Design and analysis of single piles under lateral loads in cohesionless soils based on the standard penetration test (SPT)

Abstract

The Standard Penetration Test (SPT) is nowadays widely used in geotechnical projects to characterize cohesionless soils due to its simplicity and cost effectiveness. This test is appropriate to estimate the resistance and density of cohesionless soils and is largely practised in the Arabian Gulf region within the scope of foundation projects. Since this test was internationally standardized, it may be considered as a practical tool of soil characterization as well as of pile foundation design. This paper is aimed at presenting a practical method of constructing the P-Y curves on the basis of the SPT test derived from a thorough analysis of a worldwide database of pile loading tests in sandy soils. The two main parameters of the P-Y curve, namely the lateral subgrade reaction modulus and the lateral soil resistance, were correlated by a back-analysis procedure to the Nspt.