P-y Analysis of Laterally Loaded Piles in Clay Using DMT

Abstract

Data from dilatometer tests (DMT) are used in the development of a model for the construction of static P‐y curves in clay deposits. A procedure to account for the influence of close‐ended pile installation on the soil properties around the pile is developed. Strength modification values are presented as a function of the overconsolidation ratio (OCR). A procedure for the construction of P‐y curves using a hyperbolic model is proposed. Using the proposed procedure, analyses of three extensively instrumented pile‐load tests reported in the literature are presented. Hyperbolic P‐y curves based on coefficients of subgrade reaction from DMT and the modified $P_u$ produced load‐pile displacement relationship and moment distribution that agreed well with the measured field behavior. Results illustrated the potential of using the dilatometer test to obtain values and distributions of site specific coefficients of subgrade reaction. Predictions of the pile‐soil response using the proposed model were conducted and results indicated reasonable agreement between predicted and measured field behavior.