ANALYSIS OF LATERALLY LOADED PILES BY QUASI-THREE-DIMENSIONAL FINITE ELEMENT METHOD. PROCEEDINGS OF THE SIXTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUMERICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, 11-15 APRIL 1988, INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA. VOLUMES 1 - 3

Analyses of the behaviour of pile groups subjected to lateral loads are carried out by the quasi-three-dimensional finite element method (gpile: ground pile interaction of laterally loading effect). In this method, the elastic ground is modeled by stratified panels connected with shear springs, and the piles are modeled by beam elements. Thus, the interaction effect between the piles and the ground can be considered. The results of lateral loading tests on model free-headed pile groups are compared with those obtained from this method. The measured and predicted values are generally in good agreement. Some non-tension analyses are also made using a nonlinear-elastic model. (Author/TRRL)