RANDOLPH,
M. F. & HOWBY, G. T. (1984). G&echnique 34, No. 4, 613623
The limiting pressure on a circular pile loaded laterally in
cohesive soil
M. F. RANDOLPH*
In the analysis of the undrained loading of laterally
loaded piles an important quantity is the ultimate
lateral resistance at depth to purely horizontal move-
ment. If the soil is modelled as a perfectly plastic
cohesive material then the calculation of this quantity
reduces to a plane strain problem in plasticity theory,
in which the load is calculated on a long cylinder
which moves laterally through an infinite medium. An
exact calculation of the load on such a cylinder is
presented. If this load is non-dimensionalized with
respect to the soil strength and the diameter of the
pile, it is found that the load factor varies between
6 + 7~ for a perfectly smooth pile and 4J2+ 2~ for a
perfectly rough pile. This result is discussed in the
context of previous calculations for the lateral load
capacity of piles and is compared with approximate
calculations using cavity expansion theory and a wedge
failure near the soil surface.
La resistance laterale limite en profondeur au seul
mouvement horizontal represente un parambtre im-
portant de l’analyse du chargement non-drain6 des
pieux charges lateralement. Si le sol est modelist
comme une materiau coherent parfaitement plastique
le calcul de ce parametre devient un probleme de
deformation plane dam la thkorie de la plasticite, dans
laquelle la charge se calcule sur un long cylindre qui se
deplace lattralement dans un milieu infini. L’article
presente un calcul prtcis de la charge dun tel cylindre.
Si cette charge est rendue sans dimensions eu Bgard a
la resistance du sol et du diametre du pieu on trouve
que le facteur de chargement varie entre 6 + m pour un
pieu parfaitement lisse et 4J2+2n pour un pieu par-
faitement rugueux. L’article discute ce resultat dans le
contexte des calculs precedents de la capacite de
chargement des pieux et le compare avec des calculs
approximatifs employant la theorie de l’expansion des
cavitb et un coin de rupture prb de la surface du sol.
NOTATION
a pile adhesion
C shear strength
undrained shear strength
C"
d pile diameter 2r0
G shear modulus
Pa atmospheric pressure
Discussion on this Paper closes on 1 April 1985. For
further details see inside back cover.
* Cambridge University Engineering Department.
t Department of Engineering Science, Oxford Univer-
sity.
613
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and G. T. HOULSBY?
limiting pressure in pressuremeter
test
radius of curvature of curved
characteristic
pile radius
velocities in x, y directions
velocity of pile in y direction
Cartesian coordinates
ale
angle of major principal stress di-
rection to x axis
arcsin (Y
subsidiary angle on Mohr’s circle
for stress discontinuity
inclination of stress discontinuity to
x axis
angles specifying characteristics
distance from pile to discontinuity
mean stress
mean stress on x = 0
in situ horizontal, vertical stress
stresses in Cartesian coordinates
n/4- A/2
INTRODUCTION
The failure load of a laterally loaded pile was
first treated in detail by Broms (1964). Different
mechanisms of failure were identified, depend-
ing on the relative length of the pile, the plastic
moment of the pile section and the strength of
the soil. A key quantity in the published solu-
tions was the limiting pressure (or force per unit
length on the pile) which the soil was assumed to
apply. For cohesive soil Broms assumed a limit-
ing pressure of 9c,, where c, is the undrained
shear strength of the soil. Close to the ground
surface this value was reduced to allow for the
different mode of deformation in that region.
The value 9c, was largely empirical and no
theoretical justification was attempted.
In this Paper classical plasticity theory is used
to derive exact solutions for the limiting lateral
resistance of a circular pile in cohesive soil. In
classical plasticity two approaches may be used to
estimate collapse loads. In the first, the lower
bound approach, a stress distribution is assumed
in the soil, in equilibrium with a given applied
 614 RANDOLPH AND HOULSBY
Fig. 1. HorizontaI section through the pile
load. Provided that the stress field does not
contravene the failure criterion, the applied load
will be less than or equal to the true collapse
load. In the other approach, a failure mechanism
is postulated and the collapse load estimated by
equating the rate of dissipation of energy within
the deforming soil mass to the work done by the
external load. In this approach the estimated
load will be an upper bound to the true collapse
load.
Most engineers will be familiar with examples,
such as the calculation of the bearing capacity of
a strip footing, where the two approaches de-
scribed above yield the same collapse load,
which must necessarily be the true collapse load.
In other applications the best lower bound is less
than the best upper bound solution, and a meas-
ure of uncertainty will exist as to the precise
collapse load. An example of a case such as this
has been published by Davis, Gunn, Mair &
Seneviratne (1981) in connection with the col-
lapse of tunnels in soft clay.
It should be emphasized that the solutions
developed here are based on a rigid, perfectly
plastic response of the soil, with a shear strength
c independent of the current (total) stress level.
In accordance with the associated flow rule, the
soil is assumed to deform at constant volume.
The problem is shown diagrammatically in
Fig. 1, which shows a horizontal section through
a vertical pile. Right-handed Cartesian axes are
used, with the centre of the pile taken as the
origin. The radius of the pile is rO, and the
velocity of the pile is u0 in the direction of the y
axis. Velocities of the soil in the x and y direc-
tions are u and u respectively.
LOWER BOUND SOLUTION
As already stated, a lower bound on the loads
which will cause collapse of a body of perfectly
plastic material with an associated flow rule may
be obtained by finding a set of stresses which are
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in equilibrium with the applied loads but do not
violate the yield criterion for the material. In
seeking a lower bound solution, a stress field is
sought which, while satisfying these criteria,
maximizes the applied loads.
Several different stress fields could be studied
to obtain lower bounds, but only one lower
bound is presented here, since an upper bound
has also been obtained which yields the same
solution, i.e. the lower bound presented here is
exact. Although there is no necessity to explain
how this particular lower bound is derived, since
the final result suffices to establish the limiting
load, it is useful to examine the process by which
this solution is arrived at.
In studying plastically deforming cohesive ma-
terials it is usual to work in terms of the charac-
teristics, or slip lines, which are the planes on
which the shear stress takes its maximum value.
The two sets of characteristics form an or-
thogonal net, and many properties of charac-
teristic nets are amply discussed elsewhere (see
for example Hill, 1951). It will be assumed that
the reader is familiar with their use.
Some preliminary statements may now be
made about the characteristic mesh.
As the pile is pushed laterally through the
soil, a region of high mean stress will occur in
front of the pile and of low stress behind the
pile. The soil will flow around the pile from
front to back. By symmetry the plane x =0
through the centre of the pile parallel to the
direction of motion will be a plane of principal
stress, and characteristics will intesect it at 45”.
It may also be argued that the plane y = 0
through the centre of the pile perpendicular to
the direction of motion will be a plane of sym-
metry for the characteristic mesh. This is be-
cause, for a problem with symmetric geometry,
the equations for a cohesive material have sym-
metries such that a symmetric mesh of charac-
teristics will represent either a local maximum or
minimum value for the lower bound. For in-
stance the collapse load for a plane strain foot-
ing involves a characteristic mesh which is sym-
metric about a vertical line through the corner
of the footing. In fact the maximum is most
likely, and it is assumed that this will also be the
case here. The plane y = 0 may be either a
principal stress plane or a characteristic. How-
ever, the interface between the deforming and
non-deforming regions must be a characteristic,
and this interface must be perpendicular to x =
0, so that the plane y = 0 must therefore be a
characteristic.
One characteristic (y = 0) is thus straight,
which leads to the important conclusion that all
other members of this family of characteristics
 LIMITING PRESSURE ON A CIRCULAR PILE 615

a characteristic at n/4- A/2 to the pile will be a

Fig. 2. MOWS drde for stress at the pile surface
are also straight (from Hencky’s second
theorem) within a certain range.
If the adhesion a at the pile-soil interface is
taken as a constant factor of the soil cohesion
a = (YC (0 <OL< 1) then the inclination of a
characteristic to the pile surface is a/4- A/2
where sin A = CY= a/c (see Fig. 2 for Mohr’s
circle for stress at the pile). The mesh of charac-
teristics may now be built up. Between y = 0 and
fan of angle n/4+ A/2 (EQC in Fig. 3). Straight
characteristics will then intersect with the pile at
a/4 - A/2 on the section QF until a characteristic
FA at 45” to the x and y axes is reached. This
characteristic and its mirror image then enclose
a small ‘triangular’ zone AFF’ (one side is
curved) which remains rigidly attached to the
pile. Within this zone the full adhesion is not
mobilized at the pile surface.
Having determined one set of characteristics
the other family may readily be established (see
Fig. 3), but the value of the lower bound load
does not depend on the details of the geometry
of the second set of characteristics. In the fan
zone EQC they form circular arcs, in CQFA
they are a form of involute and both sets of
characteristics are straight in AFF’.
The mean stresses on the characteristics may
be determined as follows: (TVon QE (where u0 is
taken as a reference value), u,+2cB, between
QE and QC (see Fig. 4 for the definition of &),
u. + c(‘FF/~+ A) + 2~0, between QC and FA (see

Fig. 3. Geometry of the characteristic mesh

Fig. 4. Defomtation mechanism

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 616 FANDOLPH AND HOULSBY

x [I-sin ($)I

+cr,[2cos (t)-(n-A)sin ($)I

=u”r,,[l-sin(g)]+crO[2cos ($)+;+A

+cosA-($+cosA)sin($] (3)

(d) The normal stress component on FA: the

normal stress is given by u,+3nc/2 so the
force is given by

(uo+F) J2r,sin ($) $

9.01 t
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
a = a/c
. A 3.7~
= uoro sm -2 +yr,sin
0
Fig. 5. inP/cd with a=a/c
Variation
Fig. 4 for 0,) and uO+ 3nc/2 between AF and When totalling the forces on each of the four
the pile. quadrants it will be observed that whereas all
Making use of the two axes of symmetry, the the terms in c are additive those in a,, cancel (so
lower bound collapse load is calculated by con- that the mean stress has no effect on the failure
sidering only the first quadrant of the pile. The load for the pile). The final failure load P per
load on the pile is calculated by considering the unit length of pile is therefore given by
component of force in the y direction transmit-
ted across the discontinuous surface QFA in Fig.
3. The force is made up of normal and shear
stress components on each of the sections QF A
and FA. The position along QF is given by the
angle 8, in Fig. 3. The terms to be determined
+n+26+2cosA-(3n+2cosA)sin
0
5

are as follows.
(a) The shear stress component on QF, given by
A
a/2-d/2
A z

I0
c sin A cos B,r, dOI = cr, sin A cos
0 -
2
A
0

(b) The shear stress component on FA, given by

(1) +4cos
0
-2 -2cosAsin

P
A 1 A -=n+2A+lcosA+4[cos(:)+sin(i)]
c J2r,sin
0 -
2
-=
J2
cr,sin -
02
(2) cd
(5)
(c) The normal stress component on QF: the
where d is the pile diameter. The function P/cd
mean stress on characteristic QC is aO+
varies in value from 6 + n at A = 0 to 4J2+ 271
2c(n/4+4/2) = a,+c(n/2+A). The normal
at A = n/2 (i.e. approximately from 9.14 to
stress on the pile at Q is therefore o,,+
11.94). A graph of the function is given in Fig. 5
c(n/2 + A) + c cos A, and the normal stress at
and is tabulated to three decimal places for
a general point on QF given by coordinate
various values of cy in Table 1.
O1 is uO+c(rr/2+A)+c cosd +2c0,. The
The lower bound solution is not complete
component of the force is therefore given by
unless it can be extended throughout the soil
7r,2~*,2 mass. The detailed mathematics of an extension
[u,,+ c(n/2+A +cos A +2&)] sin O,rOdO, of the stress field to infinity is given in Appendix
I0
1. The extension makes use of a stress discon-
tinuity between a region of soil within which the
=u,r,[l-sin ($)I + cr,,(T/2 + A + cos A)
yield condition is satisfied and a region in which

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 LIMITING PRESSURE 3N A CIRCULAR PILE 617

the shear stresses are less than those required to
cause yield. It is emphasized that the stress field
given in Appendix 1 need not be the actual
stress field: it is sufficient for a lower bound
solution to find any distribution of stresses which
is in equilibrium and does not exceed the yield
condition.
UPPER BOUND SOLUTION
The first stage in the calculation of an upper
bound collapse load is to postulate a failure
mechanism and associated velocity field. For
closely bracketed upper and lower bounds, the
velocity field will show strong similarities to the
field of characteristics obtained from the lower
bound solution. This is the case here, as may be
seen from Fig. 4, which shows the postulated
failure mechanism. Fourfold symmetry exists in
the deformation pattern and so only the first
quadrant will be discussed. Five separate regions
may be identified.
(a) A rieid zone exists between AF and the
pile;-this zone will move with the same
velocity as the pile.
(b) AECHGF is a fan shear zone where the
current centre for the fan moves gradually
around the edge of the pile; the curved
velocity characteristics follow the same
shape as the stress characteristics in the
lower bound solution.
(cl CDEJIH is a fan shear zone, centred on Q.
(4 FGHLQK is a wedge of diffusely shearing
material, similar to a fan shear zone, but
where a transverse velocity gradient exists
along the straight lines such as GK.
(e) HIJNQL consists of a series of concentric
cylindrical shells, centred at Q, which rotate
relative to each other with the angular veloc-
ity decreasing with increasing radius.
It is convenient to define the geometry of the
deformation in terms of the three angles &,
defining a particular curved velocity characteris-
tic, and O2 and t13 defining particular straight
characteristics (see Fig. 4). For given values of
8i and o2 (where 0 < & < &), it can be shown
that the radius of curvature of the curved
characteristic in the region FGHLQK is
r = ro[(8, - e,) cos 44+ sin $1 (6)
where t/~ = n/4- A/2. The radius of curvature of
the characteristics outside this region may easily
be deduced from this expression.
The velocity diagram is shown in Fig. 6. The
absolute forward velocity of the pile is uO,while
the absolute velocities of elements of soil at
locations marked by upper case letters in Fig. 4
are denoted by the corresponding lower case
letters. Note that the soil element at Q is statio-
nary in space, although the pile at this point
moves past the soil at velocity uO. The relative
velocity along each of the straight characteristics
is zero, while the tangential velocity round each
curved characteristic is given by v, = v,l./2 out-
side FGHIJ and u,= vosin B,/cos J, inside
FGHIJ, where v0 is the forward velocity of the
pile. A velocity jump therefore occurs along
FGHIJ (where & = ~r/2- A/2) and it is necessary
to denote the corresponding points on the veloc-
ity diagram just inside this boundary by the
primed letters (f’, g’ etc.). The size of the veloc-
ity jump is Av, = v,[cos (A/2) set + - l/h]. The
relative velocity between the pile and the soil
along FKQ is equal to u,(cos 8, + tan $ sin 0,).
The details of the summation of the various
terms in the work equation for the upper bound

Table 1. Values of P/cd

cx Pled

0.0 9.142
0.1 9.527
0.2 9.886
0.3 10.220
0.4 10.531
0.5 10.820
0.6 11.088
0.7 11.336
0.8 11.563
0.9 11.767
1.0 11.940
Fig. 6. Vefocfty hodograph

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 618 RANDOLPH
calculation are given in Appendix 2, in which
the following upper bound is derived:
P/cd = n + 24 + 4 cos $( J2 + sin 4) (7)
The angle $ is equal to n/4- A/2, and the above
expression is identical with that obtained previ-
ously from the lower bound approach when the
substitution for J, is made. The expression thus
represents the exact solution.
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
Examples of the meshes of slip lines, which
show the extent of the deforming zone, are
given in Figs 7 and 8 for the extreme cases
a = O-0 (smooth pile) and a = 1-O (fully rough
pile). It can be seen that the higher resistance on
the rough pile is due to the significantly larger
deforming region.
The force P per unit length of the pile ranges
from (6+rr)cd = 9.14cd for a smooth pile up to
(4J2+2n)cd = lle94cd for a perfectly rough
pile. Fig. 5 shows the variation in P/cd with the
adhesion ratio (Y= a/c. Previous estimates of the
limiting resistance of a laterally loaded pile have
been based on a square idealization of the pile
cross-section. Poulos & Davis (1980) quote
limits for a square pile, pushed parallel to a
diagonal of P/cd = 2( 1 + n) = 8.28 for a smooth
square and P/cd = 2 + 37~= 11.14 for a perfectly
rough pile (with d as the length of the pile
diagonal). These values are lower than for the
circumscribing circular pile.
For most engineering purposes the simple for-
mula P = 9 + 3a provides a very adequate linear
fit to the curve, although clearly more accurate
straight line approximations could be chosen.
It may be seen that the common value
adopted for the limiting resistance of 9.0cd
(after Broms, 1964) falls just below the exact
solution for a smooth pile. From the analytical
Fig. 7. Example of a characteristic mesh at cy = 0.0
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AND HOULSBY
results, a value nearer lO.Scd (corresponding to
a= 0.4) might seem more appropriate. This
value corresponds to that suggested by Reese
(1958) from physical arguments of possible
stress states around a laterally loaded pile. How-
ever, it must be borne in mind that the model of
soil behaviour adopted for the analysis is ideal.
No allowance has been made for possible
breakaway of soil at the back of the pile, or even
of the possible influence of elastic deformation
of the soil on the limiting resistance. Although it
is sometimes accepted that within small strain
theory the elastic properties do not affect the
collapse load, the elastic deformation of the soil
can influence the collapse load when the plastic
region is fully confined by unyielding material.
The collapse of an expanding cylindrical cavity is
a classic example, in which a rigid-plastic mater-
ial would fail at an infinite internal pressure,
whereas a finite collapse load may be calculated
for an elastic-plastic material (Gibson & Ander-
son, 1961). These effects may best be quantified
by viewing the lateral loading of a pile as similar
to a pressuremeter test (Baguelin, Jezequel &
Shields, 1978).
Swain (1976) reports tests on deeply embed-
ded strip anchors. The tests showed that, during
early movement of the anchors, deformation of
the surrounding soil corresponded closely to the
expansion of a cylindrical cavity in front of the
anchor and a collapse of a cylindrical cavity
behind the anchor. At later stages, a rupture
mechanism formed, with flow of soil around the
anchor. A simple approximate calculation will
now be presented, based on the observation of a
mechanism of cavity expansion in front of the
pile.
When a pile is loaded laterally, it is reasona-
ble to assume that the pressure in front of the
Fig. 8. Example of a characteristic mesh at 01= 1.0
 LIh4lTING PRESSURE
pile may increase from the in situ horizontal
stress level crhOup to the limit pressure p1 ob-
tainable from a pressuremeter test. Behind the
pile, the stresses will decrease. The lowest value
obtainable under undrained conditions corres-
ponds to a suction of one atmosphere pa
(approximately 100 kN/m’), after which presum-
ably cavitation occurs and a gap forms between
the soil and the pile. After breakaway the pres-
sure behind the pile will reduce to zero, or, if
there is free water available, to the ambient pore
pressure uO. At the sides of the pile some shear-
ing resistance may be mobilized (see Fig. 3).
Typically this resistance may be estimated as of
the order of l.Ocd (although this is merely an
estimate of the order of magnitude of this quan-
tity) .
Thus the ultimate force per unit length resist-
ing the pile will lie between (pl+pa+c)d and
(pl - u0 + c)d. From analyses of the pressureme-
ter test the limiting pressure may be written as
p,=a,,,+c[ln(G/c)+l]
where G is the shear modulus of the soil. For
typical values of G/c this expression gives p1 =
crh0+6c (e.g. Marsland & Randolph, 1977).
Substituting for p1 the ultimate resistance may
be bracketed by
(rhd+7<9<_
UhO + Pa
+7
C C
(Note that the first term involves the effective
stress.) For normally or lightly overconsolidated
clay, the ratio of a,,‘/~ will typically be around
2.0. Thus the lower limit corresponds to the
result for a smooth pile using plasticity theory.
For short-term loading, pore pressures below
ambient level are likely to exist behind a later-
ally loaded pile, implying that the solution de-
rived in the first part of this Paper is relevant,
giving an ultimate resistance which is compara-
ble with or lower than that estimated from cav-
ity expansion considerations.
For stiff, overconsolidated clay, the ratio
uhO’/cwill be considerably lower and may be as
low as O-5 at shallow depths. Even allowing for
suction between the pile and the soil the ulti-
mate resistance may be below 9.0cd. Thus, for
such soils, the ultimate resistance calculated
from cavity expansion considerations may be
lower than that calculated from plasticity theory.
The final consideration concerns the low resis-
tance near ground level due to a wedge type of
failure in front of the pile. At the ground sur-
face, a passive pressure of 2c in front of the pile
together with some allowance for side shear
implies an ultimate resistance of approximately
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ON A CIRCULAR PILE 619
3*0cd. A critical question is then to what depth
does the wedge-type failure extend. Reese
(1958) considered the failure of a 45” wedge in
front of the pile and derived an expression for
the ultimate resistance of the pile at depth z of
P = cd(2 + yz/c + 2,/2z/d) (10)
although a more rigorous approach would give
(2\/2+$)
5 2+=$+; (11)
where yz is the total overburden pressure (this
should be replaced by y’z where free water is
available to flow into any gap forming behind
the pile). An allowance for additional shear on
the pile sides may contribute an additional
quantity of the order of cd. Subsequent field
tests (Reese, Cox & Koop, 1975) showed that
Reese’s expression overestimated measured ulti-
mate resistances by a factor of about 1.7. Com-
(8) paring equations (9) and (10) and allowing for
the factor of 1.7, the ultimate resistance given
by equation (10) starts to exceed that estimated
from equation (9) at depths of about 3 diameters.
In soft clay, Matlock (1970) has presented
experimental results which indicate that the last
term in equation (10) is too high and should be
replaced by 1.52/d. However, in normally or
(9)
lightly overconsolidated clay the term yz/c will
dominate, lying typically in the range 5-10.
Again within about 3 pile diameters the ultimate
resistance given by equation (10) will start to
exceed that given by equation (9) or by plasticity
theory.
In summary, the following expressions may be
tentatively suggested:
(a) shallow depths (wedge failure)
P/cd = 2+ u,,Jc + 1.5z/d (12)
(b) cavity expansion
P/cd = 7 + a,Jc (13)
(c) plasticity theory (flow around pile)
P/cd = 10.5 (14)
When the piles are under water, the total stres-
ses oVOand oh0 should be replaced by effective
stresses. As is customary with any collapse prob-
lem where different failure mechanisms are
anticipated, the above expressions should be
plotted with depth and the lowest value taken at
any particular depth.
 620 RANDOLPH AND HOULSBY

out the soil mass without violating the yield condition.

The extension of the stress field in one quadrant on1
is considered here; similar extensions apply in each _
the other three quadrants. The method used is very
similar to that given by Shield (1954) for the problem
of the rigid flat plane strain punch. The solution
involves the introduction of a stress discontinuity
ATUV shown in Fig. 9.
Below the curve ATUV the stresses at a point such
as R or S are given simply by the values at the
appropriate 03 or 81 values within the deforming zone
(Fig. 9) and may be expressed as

a,,=a+ccos(2P) (15)
uy,,=a-ccos(28) (16)

rxy = c sin (26) (17)

where V, the mean stress, is given by

a=a,+2c0, O<f33<;+; (18)

Ffg. 9. Extensfon of the stress field using a discon-

tinldly rr=c0+2c(;+;+e,) ocB,<;-; (19)

REFERENCES and 6, the angle between the direction of the major

Baguelin, F., Jezequel, J. F., & Shields, D. H. (1978). principal stress and the x axis, is given by
The pressuremeter and foundation engineering,
Clausthal: Trans. Tech.
Broms, B. B. (1964). Lateral resistance of piles in
cohesive soils. J. Soil Mech. Fdns Div. Am. Sot.
Ciu. Engrs 90, SM2, 2743. /3=e1+; O<B,<~-~
2 2
(21)
Davis, E. H., Gunn, M. J., Mair, R. J. & Seneviratne,
H. N. (1980). The stability of shallow tunnels and Above the curve ATUV the stresses are such that the
underground openings in cohesive material. principal stresses are parallel to the x and y axes (the
Giotechnique 30, No. 4, 397-416. major principal stress being in the x direction near to
Gibson, R. E. & Anderson, W. F. (1961). In situ the discontinuity), and cxxx is a function of y only and
measurement of soil properties with a pressure- oyv a function of x only. Thus the stresses automati-
meter. Civ. Engng Pub. Wks Rev. 56, 615. cally obey the equilibrium equations. At some point X
Hill, R. (1951). The mathematical theory of plasticity, in Fig. 9
London: Oxford University Press.
Marsland, A. & Randolph, M. F. (1977). Comparison ~xxtx)= U~XXCU, (22)
of the results from pressuremeter tests and large in
situ plate tests in London Clay. Ggotechnique 27, UYV
(X1= o,,<n (23)
No. 2, 217-243.
7xv(X1= 0 (24)
Matlock, H. (1970). Correlations for design of later-
ally loaded piles in soft clay, 2nd Annu. Offshore The stress jump across the discontinuity ATUV is
Technology Conf., Houston. determined by these conditions and also the condition
Poulos, H. G. & Davis, E. H. (1980). Pile foundation
that the stresses just above ATUV satisfy the yield
analysis and design, New York: Wiley.
condition. Mohr’s circles on the discontinuity are thus
Reese, L. C. (1958). Discussion on McClelland and
as in Fig. 10, where X, and Y, give the stresses in the
Focht, Trans. Am. Sot. Civ. Engrs 123, 1071- x and y directions below the discontinuity and X, and
1074.
Y2 the stresses above the discontinuity. The angle
Reese, L. C., Cox, W. R., & Koop, F. D. (1975). Field
between the discontinuity and the x axis is 7 and it is
testing of laterally loaded piles in stiff clay, 7th
convenient also to introduce the angle E.
Annu. mshore Technology Conf., Houston 2,671-
From the geometry of Fig. 10 it should be noted
690.
that by considering angles Y&U and Y,X,U
Swain, A. (1976). Model ground anchors in clay. PhD
Thesis, University of Cambridge. 7F-E=2q (25)
APPENDIX 1. EXTENSION OF THE STRESS FIELD and by considering angles UC,X, and UP,X, that
INTO THE RIGID ZONE
The lower bound solution for the stress is not com- 7r-e-22p=2 t-7
plete unless the stress field can be extended through- ( )

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 LIMITING PRESSURE ON A CIRCULAR PILE 621

Thus or

(27) uvv =a,+2~o,+2~ c0~ (38)

The geometry of the discontinuity must now be

considered. Examining Fig. 11, consider two straight
characteristics KU and YZ at tii and O,+dO,, ending
The coordinate of the point U on the discontinuity on the segment of discontinuity UZ. Let the distance
may be conveniently specified by either the angle KU be p and YZ be p + dp. The geometry of the figure
01(7r/2 - A/2 P B, P 0) or the angle 13s (n/4 + A/2 & &, 3 determines that (ignoring quantities which are second-
0) together with the distance from the pile p. In terms order small)
of Oi or 0s in the appropriate ranges
dp=-r,dB,cos f-t -pdO,tan n-13,+:-$
( ) ( )
(2% (39)
For convenience the angle ~/4-A/2 will be denoted
or by $I. This expression results in the differential equa-
= 03 tion
(30)
q=i+T dp !$+$
-=-r,coscl,-pcot (40)
E 2-@,__ A (311
de, ( )
2 2 which must be solved subject to the boundary condi-
tion p = r0 J2 sin (A/2) at 0, = n/2- A/2. The solution
or
3Tr to the equation is
E =--es (32)
4
2psina(:+t)-J2r,sin($+r,cos$
Noting then that, if the mean stress just below the

)I
discontinuity is a, the stresses just above the discon- A
tinuity are f3,+~ =o (41)
(
oxx =U-2CCOSE+C (33) For characteristics in the range specified by 8,
rather than 8, the simpler equation
oYv =cr-2ccosE-C (341

Thus in terms of fli or O3 in the appropriate ranges dp = -p de, tan (q - 03 (42)

applies, which rearranges to

(=03)
o,,=o,+2c(i+$+Oi)-2csin(B,+$)+c
dp
(351 r= -p tan 8-2 (43)
3
or

uxx =00+2co,+2c cos $+e, +c

( )

ovv =n,+2c(~+~+Oi)-2csin (Or++)-c

(37)

Y P

Fig. 10. MOWS tide on the discontinoity Ffg.11.DetaiIedgeomelryofthedisco~~tfmfiy

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 622 RANDOLPH AND HOULSBY

Noting that at 8, = 0, 6, = n/4 + A/2 and APPENDIX 2. CALCULATION OF DISSIPATION

RATES FOR THE UPPER BOUND
To carry out the upper bound calculation the dissi-
pated work in each of the deforming regions and on
each velocity discontinuity must be calculated. In each

( )I1
A
+I-sin 5 of the regions the rate of dissipation may be calculated
by integrating the product of the shear strength c and
the solution to the differential equation is the shear strain rate 9 over the area of the region. At
a velocity discontinuity this reduces to the product of
the shear strength, the relative velocity Au and the
length of the discontinuity. Referring to Fig. 4 the
rates of dissipation AW are as follows:
(45) For interface AF

A A
Note that this results in p = m at OS= ~14, n = n/4, so AW=cs J2r,sin 2 =cv,r,sin 5 (54)
that the discontinuity asymptotically approaches a 0 0
slope of n/4 and the stress solution below the discon-
For interface ABC
tinuity extends infinitely outwards for Oa=Z7~14.
The magnitudes of the stresses above the discon- lr,z-A,2
tinuity must now be evaluated. It may easily be shown AW=cs o r dO, (55)
I
that both on and eYyvdecrease monotonically as 8,
reduces from n/2-6/2 to zero and continue to de- where
crease monotonically as 6s decreases from n/4+4/2
(at f3i = 0) to n/4. The extreme values of the stresses
r=r,[J2sin ($)+sin$+(F-+--r%a)coS$] (56)
are therefore given by the following values: at 8, =
n/2 - A/2
Thus
a,, = CT”+ 3nc/2 - c (46)
avv = o. + 3?rc/2 - 3c (47) AW=cuora{g-$)[sin (;)+?I
and at OS= n/4
++2 (;+ $1 (571
ox, =a,+nc/2+c (4%

crYV=a,+nc/2-c (49) For interface CDE

At any given x coordinate aYY is constant and it is n/4+4,2
clear that the stress difference a, -avY decreases AW=cs r de, (581
monotonically with increasing y from the maximum b
value of 2c on the discontinuity ATUV. The minimum where
value will therefore occur at n = m, at which point
0xX = eD + nc/2 + c. The most critical value of this ex- r=r~IJ2sin(~)+~-~)cos$) (59)
treme occurs at x = 0, where ovv = o,, + 3?rc/2- 3c, so
that Thus
(Uxxx- ayJmin = --7Fc + 2c > -2c (50)

so that the yield condition is not violated in the region AW=cv,r~{(~+$)[sin($)+(~-$)F]) (60)
above the discontinuity.
This discussion has been entirely in terms of the For interface FGH
two-dimensional stress system in the x, y plane. The
yield and equilibrium conditions must be satisfied in
the real three-dimensional space. These conditions AW=cv,[cos(~)cos~-$][‘2A’2rd02 (61)
may be satisfied by the trivial relations

CT,, = (a, + oJ/2 (511 where

ry. = 0 (52) r=r,[sin$+(-&B,)cos$] (62)

rz, = 0 (531
Thus
where the z axis is parallel to the axis of the pile.

Reference AW=cu,r,[cos ($)-?I[(;-$)

Shield, R. T. (1954). Plastic potential theory and

)I
Prandtl bearing capacity solution. J. Appl. Mech. 17~ A*
XtanJ,+2 2-2 (63
21, 193-194. (

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 LIMJTING PRESSURE ON A CIRCULAR PILE 623

For interface HIJ ThUS

?rw+A/2
A 1
AW=cv,
[
cos
02 sec$-5
IIo rd0, (64) Aw=,v,,r,[2cos(~)+[l-sin(4)]tan~

-(i-~)[2sin($+tan$cos(~)]

(65)
+; (;-;)zws (Z)} 02)
Thus
Internally for HIJNQL, in terms of the variable 0, the
radius r of each circular velocity characteristic is
AW=cvoro(~+~)(;-++-~] (66)
r@, cos +. The shear strain rate may be written in a
similar manner to before as
Internally for ACEJHF, the fan zone may be regarded
as a large number of small velocity discontinuities of
magnitude (v,/./2) d0, the length of each discontinuity (73)
being J2r,, sin (A/2). Thus
344
The element of area dA is rOcos $ d0,r de,. Thus the
dissipation is
A W = cyg,, sin i d0 = cuOrO$sin 4
()I n 0
(67) AW=c
For interface FKQ
T/2-.4/z
AW=csinA (210cos 8,
I0
+ vOsin 8, tan #jr,, d0, (6% n/2-A/Z n,4+A/2

Thus
= cvoro
I
I, I
0
(sin e1 - 19~cos e,) de, de,
(741
AW=cu,r,sinA[cos(~)+tan~[l-sin(g)]] (69) Thus

Internally for FGHLQK, since the velocity along the AW=cv,r,(~+~)[2-2sin ($)-(z-$)cos (t)]
straight characteristics is zero, the shear strain rate 9
may be expressed in terms of the velocity v, along the (75)
curved characteristics as
The separate dissipation rates from the different
regions may now be summed to give the overall value
(70) (accounting for the fourfold symmetry) of

where v, = v,, sin 8,/cos $. The element of area defined A

W = 4cv,r, sin 2 +(2+sin Altos A+z+A
by small changes in 8, and O2 is dA = rOcos J, dO,r de, I 0
where r is the radius of curvature of the curved
characteristic. Thus the dissipation is +*an$(l+sinA)[l-sin($)]) (76)

This dissipation may be equated to the product of the

force P and the pile velocity v,,. Replacing the pile
d-A,2 e1
radius by half the diameter d the final expression for P
= cvoro
b d
-(e,-e,+tanIL)cose,]de,de,
[sin er
may be simplified to

P/cd = [n + 26 + 4 cos $(J2 + sin ~1)] (771

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