Analysis of Deformation of Vertically Loaded Piles

by Mark F. Randolph, (Univ. Asst. Lect., Cambridge Univ., Cambridge, England) and C. Peter
Wroth, (Reader in Soil Mechanics, Cambridge Univ., Cambridge, England)
Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering Division, Vol. 104, No. 12, December 1978, pp. 14651488
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Abstract:

Journal Paper
An approximate closed-form solution has been obtained to the problem of a
vertically loaded pile in a linear elastic soil. This solution has been derived by
uncoupling the load-transfer for the pile into separate shaft and base components.
Throughout the development of the analysis, well-proven numerical techniques
have been used to verify that the assumptions made are reasonable. The final form
of the solution gives the load-settlement ratio of the pile in terms of the pile
geometry and stiffness and soil stiffness. The analysis has been used to backanalyze pile tests, enabling immediate estimates of the soil stiffness profile to be
made from the measured load-settlement curve of the pile. The application of the
method to pile design is demonstrateddesign curves being sketched for piles of
different geometries in two typical soft clay deposits.

Title:
STATIC AND DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF PILE FOUNDATIONS

Accession Number:
00208470

Record Type:
Component

Abstract:
ANALYSIS OF PILE FOUNDATIONS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY CALCULATION OF THE
STIFFNESS COEFFICIENTS. PILING LOADS AND DEFLECTIONS CAN BE DETERMINED,
AS WELL AS THE PRINCIPAL FREQUENCIES. AXIAL AND TORSIONAL ELASTIC

CONSTANTS FOR A PILE MAY BE ADJUSTED TO THE PHYSICAL PROBLEM. THE

TORSIONAL CONSTANT HAS NEGLIGIBLE EFFECT AND MAY USUALLY BE NEGLECTED.
THE ELASTIC CONSTANTS DEPENDENT ON BENDING MAY BE DERIVED IN SEVERAL
WAYS INCLUDING TESTS OR PHYSICAL MODELS BASED ON AN ASSUMED BEHAVIOR
OF THE SYSTEM SUCH AS: A SEMI-INFINTE BEAM ON AN ELASTIC FOUNDATION, A
FREE CANTILEVER FIXED AT AN ASSUMED DEPTH, OR AS A FREE CANTILEVER FIXED
TO A SEMI- INFINITE BEAM ON AN ELASTIC FOUNDATION. THE STIFFNESS INFLUENCE
COEFFICIENTS MAY BE FORMED FROM SIMPLE MATRICES DEFINING ELASTIC
CONSTANTS AND POSITION OR FROM A LIST OF EQUATIONS. /ASCE/

Supplemental Notes:
Vol 94, No ST 5, PP 1077-1100, 7 FIG, 6 TAB, 28 REF, 4 APP

Authors:
Saul, W E

Publication Date:
1968-5

Serial:
Journal of the Structural Division

Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers

TRT Terms:
Bending; Cantilevers; Compliance constant; Deflection; Foundations; Loads;
Matrices (Mathematics); Piles (Supports); Stiffness; Structural analysis; Torsion

Uncontrolled Terms:
Loading

Subject Areas:
Bridges and other structures; Highways

Files:
TRIS

Trochanis A, Bielak J, Christiano P. Simplified model for analysis of one or two piles. J Geotech Eng ASCE
1994;120:30829

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Cited By

Gazetas, G. and Dobry, R. (1984). Horizontal Response of Piles in Layered Soils. J.

Geotech. Engrg., 110(1), 2040.
TECHNICAL PAPERS

Horizontal Response of Piles in Layered Soils

Article History
Published: 01 January 1984
Publication Data
ISSN (print): 0733-9410
ISSN (online): 1944-8368
Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
George Gazetas1 and Ricardo Dobry, Members, ASCE2
1

Assoc. Prof. of Civ. Engrg., Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, N.Y. 12181

Prof. of Civ. Engrg., Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, N.Y. 12181

An inexpensive and realistic procedure is developed for estimating the lateral dynamic stiffness
and damping of flexible piles embedded in arbitrarily layered soil deposits. Starting point is the
determination of the pile deflection profile for a static force at the top using any reasonable
methodbeamonWinkler foundation, finite elements, wellinstrumented pile load tests in the

field, etc. Material as well as radiation damping due to waves emanating at different depths from
the pilesoil interface are rationally taken into account; the overall equivalent damping at the top
of the pile is then obtained as a function of frequency by means of a suitable energy relationship.
The method is applied to study the dynamic behavior of three different piles embedded in two
idealized and one actual layered soil deposit; the results of the method, obtained by hand
computations, compare favorably with the results of three dimensional dynamic finite element
analyses.
Permalink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1984)110:1(20)
ASCE Subject Headings: Piles, Lateral loads, Vibration, Layered soils, Damping,
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