A Model Study on Pile Behavior under Inclined Compressive Loads in Cohesionless Soil

Abstract

Pile foundations are extensively used to support various structures built on loose/ soft soils where shallow foundations would undergo excessive settlements or have low bearing capacity. Piles are slender, having high length to width ratio, and are mainly designed to resist axial loads. However, some structures such as high rise buildings, offshore structures, tall chimneys, earth retaining walls are subjected to horizontal or lateral pressure caused by wind force, wave force, traffic movement, earthquake etc. Thus, piles are used as foundation to transmit vertical and lateral loads to the surrounding soil media. In many cases, they may be subjected to inclined compressive loading conditions also. These loads cause lateral and vertical displacements and rotation of the pile cap. These overall behaviors of the piles are estimated from the available conventional theoretical approaches. There are limited experimental studies available on behavior of vertical piles subjected to inclined compressive loads. This paper is an attempt to study the behavior of single pile in cohesionless soil, subjected to varying inclined load until failure with the angle of applied load varying from 0º to 90º from the vertical axis of the pile, through an experimental model study on model mild steel and concrete piles driven into dry river sand. Axial and lateral load carrying capacities of both piles of various slenderness ratios (10, 15, and 20) are found through the load-settlement diagrams and are compared. The effects of vertical and lateral components of inclined loads on horizontal and vertical displacement of the pile head are discussed. Also, the effects of pile material on the lateral load capacity of piles are studied.