NONLINEAR LATERAL DYNAMIC STIFFNESS OF PILES

The effect of nonlinear soil behavior (without slippage of gapping) on the dynamic response of piles subjected to lateral loads is explored, using a finite element model for the soil region adjoining the pile, a consistent boundary matrix at some distance to reproduce radiation effects, and an iterative, equivalent linearization technique to estimate the variation of soil properties with level of strain. Results obtained with this procedure are compared with those that would result from application of the p-y curves and the differences are discussed. (ASCE)