Lateral Load Carrying Capacity Of Pile Groups 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 1.2m length, 0.75m width and 1.5m height. A series of experiments were conducted on single and group of piles subjected to lateral load. Clean dry local river sand was used in the present study. All the tests were carried out on dry clean sand with a relative density of 35%and 50%and raining technique was adopted to prepare the sample in the model box to achieve the desired density. In the present study the ratio of l/d(where l=length of pile and d=diameter of pile) is equal to 10, 15 and 20 and the ratio of s/d(where s= centre to centre spacing between the piles) is equal to 5, 6 and 7. It was found from the present study as l/d ratio increases the lateral load carrying capacity increases and also for each l/d ratio as the s/d ratio increases, lateral load carrying capacity increases. Also 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.