Behavior of CFA and H-section steel piles in lateral loading: experimental and numerical analysis

Abstract

The behavior of continuous flight auger (CFA) piles and steel H-section piles to lateral loading is investigated using numerical analyses supported by field tests. A three-dimensional finite element numerical model to lateral load is presented. The numerical model was validated with the results of twelve lateral load tests performed on CFA and steel H-section piles installed in two deposits of sandy soils. The three-dimensional approach proposed in this study is in good agreement with the response observed with the field tests, and thus represents a reliable soil-pile interaction for laterally loaded piles in sandy soil. Parametric analyses were used to assess the influence of relevant variables to lateral soil-pile interaction. Major findings of this paper indicate that the ultimate lateral load of short rigid piles is considerably more influenced by changes in soil-pile relative stiffness than that of long flexible units. Pile diameter and soil-pile interface friction are found to exert a marked effect on the lateral load of CFA piles, while soil dilatancy is found to play a minor influence on the response of CFA piles.