Estimation of ultimate lateral load capacity of piles in sands using calibration chamber tests

Current practice for the estimation of the ultimate lateral load capacity of piles is typically based on the vertical effective stress σv, while the effect of the lateral effective stress σh is not specifically considered. In the present study, calibration chamber lateral pile load tests are conducted to investigate the load response and ultimate lateral load capacity H _u of laterally loaded piles under various soil and stress conditions. In order to determine Hu from load-deflection curves, different criteria are explored and analyzed. From the test results, it is shown that H _u increases significantly with increasing σh for a given σv. It is also found that lateral deflection of pile at ultimate state tends to increase as the relative density and lateral stress increase. On the basis of the test results, the lateral stress correction factor reflecting the effect of the lateral effective stress σh on H _u is proposed. From the test results, it is seen that the proposed procedure using the lateral stress correction factor produces more realistic estimation of H _u. Case examples are selected from the literature and used to compare results measured and predicted using the proposed approach.