Rabin Tuladhar

Numerical modelling and full-scale testing of concrete piles under lateral loading *

Full-scale lateral loading tests were carried out on hollow-pre-cast-pre-stressed concrete piles embedded into the ground. The results from the tests were used as the basis for the analysis where soil was modelled as 20-node solid elements; and for the modelling of piles comparison was done between 3-node beam elements and 20-node solid elements. It showed that the 3-node beam element modelling for pile largely underestimates its lateral capacity. The 20-node solid element modelling can, however, accurately simulate the experimental results when interface element between pile and soil, and the degradation of shear stiffness of soil in cyclic loading is considered.