LATERAL LOAD ANALYSIS OF NONLINEAR PILES

Analysis of the response of pile foundations to lateral loads requires accurate characterization of the behavior of the pile and the soil surrounding the pile. The common assumption of pile linearity in bending may not be valid in many cases. A model for representing nonlinear pile bending behavior in the analysis of laterally loaded piles is introduced. The ability of the model to predict observed behavior is illustrated by application of the model to a lateral load test case history.