Prediction of lateral capacity of flexible pile group subjected to lateral load in sloping ground for prescribed displacement

Abstract

To understand the resistance of laterally loaded pile groups in a slope, an experimental 1 g model study and a finite element analysis study were conducted. The parameters varied were soil shear strengths, spacing between the piles, slope angles and various pile positions. The pile group were placed along the slope at a position related to relative stiffness from the crest of the slope. Additionally, finite element analysis was carried where the soil was modelled as a Mohr–Coulomb material, and the pile was represented as a beam element. With an increase in shear strength and spacing, the lateral resistance increases. It decreased with an increase in steepness of the slope and when it was placed away from the crest of the slope, compared to horizontal ground. The bending moment was high for lower consistency and spacing, and it was high for higher slope angles and larger stiffness factors. The depth of the maximum bending moment increased when the pile moved along the slope. From the parametric study conducted, a non-dimensional chart was proposed to estimate the lateral bearing capacity of the pile group along the slope.