Experimental and numerical study on laterally loaded pile in sand

Abstract

In the present study an attempt is made to evaluate the lateral load carrying capacity of single and group of model piles embedded in loose and medium dense sand. The size of the model box used in the present study is 100mm length, 100mm width and 100mm height. A series of experiments were conducted on single and group of piles subjected to lateral load. All the tests were carried out on cohesionless soil with a relative density of 35.55% and 80% respectively was adopted to prepare the sample in the model box to achieve the desired density. It was found that as density of sand increases the lateral load was found to increase. In the present study the group efficiency was found which is defined as ultimate lateral resistance of a pile group to that of a single pile. The group efficiency was found to increase with increase in spacing to diameter ratio. The increase in group efficiency was attributed due to decrease in pile-soil interaction effects with increase in spacing between the piles.