PERFORMANCE OF A SINGLE PILE UNDER COMBINED AXIAL AND LATERAL LOADS IN LAYERED SANDY SOIL

Abstract

A combination of axial and lateral was applied on a small scale model piles embedded in layered sand soil. Two types of piles were used (open and closed ended steel box piles), while the relative density (Dr) of the upper and lower sand layers were (55%) and (85%) respectively. The effect of slenderness ratio (L/D) were also considered in this study (L/D= 10, 15, 20, and 25). It is shown that the axial capacity of closed ended pile is greater than the open ended pile by (12 – 33) %. The presence of a vertical load caused an increase in the lateral load capacity at all slenderness ratios but the influence of vertical load decreases with increase in slenderness ratio of piles at all vertical load levels for both types of piles.