employed to determine pile bending moments, deflections and soil reactions. These calculated pile deflections were validated by means of the results of inclinometer measurements during the course of testing. The experimental pile responses were compared to the numerical predictions of the computer program LPILE. It was found that the numerical model predicted unrealistically stiff load-deflection behavior. The reason was likely the use of Matlock \( p - y \) model for soft clay which significantly overestimated the experimental \( p - y \) relationships of Bangkok clay particularly near the ground surface.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • ATSM, D 3966-07: Standard test methods for deep foundation under lateral load. American Society for Testing and Materials, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

    Google Scholar 

  • Broms, B.B.: Design of laterally loaded piles. ASCE J. Soil Mech. Found. Div. 91(3), 79–99 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, D.A., Shie, C.F., Kumar, M.: P − Y curves for laterally loaded piles derived from three dimensional finite element model. In: Proceedings of 3rd International Symposium on Numerical Models in Geomechanics, Niagra Falls, pp. 683–690 (1989)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox, W.R., Reese, L.C., Grubbs, B.R.: Field testing of laterally loaded piles in sand. In: Proceeding of Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, Texas, Paper No. OTC 2079, pp. 459–472 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Duncan, J.M., Evans, L.T., Ooi, P.S.K.: Lateral load analysis of single piles and drilled shafts. ASCE J. Geotech. Eng. 120(6), 1018–1033 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Georgiadis, K., Georgiadis, M.: Undrained lateral pile response in sloping ground. J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 136(11), 1489–1500 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hetenyi, M.: Beams on Elastic Foundation. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan (1946)

    Google Scholar 

  • Horpibulsuk, S., Shibuya, S., Fuenkajorn, K., Katkan, W.: Assessment of engineering properties of Bangkok clay. Can. Geotech. J. 44(2), 173–187 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matlock, H.: Correlations for design of laterally loaded piles in soft clay. In: Proceeding of the 2nd Annual Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, Texas, Paper No. OTC 1204, pp. 577–594 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Reese, L.C., Cox, W.R. Koch, F.D. Field testing and analysis of laterally loaded piles in stiff clay. In: Proceeding of the 7th Annual Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, Texas, Paper No. OTC 2132, pp. 672–690 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Reese, L.C., Wang, S.T., Isenhower, W.M.: Computer Program LPILE Plus Version 5 Technical Manual. Ensoft Inc., Austin, Texas (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • Trochanis, A.M., Bielak, J., Christiano, P.: Three-dimensional nonlinear study of piles. ASCE J. Geotech. Eng. 117(3), 429–447 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welch, R.C., Reese, L.C.: Laterally loaded behavior of drilled shafts. Research Report No. 3-5-65-89, Center for Highway Research, University of Texas at Austin (1972)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) and SEAFCO Public Company Limited. We would like to also thank all members of the Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory, Mahidol University for their assistance during the course of field load tests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gong Chaosittichai .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Chaosittichai, G., Anantanasakul, P. (2019). Full-Scale Lateral Load Tests to Determine Load-Displacement Characteristics of Driven Piles in Soft Clay. In: Shu, S., He, L., Kai, Y. (eds) New Developments in Materials for Infrastructure Sustainability and the Contemporary Issues in Geo-environmental Engineering. GeoChina 2018. Sustainable Civil Infrastructures. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95774-6_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics