Lateral performance of piles evaluated via inclinometer data

Abstract

The performance of laterally loaded piles is often obtained via in situ lateral pile–load tests. In general, inclinometer measurement is routinely used in these lateral pile–load tests. In an effort to develop an efficient method for interpretation of lateral pile–load test results via measured inclinometer data only, an analytical model is proposed based on the energy conservation of the pile–soil system. A Fourier series function is used to represent the deflection behaviour of the pile–soil system. To obtain the shear, moment and soil reaction along the pile shaft, convergence of the series after differentiation is guaranteed by applying the Cesaro sum technique. Three full-scale lateral pile–load cases are then used to verify the feasibility of the methodology developed, as well as to make comparisons with other methods.