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2n International Conference on New Developments in Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 28-30 May 2009, Near East University,

Nicosia, North Cyprus

Assessment of lateral load-transfer methods of piles by full scale in-situ tests

Ali Fakher
Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran.

Aslan Sadeghi-Hokmabadi & Alireza Saeedi-Azizkandi


Postgraduate student, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran; a.s.hokmabadi@gmail.com

KEYWORDS: Single pile, p-y curves, full scale in-situ tests, lateral behaviour, monopile ABSTRACT: In many cases, the single piles should be analyzed for lateral loading. One of the most popular approaches to determine the lateral behavior of piles is loadtransfer method, in which the pile is modeled as an elastic member and the soil is modeled as series of linear or nonlinear springs (p-y curves). In Pars Special Economic Energy Zone (Asalouyeh) in the south of Iran, a number of single piles as a dolphin were constructed and some full scale lateral loading tests were conducted on them under the supervision of the first author. The length and diameter of the piles were approximately 40 and 2 meters respectively. The lateral loading tests of such large piles are not commonly undertaken in all projects so the data are rare. In the presented research, a computer program has been developed to analyze a single pile under lateral loading by using the finite differences method. A large number of lateral spring models like Strain Wedge Model (SWM) have been used in the program and calibrated by the results of full scale lateral loading tests. To conclude, some appropriate models, which could produce accurate results in the analysis of lateral loaded piles in Petrochemical Port, are introduced. The research shows that the traditional p-y curves and also SWM calculate the pile head displacement more than the tests data, and implies on the requisiteness of local calibration. 1 INTRODUCTION Pile foundations are commonly used to resist axial and lateral loads applied to structures. In many cases the lateral loads are more significant. For example, in pile-supported earth-retaining structures, in rise structures to against wind and earthquake forces, in offshore structures subjected to wind and wave action, and in piles that used as mooring or berthing dolphins (Figure 1). In these cases the piles should be analyzed for the lateral loads, and the interaction between the pile and soil should be modeled. A number of p y curves was developed for sands (ONeill and Murchinson 1983; Reese et al. 1974) and for clays (Dunnavant and ONeill 1989; Matlock 1970). The traditional p y curves are semi-empirical models and do not account for pile properties such as pile bending stiffness, pile cross-sectional shape, pile head restraint, pile installation method (Ashour and Norris 2000). Strain Wedge Model (SWM) can consider some of these limitations. However, both traditional p-y curves and SWM are the semi-empirical methods. In the other words, the main drawback to these approaches is that they are based on empirical parameters (i.e. the modulus of subgrade reaction) which can only be back figured from the results of pile load tests (Basile2003).

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2n International Conference on New Developments in Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 28-30 May 2009, Near East University, Nicosia, North Cyprus

The aim of this study is to assess the accuracy of these methods by using the results of some fullscale tests, and calibrate them for the laterally loaded piles in Pars special economic energy zone area (Asalouyeh) in Iran. Also, for analyzing the piles with the traditional p-y and SWM a computer program has been developed. In the present paper, at first the properties of developed computer program has been describes. Then, the details and results of the full-scale tests are shown. Later on, the piles are analyzed with the program and the results are compared with the tests data. The models are calibrated and some modification factors are suggested and general conclusions are made.

Figure 1. Berthing dolphin

2 THE ANALYSIS OF THE LATERAL BELAVIOUR OF PILES The behavior of piles to lateral loading is complex due to the interactions between the pile and the surrounding soil. Many researchers have investigated the laterally loaded pile behavior, and a number of different approaches are available to determine the behavior of laterally loaded piles. These methods may be broadly classified in to the following two categories depending on how piles and soils are modeled: (a) Continuum-base approaches; (b) Load-transfer (or subgrade reaction) approaches. In the first approaches the soil has been modeled as a continuum media and these continuumbase approaches need several soil properties as input to analyze. Due to complexity and unavailability of soil properties the second methods are more usual and have been investigated in this research. The load-transfer method models the pile as an elastic member and the soil as series of nonlinear springs (p-y curves). The nonlinear soil spring describes the local variation of lateral soil pile interacting resistance with lateral displacement. The traditional p y models initially developed by Matlock (1970) and Reese et al. (1974), and later on, several p y curves have been developed by different researchers that are summarized in Table 1. The curves that suggested by ONeill and Murchinson (1984), Reese et all (1974), and Ashour and Norris (1998) for sands are more common and have been investigated in the present paper.

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Assessment of lateral load-transfer methods of piles by full scale in-situ tests Ali Fakher, Aslan Sadeghi-Hokmabadi & Alireza Saeedi-Azizkandi

Table 2. Summery of p-y curves (Kim et al. 2004 with modification)

p-y curve function

Reference

Remarks
Developed the function from the results of the full-scale tests performed at Mustang Island. The function consists of three segments having two straight lines connecting by a parabola. Developed the function from back analyses of full-scale instrumented pile load test on sand.

pa = k h ya
y a = D ( pb / zk h ) n /( m 1) (D / yb )
1 /( m 1)

where pu = min ( pus , pud ); A, B = emprical factores

B z , pb = pu A D

Reese et al. (1974)

, yb = D / 60 and y u = 3D / 80

k h p = Apu tanh Apu

where pu= minimum value of (C1z1C2D)z and C3Dz; C1 , C2 , and C3=constants; and A=empirical adjustment factor and h is the pile shape factor.

Murchinson and O'Neill (1984)

p=

y 1 y + k ini pu
D 0
2 sin 3 4D

where pu = min (pus , pud)

Kondner (1963)

Developed the hyperbolic function from the results of the stressstrain relationship of soil in triaxial compression tests. Developed the bilinear function from the results of centrifuge tests.

pk =

1 1 +

0.5

) / 3 +2 +3 where = ( 1

Scott (1980)

p=

y y 1 + k h ap d
p where = 1 /(1 d ) k h yd

Det Norske Veritas (1980) Wesselink et al. (1988)

Developed the function of combined hyperbolic and linear from the results of full-scale and model tests.

p = Rd (

z n y m ) ( ) z0 d

where zo=1 m; R=850 kPa (Kingfish B soil); and n and m=empirical factors.

Developed the function from the results of the full-scale tests in calcareous sand of the Bass Strait.

( Es ) i =

Pi A DEi = i yi ( h xi )

Ashour and Norris (1998)

Based on Strain Wedge Model (SWM) that related the three-dimensional response of a pile in the soil to its onedimensional beam on elastic foundation parameters

3 COMPUTER PROGRAM DEVELOPED IN THE PRESENT RESEARCH In the present research Lateral Analysis of Piles Program (LAPP1.0) has been developed in FORTRAN programming language. This program is able to solve the government equation of beam on elastic foundation (Equation 1) that was given by Hetenyi (1946).
d4y d2y (1) ) + Px ( 2 ) + Es ( y ) = 0 4 dx dx Where EI= bending stiffness of pile; Px = axial load on the pile; y= lateral deflection of the pile EI (

at point x along the length of the pile; Es = soil subgrade reaction (the springs stiffness). LAPP1.0 used the Finite Difference method to solve the Equation 1 (Matlock and Reese 1961), and it can consider four sets of boundary conditions at the top of the pile such as free-head pile or fixed-head pile. Besides, LAPP1.0 has an ability to consider different types of the springs stiffness (as

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2n International Conference on New Developments in Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 28-30 May 2009, Near East University, Nicosia, North Cyprus

described in the section two, these springs are model the soils reaction against the lateral loads at any depth): 1- Linear springs with a constant stiffness with depth. 2- Linear springs with a linearly variation of stiffness with depth. 3- Non-linear springs based of p-y curves that suggested by different researchers. 4- Non-linear springs based of p-y curves that defined by the user. 5- Using the Strain Wedge Model (SWM). In addition, LAPP1.0 has ability to analyze pile groups under lateral loads and also could consider a dynamic lateral loads (like earthquake loads) that will comes in the authors future publications. In the present research, LAPP1.0 is used as a means to analyze a monopiles at Asalouyeh in order to calibrate a different lateral spring models. 4 IN-SITU TESTS Research conducted on the behavior of laterally loaded piles generally consists of two basic types, namely full-scale and small-scale or model testing. Full-scale tests are generally believed to provide the most accurate results but are rarer because of the large costs required to successfully perform a test. Therefore, the results of present tests are valuable. 4-1 TESTS LOCATION Pars Special Economic Energy Zone (Asalouyeh) has located in the south of Iran and near the Persian golf. Pars petrochemical port, which has been located in there, has 15 berthing piers, and in some of these piers, such as piers number 3 and 15, monopiles are used as berthing dolphins (Figure 1). The soil parameters at the field have been obtained in each layer by using the results of some borings nearby. Because of the soil high stiffness, it was not able to perform in-situ tests like standard penetration test. The geotechnical properties of the soil are shown in Table 2. These parameters are obtained by describing the disturbed samples and laboratory tests. In Table 2, drained density (d), wet density (t), estimated value of standard penetration test (Nspt), effective cohesion (C'), Internal friction angel in degree ( ') and undrained cohesion (Cu) are presented.
Table 2. Geotechnical properties of the soil in the field Layer description
Sand Sand and gravel sand stone

Depth (m) 0.0-8.0 8.021.0 21.030.0

classification SP GP ---

d (ton/m3) 1.7 1.95 1.8

t (ton/m3) 2 2.1 2.1

NSPT >50 >50 _

C' (ton/m2) 0 0 _

' ( ) 38 40 _

Cu (ton/m2) 0 0 _

4-2 TESTS METHOD In these tests, four piles have been tested under the lateral static loads. The piles number one and two are the inner and outer piles of pier number 15 with the water depth of 14 meter, and the piles number three and four are the inner and outer piles of pier number 5 with the water depth of 27 meter. The final piles head after installation are five meter above than water surface. These piles have a cylindrical shape and were made from steel. The diameter of piles number one and three is 1.778 meter, and the diameter of piles number two and three is 1.905 meter. Also, the piles have an

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Assessment of lateral load-transfer methods of piles by full scale in-situ tests Ali Fakher, Aslan Sadeghi-Hokmabadi & Alireza Saeedi-Azizkandi

approximately length of 40 meter. Lateral loading tests on such large piles are not commonly

undertaken in all projects so the data are rare. Based on ASTM D3966-81 standard, the tension system seals to one monopile and pull the
other one. Since the spacing of the piles is more than eight diameters of piles (21.5 meter) there isnt any pile group effect between piles.

(a)

(b)

Figure 2. (a) Test instruments, (b) test equipment arrangement plan and section

4-3 TESTS RESULTS The piles number one and two have loaded in five steps and the piles number three and four were loaded in 3 steps (because of the displacement limitation). In each step of loading, the displacement of each pile separately measured by using the TOTAL STATION. The loading steps are in the increasing manner and in each step the load is applied 15 minute for little loads and 30 minute for big ones. Table 3 shows the results.
Table 3. Results of lateral loading tests Load at pile top (ton) 30 60 70 80 90 Displacement of pile1 (cm) 7.8 20.4 23 28 32 Displacement of pile2 (cm) 6 14 15.5 19 22 Load at pile top (ton) 31.4 50.3 62.8 Displacement of pile3 (cm) 31.8 55.5 78.6 Displacement of pile4 (cm) 24.7 41.8 58.5

5 COMPARISON AND DISCUSSION LAPP1.0 is used to analyze the tested piles by three methods, and the results are shown in Table 4. Also, the piles are modeled and analyzed using SAP2000 software (CSI 2003) in order to verify the accuracy of LAPP1.0 results (Sadeghi-Hokmabadi et al 2009). In the first method, the p-y curves that suggested by Reese et al. (1974) are used. COM624 (Reese 1980), which is the conventional program of single piles analyzing under lateral loads, uses Reese curves for analyzing, so the COM624 are used in this research as well. Table 4 declares that this method calculates the piles head

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2n International Conference on New Developments in Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 28-30 May 2009, Near East University, Nicosia, North Cyprus

deflection more than the tests data, so the modification factors (F) are defined to calibrate the p-y curves. The modification factor (F) is defined as a value that should multiple with a parameter p of py curves in order to make the analyzing results to meet the tests data. In the second method, the p-y curves that suggested by Murchinson and ONeill (1984) are used, and the calibration is done in the same way. In the third method, LAPP1.0 uses the SWM for analyzing. SWM receives force at the pile head as input and gives the pile head displacement as output (Ashour 1998). This method calculate p-y curves during its computation for each special case. In the other words, SWM do not define the certain p-y curves like previous methods, so defining the modification factor like the previous methods could not be useful.
Table 4. Results of piles analyzing pile number 1
Force
(ton)

Resse curves
SAP2000
(CM)

Murchinson curves
LAPP1.0
with F= 4.2

SWM(LAPP1.0)
Disp.
(CM)

Test Data
(CM)

COM624
(CM)

LAPP1.0
(CM)

SAP2000
(CM)

LAPP1.0
(CM)

LAPP1.0
with F= 2

Force
(ton)

30 60 70 80 90

7.8 20.4 23 28 32

12.223 25.465 30.098 34.75 39.441

11.8 25.6 30.6 35.7 41

11.51 25.08 30.37 35.49 40.7

10.176 20.799 24.467 28.216 31.977

11.82 23.56 27.36 31.26 36.14

11.22 23.25 27.52 31.95 36.54

10.23 20.84 24.5 28.24 32.06

9.93 25.26 28.3 31.02 34.84

27.51 63.55 70.21 75.96 84.27

pile number 2
Force
(ton)

Resse curves
SAP2000
(CM)

Murchinson curves
LAPP1.0
with F= 3.5

SWM(LAPP1.0)
Disp.
(CM)

Test Data
(CM)

COM624
(CM)

LAPP1.0
(CM)

SAP2000
(CM)

LAPP1.0
(CM)

LAPP1.0
with F= 2.5

Force
(ton)

30 60 70 80 90

6 14 15.5 19 22

8.478 17.513 20.66 23.87 27.09

8.07 17.2 20.5 24 27.5

7.92 16.89 20.19 23.57 27.04

6.68 14.24 16.69 19.17 21.73

8.18 16.45 19.24 22.06 24.09

7.8 15.97 18.81 21.73 24.72

6.9 13.94 16.33 18.75 21.2

8.06 16.07 19.35 23.03 25.78

34.98 59.63 70.27 82.18 90.61

pile number 3
Force
(ton)

Resse curves
SAP2000
(CM)

Murchinson curves
LAPP1.0
with F= 2

SWM(LAPP1.0)
Disp.
(CM)

Test Data
(CM)

COM624
(CM)

LAPP1.0
(CM)

SAP2000
(CM)

LAPP1.0
(CM)

LAPP1.0
with F= 1

Force
(ton)

31.4 50.3 62.8

31.8 55.5 78.6

40.58 66.51 83.95

40.4 67.6 86.4

39.73 67.2 85.87

37.94 61.88 78.03

38.85 62.74 78.84

38.39 63.08 80.03

38.39 63.08 80.03

38.29 65.59 80.5

30.96 50.8 61.47

pile number 4
Force
(ton)

Resse curves
SAP2000
(CM)

Murchinson curves
LAPP1.0
with F= 1.5

SWM(LAPP1.0)
Disp.
(CM)

Test Data
(CM)

COM624
(CM)

LAPP1.0
(CM)

SAP2000
(CM)

LAPP1.0
(CM)

LAPP1.0
with F= 1

Force
(ton)

31.4 50.3 62.8

24.7 41.8 58.5

29.26 47.78 60.34

28.7 47.9 61.3

28.26 47.24 60.93

28.04 45.66 57.63

28.17 45.35 56.87

27.56 44.94 56.89

27.56 44.94 56.89

27.04 47.02 54.51

32.28 53.79 61.73

Figure 3 shows piles head behavior which is analyzed using the different methods. It is clear that all of the methods calculate the pile head deflection more than the tests data. In comparison, the answers of SWM are better than Reese curves, and Murchinson and ONeill curves give the closest answers with measurements. The real behaviour of pile head displacement is non-linear. The p-y models have difference with real situation in the flexure of pile head-displacement curves. Indeed, the total lateral stiffness in the real situation declines sooner, but in the p-y curves it decline later and have approximately linear behaviour in the tests loads. The difference between proposed p-y curves with the real situation is occurred because of the development of plastic region near the soil surface. In fact, in the real situation under the testing loads the near surface soil has a plastic manner and yields, but p-y models do not show this behaviour under the tests loads level. Consequently, for the modification of p-y

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Assessment of lateral load-transfer methods of piles by full scale in-situ tests Ali Fakher, Aslan Sadeghi-Hokmabadi & Alireza Saeedi-Azizkandi

curves, the ultimate resistance of the non-linear springs should be decreases and the primary stiffness of them should be increases. It should be mentioned that the total behaviour of pile-spring system is very sensitive for the near surface springs stiffness, and these stiffness should be selected delicately.

100

100

Pile 1
90 80 70

Pile 2
90 80 70 Force (KN) 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Data Reese Reese with f=3.5 Murchinson Murchinson with f=2.5 SWM

Force (KN)

60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Data Reese Reese with f=4.2 Murchinson Murchinson with f=2 SWM 0 5 10 15 20 25 Displacement (cm) 30 35 40 45

10

15 Displacement (cm)

20

25

30

70

70

Pile 3
60

Pile 4
60

50

50

Force (KN)

Force (KN)

40

40

30

30

20

Data Reese Reese with f=2 Murchinson SWM

20

10

Data Reese Reese with f=1.5 Murchinson SWM 0 10 20 30 40 Displacement (cm) 50 60 70

10

0 0 20 40 60 Displacement (cm) 80 100

Figure 3. Displacement versus load in the head of piles

6 CONCLUSION 1- This paper describes the results of some full scale in-situ test that has been performed on monopiles in the south of Iran. 2- The computer program (LAPP1.0) has been developed to analyze piles under lateral loading. This program has ability to consider different boundary conditions and different types of p-y curves. 3- The accuracy of traditional p-y curves and also SWM have been investigated, and they have been calibrated for the local condition by defining some modification factors. 4- The traditional p-y curves and also SWM calculate the pile head displacement more than the tests data measured in the presented case study. It means that the real piles withstand the large amount of forces for the specific displacements. Thus, using these curves without calibration leads to overestimate design, and it shows the requisiteness of local calibration. 5- The answers of SWM are better than Reese curves, and Murchinson and ONeill curves give the closest answers with measurements undertaken in the presented case study. 6- The shape of piles head displacement in the real conditions is decline sooner that the calculation results, because the analytical models do not show the soils plasticity in the near ground depth.

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2n International Conference on New Developments in Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 28-30 May 2009, Near East University, Nicosia, North Cyprus

Therefore, for modifying the p-y curves, the ultimate resistance of the non-linear springs should be decreased and the primary stiffness of them should be increased. 7 REFERENCES
Ashour, M., Norris, G. and Pilling, P. (1998). Lateral loading of a pile in layered soil using the strain wedge model. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenviromental Engineering, Vol. 124, No.4. Basile, F. (2003). Analysis and design of pile groups, In Numerical Analysis and Modeling in Geomechanics (eds J. W. Bull). Spon Press, London, Chapter 10, 278-315. Computer and Structures, Inc. (CSI), (2003). SAP2000 Version 10.0.1, Users Guide Manual. Det Norske Veritas (1980). Rules for the design, construction, and inspection of offshore structures, Appendix F: Foundations. Det NorkesVeritas, Hovik, Norway. Dunnavant, T.W. and ONeill, M.W. (1989). Experimental py model for submerged stiff clay. Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 115(1), 95114. Fleming, W.G.K., Weltman, A.J., Randolph, M.F. and Elson, W.K. (1992). Piling Engineering. 2nd Edition, Blackie Academic & Professional, Glasgow, UK. Hetenyi, M., (1946). Beams on elastic foundation. The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor. Kim, B. T., Kim, N. K., Lee, W. J. and Kim Y. S. (2004). Experimental load-transfer curves of laterally loaded piles in Nak-Dong river sand. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Vol. 130, No.2. Kondner, R. L. (1963). Hyperbolic stressstrain response: Cohesive soils. Journal of Soil Mechanics and Foundation, Div., 89(1), 115144. Murchison, J. M., and ONeill, M. W. (1984). Evaluation of p-y relationships in cohesion less soil. Analysis and design of pile foundations, ASCE, New York, 174191. Matlock, H. (1970). Correlations for design of laterally loaded piles in soft clay. Proc., 2nd Annual Offshore Technol. Conference, Houston, Texas. Norris, G. M. (1986). Theoretically based BEF Laterally Loaded Pile Analysis. Proceedings, Third International Conference on Numerical Methods in Offshore Piling, Nantes, France, pp. 361-386. Reese, L.C. and Cox, W.R. and Koop, F.D. (1974). Analysis of laterally loaded piles in sand. 6th Annual Offshore Technology Conference, Austin Texas, 2(OTC2080): 473-485. Reese, L.C. and Sullivan, W. R. (1980). Documentation of computer program COM624 parts 1 and 2: analysis of stresses and deflections for laterally loaded piles including generation of p-y curves. Geotech. Eng. Ctr., Bureau of Eng. Res., Uni. of Texas, Austin. Texas. Reese, L.C. and Vanimpe, W.F. (2001). Single piles and pile groups under lateral loading. A.A.Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands. Sadeghi-Hokmabadi, A., Seyfi, H., Fakher, A. (2009). Analysis of single piles under lateral loading using the Strain Wedge Model. 8th International Congress Of Civil Engineering (8ICCE),Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran (In Farsi Language). Scott, R. F. (1980). Analysis of centrifuge pile tests: Simulation of pile driving. Research Rep. OSAPR Project 13, American Petroleum Institute, Washington, DC. Wesselink, B. D., Murff, J. D., Randolph, M. F., Nunez, I. L., and Hyden, A. M. (1988). Analysis of centrifuge model test data from laterally loaded piles in calcareous sand. Engineering for calcareous sediments, Vol. 1, Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 261270.

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