Elastic analysis of laterally loaded pile in multi-layered soil

Abstract

An analysis is developed to determine the response of laterally loaded piles in layered elastic media. The differential equations governing pile deflections in different layers due to a concentrated static force and/or moment acting at the pile head are obtained using the principle of minimum potential energy and calculus of variations. The differential equations are solved analytically using the method of initial parameters. Pile deflection, slope of the deformed axis of the pile, bending moment and shear force can be reliably obtained by this method for the entire pile length. The input parameters needed for the analysis are the pile geometry and the elastic constants of the soil and pile. It is observed that soil layering has a definite impact on pile response and must be taken into account for proper analysis and design. The analysis forms the basis for future formulations that can consider stress–strain nonlinearity.

Keywords:

• Pile
• Lateral load
• Multi-layered soil
• Variational calculus
• Elasticity
• Continuum

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Joint Transportation Research Program administered by the Indiana Department of Transportation and Purdue University. The contents of this paper reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein, and do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Federal Highway Administration and the Indiana Department of Transportation, nor do the contents constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Tanusree Chakraborty assisted with the finite element analysis, for which we are grateful.