Bearing capacity of rigid piles under eccentric and inclined loads

G. G. MEYERHOF
AND V. V. R. N. SASTRY
Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Nova Scotia, Hal*, N.S., Canada B3J 2x4
Received August 29, 1984
Accepted March 8, 1985

The ultimate bearing capacity of instrumented vertical single rigid model piles in homogeneous loose sand and soft clay under
vertical eccentric and central inclined loads has been investigated. The results of these load tests provide a more realistic lateral
soil pressure distribution on the pile shaft and better theoretical estimates of pile capacity under pure moment and under horizontal
load. For intermediate eccentricities and inclinations of the load, the bearing capacity can be obtained from simple interaction
relationships between the axial load and moment capacities and between the axial and horizontal load capacities, respectively.
The influence of lateral soil pressures due to installation of displacement piles in clay is examined in relation to the ultimate load
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of the pile. The analyses are compared with the results of model tests and some field case records.
Key words: bearing capacity, clay, eccentric loading, horizontal load, instrumentation, model test, pile, sand.

La force portante h la rupture de pieux modtles isolCs, rigides, verticaux, placCs dans un sable ldche et une argile
molle homogtnes et soumis B des charges verticales excentrkes ou centrkes et inclintes, a CtC CtudiCe. Les rksultats
de ces essais de chargement foumissent une distribution plus rkaliste des pressions 1atCrales sur le fGt du pieu et une
meilleure Cvaluation thCorique de la capacitk portante du pieu soumis B des moments purs et h des charges horizontales. Pour
des valeurs intermkdiaires de l'excentricitk et de l'inclinaison de la charge, la force portante peut &treobtenue B partir de
simples relations d'interaction entre les capacitts axiales et de moment et entre les capacitks axiales et horizontales
respectivement. L'influence, sur la force portante d'un pieu h dkplacement, des pressions laterales produites par l'installation du
pieu dans le sol est examinee. Les analyses sont comparkes aux rCsultats d'essais sur modhles et B quelques donnkes de cas reels.
Mots clks: force portante, argile, charge excentrke, charge horizontale, instrumentation, essai sur modkle, pieu, sable.
[Traduit par la revue]
Can. Geotech. J. 22,267-276 (1985)
For personal use only.

Introduction Saturated clay of medium plasticity (liquid limit W, = 43%,

Pile foundations under bridges and offshore structures are plastic limit Wp = 21.3%) was used with an average water
often subjected to inclined loads and moments. The ultimate content W = 33%. The clay had a soft consistency with an
capacity of a pile in homogeneous soil when the pile head is average undrained shear strength c, = 15 kPa, as obtained from
subjected to a horizontal load or pure moment is obtained from the unconfined tests on samples cut from the test beds.
simplified assumptions of lateral soil pressure distribution on Pile data
the pile shaft (see, for example, Brinch Hansen 1961). The vertical smooth steel model pile, with an outside
The problem of ultimate pile capacity under eccentric diameter of 74 mm, a length of I100 mm, and a wall thickness
inclined loads for small noninstrumented piles jacked into of 7 mm, was split longitudinally and the two halves were held
homogeneous sand and clay has been recently presented together by equally spaced internal ring connectors. The pile
(Meyerhof et al. 1983; Meyerhof and Yalcin 1984). However, was instrumented with 18 pressure transducers, 9 on each half,
these tests provided neither the magnitude and distribution of spaced at 74- 148 mm, to measure the lateral soil pressure in the
lateral soil pressure on the pile shaft nor the magnitude and plane of loading. A load cell of 36 kN capacity was fixed to the
inclination of the base load, since only the total failure load at pile base. The load applied to the pile head was measured by a
the top of pile was measured. From preliminary tests on a rigid proving ring. A loading arm consisting of a rigid steel box
instrumented pile buried in sand and subjected to central section 100 mm X 150 mm was firmly bolted to the pile cap to
inclined loads, the distribution of lateral soil pressure on the pile facilitate eccentric loading (Fig. 1).
shaft was determined (Chari and Meyerhof 1983).
In continuation of these investigations, the present tests have Test details
been carried out on a fully instrumented rigid model pile jacked The sand was placed in a corrugated steel drum of about 1 m
into homogeneous sand and clay. The pile was subjected to diameter and 1.6m height by pouring it through a funnel to
vertical eccentric loads and to central inclined loads and obtain a constant density of 13.6 kN/m3. The clay was packed
measurements were recorded of the lateral soil pressure on the into a steel drum of about 0.6 m diameter and 1.4 m height. The
shaft, the magnitude of the base load, and the movements and pile was jacked to the required embedment depth (D) of 950 mm
rotations of the pile cap. These test results are discussed and (DIB = 12.8 where B = pile diameter) at a displacement rate of
analysed below, together with an analysis of some field cases. about 13 mm/min, it was unloaded, and then the load test was
immediately carried out.
Model tests The vertical, horizontal, and rotational movements of the pile
Soil data cap were measured by a series of dial gauges (Fig. 1). A roller
Dry angular coarse-to-medium silica sand of effective grain bearing was provided between the vertical jack and the reaction
size Dl,, = 0.38mm and uniformity coefficient C, = 2.8 was beam to allow lateral movement of the jack under load. A pure
used. Detailed triaxial tests (Sastry 1977) indicated a friction moment was exerted by two vertical jacks, one acting down-
angle 4, = 30" while in plane strain a value of 4, = 35" was ward on the loading arm while the other produced an upward
taken for the initial porosity of n = 47% used in the tests, force through a yoke. For inclined load tests, two jacks, one
corresponding to a loose state with a relative density of vertical and the other horizontal, coupled with roller bearings,
D, = -0.2. were used on the pile cap.
 268 CAN. GEOTECH. J. VOL. 22, 1985

LATERAL SOIL PRESSURE 6 (kPa)

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{bi~e~oint
j Resistance, Vp
q20 Pressure ( Y ' z )

Cone Resistance Vc (kPa)

(a)SAND (b) CLAY

I
FIG. 2. Lateral soil pressures due to installation of pile and results of
CORRUGATED cone penetration test.
STEEL TANK
Vertical Displacement AV (rnrn)
For personal use only.

FIG. 1. General arrangement of pile load test.

4 0 1 2 3 4
I I I 1 I
Bearing capacity failure was caused by loading the pile in
10-12 increments, each lasting till the rate of settlement was
less than 0.025mm/min for tests in sand and less than
0.1 mm/min for tests in clay. The pile movements were
observed under each load increment and the soil pressures were
recorded for alternate load increments. After completion of the
pile load tests in sand, static cone penetration tests were carried
out, one on either side of the pile, with the results shown in
Fig. 2a.
Test results
In all, six test series were carried out on the pile in sand, three (a) Horizontal Displacement A H (mrn)
under eccentric loads and three under inclined loads. The load
eccentricities chosen had ratios of eccentricity e to depth of pile
D (e/D) of 0.16, 0.38, and (pure moment); the load
inclinations with the vertical were ci = 30°, 60°, and 90". In the
case of the pile in clay, six tests were carried out, four under
eccentric loads and two under inclined loads. The eccentricities
used were e/D = 0.16,0.38, 1.17, and m; the inclinations were
a = 45" and 90".
Typical load-displacement and moment-rotation curves for
piles in sand and clay are shown in Figs. 3 a and 3b and in Figs. ( b) Rotation 8 (deg)
4 a and 4b, respectively, and they are found to be similar to those FIG. 3. Typical results of model tests for eccentrically loaded pile in
reported earlier for small model piles (Meyerhof et al. 1983). sand: ( a ) load-displacements; (b) moment-rotation.
The failure load at which the increase in the displacement rate
first reached a maximum was at a resultant displacement of 5b), only the lateral pressures due to the applied loads are
about 0.5-3.5% of the pile length and occurred at a rotation considered.
of about lo-2". For a pile in clay, however, considerable lateral pressures on
The lateral soil pressures on the shaft under eccentric and the shaft due to pile installation were recorded (Fig. 2b). As the
inclined failure loads applied at the top of the pile in sand are pile was subsequently subjected to either an eccentric or an
presented in Figs. 5 a and 5b, respectively. Since the lateral soil inclined load, the lateral pressure on the passive side of the pile
pressure a recorded at any depth z below ground level due to increased (+Am) whereas the pressure on the active side
the installation of the pile (Fig. 2a) was negligible, compared decreased (-Am). This behaviour is observed above as well as
with the value of u due to loading of the pile (Figs. 5 a and below the point of rotation of the pile. The installation pressures
 MEYERHOF AND SASTRY 269

Vertical Displacement AV (m m ) The lateral pressure a at any depth z on the shaft due to the
0 1 2 3 4 5 installation of the pile is estimated by considering a = Koysz,
I I I I where the value of the earth pressure coefficient is taken to be
KO = 1 - sin = 0.5 and where y, = density of sand. The
recorded lateral pressures are small compared with the estimates
(Fig. 2a) and &e much smaller than those due to loading
(Figs. 5 a and 5b). Consequently, the lateral pressures due to
the installation of pile are neglected in the analysis.
Further, for a pile under pure moment or horizontal load, the
earlier estimates of ultimate pile capacity (Meyerhof et al.
1981) were based on an assumed triangular distribution of
lateral soil pressures on the shaft that is somewhat different from
the observed distribution. The measured lateral soil pressures
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can be more closely approximated by the plotted triangular

(a) Horizontal Displacement AH (mm) distribution according to Krey (1936) (see Terzaghi 1943) for
the purpose of estimating the pile capacity ( ~ i ~5sa -and 5b).
The theoretical lateral pressure abat base level of the pile is
obtained by considering the pile under horizontal load (a= 90")
or pure moment as a vertical semicircular strip in two dimen-
sions and incorporating the appropriate shape factor (Meyerhof
et al. 198I), whereas at shallow depths the earth pressure theory
yields the pressure distribution on the pile shaft. The observed
distribution of lateral pressures is nonlinear throughout the pile
depth and the pressures decrease rapidly with smaller eccentric-
ity and inclination of the load.
The observed point of rotation of the pile where the lateral soil
pressure is zero agrees quite well with the theoretical value
(b) Rotation 8 (deg)
For personal use only.

(Krey 1936) for the two cases of loadings investigated (Figs. 5 a

FIG.4 Typical results of model tests for eccentrically loaded pile in and 5b). This point of rotation is somewhat higher for piles
clay: ( a ) load-displacements; (b) moment-rotation. under eccentric loads compared with those under inclined loads,
as would be expected theoretically.
together with the changes of the lateral soil pressures ( + h a and From the measured value of lateral soil pressure at any depth
-Am) due to eccentric and inclined loads are presented in Figs. due to failure load, the corresponding value of 6/+, mobilized
6 a and 6b, respectively. at that depth on the shaft (6 = angle of skin friction) was back-
Installation of the pile causes, in effect, a lateral prestressing calculated from earth pressure theory (Meyerhof et al. 1981)
of the soil, and the lateral pressure decrease (-ha) on loading and thevalueof 6/+,was foundtobeabout zero forpiles subjected
of the pile is caused by the relaxation of the installation pressure. to eccentric loads. However, for piles under inclined loads the
The importance of this pressure decrease is discussed in a later back-calculated distribution of S/+, with depth z (Fig. 11)
section of this paper. The distribution of pressure increase along indicates that the value of 6/+, varies from a maximum positive
the pile shaft when the pile is under eccentric and inclined value of about unity at the top of the pile, as reported earlier for
failure loads is presented in Figs. 7 a and 7b, respectively. CY. = 0 (Sastry 1977), to a minimum negative value of about
For the test results of piles under eccentric vertical loads the -0.3 at the base with zero at the point of rotation.
maximum failure load Qu and base resistance Q, are plotted as The free-body diagram of the forces on the pile for-all cases of
ordinates and the failure moment Mu = Q, x e is plotted as ultimate loading was analysed considering a weighted average
abscissa in Figs. 8 a and 8b for sand and clay, respectively. For of the value of a/+, appropriate to the case under study. The
piles under inclined loads the corresponding results are pre- corresponding equilibrium conditions were found to be satisfied
sented in Figs. 9a and 9b for sand and clay, respectively, using within an error of -+ 10%.
polar bearing capacity diagrams, which give the ultimate loads Bearing capacity
Q, and Q, for different directions of the load. The theoretical ultimate axial vertical load Q, of the pile is
obtained conventionally from (Meyerhof 1976):
Analysis of test results
Pile in sand
Soil pressures
If a fully embedded rigid pile is subjected to an eccentric
inclined ultimate load Qu at an eccentricity e and inclination CY.
with the axis of the pile, the lateral soil pressures P, and P2 have in which A, and A, are the areas of pile point and shaft,
a roughly triangular distribution (Fig. 10a). The forces P, and respectively, D = depth of pile, K, = average coefficient of
P2 are inclined at +S1 and -z2, respectively, with the earth pressure on shaft, N , = bearing capacity factor, and the
horizontal, while the base resistance Q, is inclined at 63 with the other symbols as before. The ultimate unit-point resistance qp
vertical. Considering the equilibrium of the system, the hori- of piles in sand can also be estimated from the static-cone
zontal component of Q, can be computed and the vertical resistance q, and their comparison shows good agreement for
component of Q, in the pile tests is recorded by the load cell at the present pile tests (Fig. 2a).
the base of the pile. For a pile under pure moment without any axial load, the
 CAN. GEOTECH. J. VOL. 22, 1985

Lateral Soil Pressure 6(kPa) Lateral Soil Pressure 6 (kPa)

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(a (b)
FIG. 5. Distribution of lateral soil pressure on pile shaft in sand at failure: (a) eccentric loads; ( b )inclined loads.

Lateral Soil Pressure 6 (kPa) Lateral Soil Pressure 6 (kPa)

For personal use only.

(a) (b)
FIG. 6. Distribution of lateral soil pressure on pile shaft in clay due to installation and loading to failure: (a) eccentric loads; ( b )inclined loads.

ultimate moment Mo is theoretically obtained by considering a where

smooth pile surface (61 = 62 = 0 ) and setting P , = P2 SO that
[51 at, = ysDKb
[3] Mo = 0.09ysBD3Kb
Further, the ultimate eccentric vertical load Qu at an eccentricity
Kb = lateral earth pressure coefficient for pile (Meyerhof et al. e can be approximately obtained from a semiempirical interac-
1981). tion relationship (Meyerhof et al. 1983):
The pile capacity can also be related to the lateral pressure ub
mobilized at base level, as indicated below. The values of both
Mo and u b depend not only on the friction angle +,of the soil but
also on the deformation characteristics of pile and soil, which where Mu = Q,e and Q, and Mo are given by [2] and [ 3 ] ,
cannot yet be included theoretically. However, from [ 3 ] ,Mo is respectively.
given approximately by Analysis of the present test results indicates that an average
approximate value of 614, = 0.6 was mobilized along the shaft
 MEYERHOF AND SASTRY

Lateral Soil Pressure Increase n6 ( k Pa)

60 40 20 0 20 40 60
01 I I I
with symbols as before. The ultimate central inclined load Q,
on the pile cap at an inclination a can be obtained from the
semiempirical relationship (Meyerhof and Ranjan 1972)

As mentioned before, the average value of 614, mobilized

along the shaft varies from about 0.6 in the case of axially
loaded pile ( a = 0) to zero in the case of horizontally loaded pile
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( a = 90") with assumed linear interpolation of the average value

of 614, for intermediate values of a . The theoretical value of Q,
was estimated from [9], in which Qhwas computed with a value
of Kb appropriate to the 6/+, mobilized for the particular value
of a. The theory seemed to predict conservative values for Q,
when compared with those observed (Fig. 9a).
The theoretical values of M o and Qh are directly proportional
to the lateral soil pressure abmobilized at the base level of the
pile ([4] and [8]). For intermediate values of eccentricity and
inclination the value of ub may therefore be assumed to be
Lateral Soil Pressure IncreaseA6( k Pa) governed by the same theoretical relationships that are sug-
gested for Q, ([6] and [9]) to predict the corresponding pressure
ab. The measured values of these soil pressures ubare found to
be less than those predicted in both cases of eccentric and
inclined loads (Figs. 8a and 9a). Thus, from these values of ub
For personal use only.

the corresponding theoretical lateral pressures a on the shaft at

any depth can then be estimated in direct proportion to those
shown in Figs. 5a and 5b for e/D = m and a = 90°,
respectively.
For piles under inclined load the back-calculated angle of
inclination 83 of Qp with the vertical was found to increase
approximately linearly with the angle of inclination a of the
total load Q, up to a value given by the friction angle +,
(Fig. 12) so that
[lo] 63 = a S +,
Further, for inclinations of the total load greater than +,
the
point resistance Q, was found to be inclined at +,(Fig. 12), as
would be expected, so that
[Ill %=+ti aa+t

These results are supported by an analysis of some previous test

FIG.7. Distribution of lateral soil pressure increase hu at failure due data (Chari and Meyerhof 1983), as shown in Fig. 12.
to loading only on pile shaft in clay: (a)eccentric loads; (b) inclined Using the above relationships an estimate can be made of the
loads. variation of the point resistance Q, with load inclination a .
Under vertical load the theoretical value of Q, is given by the
first term of [2] while the reduction of Q, for inclined loads can
of an axially loaded pile (e/D = 0), whereas 614, = 0 was readily be estimated from bearing capacity theory (Meyerhof
approximately mobilized for the pile under pure moment 1953). Comparison between the observed and estimated values
(e/D = m). For intermediate values of e/D, a roughly linear of Q, shows reasonable agreement (Fig. 9a).
variation of the average value of 6/+, may be suggested to
estimate the values of Q, from [6], in which Mo was computed Pile in clay
with a Kb value appropriate to the 6/+, mobilized for the Soil pressures
particular value of e/D. Comparing the test results with the For a fully embedded rigid pile in clay subjected to an
corresponding theoretical values based on +,
= 30" for eccentric inclined load the lateral soil pressure distribution can
estimating Q, and 4, = 35" for estimating Mo, it is seen that the be approximately represented as shown in Fig. lob. In addition
predictions are quite close to the observed values of Q, and Q,, to the pressures P1and P2, the soil adhesions C, and C2 act on
when in the latter case Q, is substituted for Q, in [6] (Fig. 80). the pile, whereas the point resistance Q, is inclined at 63 with
Similarly, the ultimate pile capacity Qh under a horizontal the vertical. The maximum value of Q, = 9cpApis obtained for
load ( a = 90") is theoretically obtained from the triangular an axial load Q, ( a = 0), when Q, is vertical. For a horizontal
pressure distribution for 61 = 62 = 0 (Fig. 5b), as load Q, ( a = 90°), Q, is horizontal and is limited,
 CAN. GEOTECH. J. VOL. 22, 1985

Lateral Soil Pressure

at Base Level 6 b (kPa)
0 40 80 120 160 200 Lateral Soi l Pressure
at Base Level (kPa)
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Ultimate Moment M, (kN.m) IJltirnate Moment Mu ( k1V.m

(a) (b)
FIG.8. Interaction diagram between ultimate load and moment for pile under eccentric load: (a) sand; ( b )clay.

Lateral Soil Pressure at Base Level 6 b ( kPa)

For personal use only.

Lateral Soil Pressure at Base Level

Horizontal Failure Load Qh (kN) Horizontal Fa~lure Load Qh ( k N )

(a1 (b)
FIG. 9. Polar bearing capacity diagram for pile under inclined load: (a) sand; ( b )clay.

approximately, by maximum constant value (Meyerhof 1972). Also, tests con-

ducted on the ultimate resistance of horizontal anchor plates in
[I21 Qp = cpAp clay indicated that the maximum constant resistance is mobi-
where c, is the average undrained shear strength of clay near the lized at a depth of 10B (Mackenzie 1956). Assuming a parabolic
pile point of area A,. variation from zero at ground level to 3 . 3 at~ a~depth of IOB,
Because of the jacking of a displacement pile into clay, radial the measured lateral pressures are in good agreement with the
stresses are induced on the shaft. Considering the pile installa- predictions (Fig. 2 6 ) .
tion as a cylindrical cavity expanding from zero to the radius Based on the measured lateral soil pressures in the present
B / 2 of the pile, the total lateral stress on the pile shaft is load tests for piles under pure moment and horizontal load the
obtained as (T = 3 . 3 for
~ ~the ratio of secant modulus (Es) to plotted pressure distribution suggested by Brinch Hansen
undrained strength (c,) of clay = 35 in the present case (Kirby (1961) is considered to be preferable (Figs. 6 a and 6 b )
and Esrig 1980). This lateral stress is considered at a depth of although the estimated values of M o and Qh given below are
10 pile diameters, where the lateral soil pressure reaches the sensibly the same as those given by an alternative method
 MEYERHOF AND SASTRY

-qP)
a, e Present tests 0,= 30°
1 x Chari 8 ~ e ~ e r h o f ( 1 9 8 s @ + = 3 ~

1 /' --- Theory 1

0 20 40 60 80 90
Inclination of Applied Load 4 (Deg)
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FIG. 12. Relation between inclinations of point resistance and

applied load for pile at failure in sand.

eccentricity and inclination of the load. The observed point of

rotation of the pile seems to reach a constant value for a small
eccentricity or inclination of load and remains sensibly un-
la) (b) changed with increasing eccentricity or inclination of load
(Figs. 6a and 6b). The point of rotation under inclined loads
FIG. 10. Forces at failure of pile under eccentric inclined load: was observed to be lower than that under eccentric loads, as
(a) sand; (b) clay. would be expected theoretically.
From the theoretical lateral soil pressure u at any depth z the
Shaft Friction d/@p theoretical installation pressure (Fig. 2b) can be subtracted to
obtain the theoretical pressure increase ( A u ) due to loading
only. The measured distributions of Au on the pile shaft for the
For personal use only.

cases of pure moment and horizontal load are in reasonable

agreement with the predictions as seen in Figs. 7 a and 7 b ,
respectively.
From the measured Au values the adhesion factor r is
back-calculated from the theoretical Au values for completely
rough and smooth pile surfaces (Fig. 7 a ) ,where r = c,/c,, with
c, and c, as average adhesive and undrained strengths of clay,
respectively, along the pile shaft. It is seen that r is roughly zero
in the case of a pile under inclined loads (Fig. 7b). For a pile
under eccentric loads the distribution of r along the pile shaft
(Fig. 13) indicates that r varies from a maximum positive value
50 - of about 0.6 at the top of the pile to a minimum negative value of
I about -0.4 at the base, with zero at the point of rotation.
60- The equilibrium of a pile under ultimate load when analysed
w lnclinat ion considering Au values recorded due to loading only (Figs. 7 a
0 70- and 7 b ) led to serious errors of 2~50%.However, considering
sym. d the -Am value on the active side of the pile at any depth when
added to the Au value on the passive side at the same depth, the
error of equilibrium is reduced to +25%. Further, if the
installation pressure on the active side of the pile is assumed to
be completely relieved on ultimate loading, this error would be
reduced to 2Z 15%, which is within the experimental limits.
It may be pointed out that in the field the pressure increases
FIG. 11. Variation of shaft friction 6/+, with depth for pile at failure Au on the passive side only are measured without any account of
in sand under inclined loads. the important pressure decreases (-Am) on the active side of
driven displacement piles. However, in the case of bored piles
(Meyerhof et al. 198 1 ) . The theoretical lateral pressure distribu- or nondisplacement piles these installation pressures and the
tion on the pile shaft is obtained from the coefficients of earth consequent values of -A0 are not significant and need,
pressure suggested earlier (Meyerhof 1972), and considering therefore, not to be considered in analysing the equilibrium
80% of the values proposed for rough piles to account for the of pile under load.
smoothness of the pile shaft, reasonable agreement is obtained Bearing capacity
between the observed and predicted values of lateral pressures The axial capacity of a fully embedded pile is obtained
for pure moment and horizontal load (Figs. 6a and 6b
conventionally from (Meyerhof 1976)
res~ectivelv).
?he observed lateral pressures decrease rapidly with smaller [13] Q, = 9cpAp + rc,A,
 CAN. GEOTECH. J. VOL. 22, 1985

Adhesion Factor r linear variation between these two limits for intermediate values
of e and a has no significant influence on the theoretical values
. -0.5
- 10 0 05 1.0 of Q, when estimated from [6] and [9]. Accordingly, the
theoretical curves for Q, in Figs. 8b and 9b are based on Mo and
Qh obtained for r = 0. Comparing the test results for Q, and Qp
with the theoretical predictions, good agreement is obtained for
piles under inclined load.
Since the values of Mo and Qhdepend on the mobilized lateral
pressure ub at the base level of the pile ([I51 and [17]), the
theoretical relationships for Q, ([6] and [9]) also indicate the
variation of corresponding lateral base pressures crb for interme-
diate eccentricities and inclinations of total load. A reasonable
agreement is found between the theoretical and experimental
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values of ubfor the two cases of loadings investigated (Figs. 8b

and 9 b). From ub the corresponding theoretical values of the
lateral pressures u at any depth can then be estimated in direct
proportion to those shown in Figs. 6a and 6b for e/D = and
EccentI a = 90°, respectively.
Pile stiffness
A free pile in a soil media may be considered rigid for all
practical purposes if the relative stiffness K, 2 loe2 (Meyerhof
1979), where

FIG. 13. Variation of adhesion factor r with depth for pile at failure Eh = average horizontal soil modulus along pile, E, = modulus
in clay under eccentric loads. of elasticity of pile, and I, = moment of inertia of pile. In the
For personal use only.

present case the test pile is considered fully rigid, as the lowest
where c, is the average undrained shear strength of clay along K, value is 0.02. In the case of flexible piles (K, < 0.01) under
the shaft and r is the adhesion factor, whose value depends on eccentric or inclined loads, an effective embedment depth D,,
the magnitude of c, and method of pile installation (Terzaghi as suggested earlier (Meyerhof and Yalcin 1984), is approxi-
and Peck 1967). mately given by
For a pure moment applied at the top of the pile without axial
load, the ultimate moment Mo is obtained by setting c, = 0, as
deduced from the measured lateral pressures. In this way it can This value of D, should be used for D in [3], [ 7 ] , [14], and [16]
be shown that for obtaining appropriate pile capacities.

Field cases
Even though several results of lateral load tests on piles in
homogeneous sands and clays have been published, most of the
where ub = c,KCand Kc is the lateral earth pressure coefficient piles were flexible. Only two tests in sand and four in clay
for a pile (Meyerhof et al. 1981). Since the present pile load carried out on rigid piles are discussed below.
tests were carried out relatively quickly, only total soil pressures The soil profile at the first of these test sites (Adams and
were recorded for a total stress analysis. Thus the ultimate Radhakrishna 1973) consisted of fine-to-medium sand with
eccentric vertical load Q, and the point resistance Q, can be standard penetration resistance N values increasing from 4 at
approximately estimated from [6]. The corresponding values of the top to 30 blows/300 mm at 5 m depth with an average value
Q, and Q, are found to be on the side of safety compared with of N = 17. One bored pile of 900 mm diameter and 6 m em-
those observed (Fig. 8b). bedded depth was tested under a horizontal load applied at 2.6 m
Similarly, the ultimate pile capacity Qh under horizontal load above ground level. The triaxial friction angle is estimated from
can theoretically be estimated using zero adhesion as back- the average N value to be 4, = 32.5" (Meyerhof 1976; Peck et
calculated from the observed lateral soil pressures. Thus it can al. 1974). Considering a 4, value of 35" under plane strain and
be shown that assuming a soil density of 17kN/m3, the failure load is
estimated as 455kN whereas the observed failure load was
about 440 kN. A second pile of the same size and installed in the
same soil failed under a horizontal load of about 80 kN applied
at an effective height of 24 m above ground level. Under a pure
with symbols as before. For any given load inclination a the moment the capacity of this pile is estimated as 3160 kN.m and
ultimate central inclined load Q, and corresponding Q, can then the observed values of failure load and moment satisfy, closely,
be obtained from [9]. The weighted average adhesion factor r in the interaction equation presented earlier (Meyerhof et al. 1983,
[13] for the pile depth D was found to vary from a value of 0.5 in eq. 13).
the case of axially loaded pile (Sastry 1977) to a value of zero for The case of a 950mm x 950 mm rigid steel pile (pile H),
a pile under pure moment or under a horizontal load. A roughly 3.5 m deep, jacked into clayey soil of average undrained shear
 MEYERHOF AND SASTRY 275

strength of about 78 kPa, within the pile depth, and tested under field tests on laterally loaded instrumented piles support the
a lateral load applied at 400mm above ground level was proposed theoretical relations, it is hoped that full-scale field
reported by Adam and Lejay (1971). The pile was subjected to a load tests will be made on rigid and flexible piles under eccentric
maximum load of 350kN and failure was not reached. The and inclined loads to further verify the predictions.
failure load projected from hyperbolic and inverse methods was
found to be around 450 kN whereas the estimated value using Acknowledgements
1161 was about 445kN. The measured depth of the point of The research at the Technical University of Nova Scotia was
rotation was 2.5 m, which was close to the theoretical value of carried out with the financial support of the Natural Sciences and
2.55 m. Engineering Research Council of Canada. The leave granted to
In another pile test (pile J), reported by Kerisel and Adam V. V. R. N. Sastry by the Osmania University of Hyderabad,
(1967), 1 m X 1 m steel pile, 2.5m deep and jacked into India, is gratefully acknowledged. The assistance provided by
the above-mentioned clay having an average undrained shear Nolan, Davis and Associates, Halifax, in drafting the figures is
strength of 72.5 P a , was subjected to a maximum lateral load also acknowledged.
Can. Geotech. J. Downloaded from www.nrcresearchpress.com by San Francisco (UCSF) on 09/12/14

of 215 kN applied at 450 rnrn above ground level. The pile did
not fail under the load and the projected average failure load was ADAM,M., and LEJAY,J. 1971. Etude des pieux sollicites horizontale-
found to be 250 kN while the estimated value was 220 kN. An ment et determination du module de reaction dans un sol donne.
identical pile when jacked to a depth of 4.5 m at the same site Annales de 1'Institut Technique du BAtiment et des Travaux Publics,
and subjected to a maximum lateral load of 450 kN did not fail No. 280, pp. 126-156.
ADAMS,J. J., and RADHAKRISHNA, H. S. 1973. The lateral capacity of
and this load was only about 60% of the estimated failure load of deep augered footings. Proceedings of 8th International Conference
approximately 760kN. The measured depth of the point of on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Moscow, Vol. 2.1,
rotation was 3.3 m and was identical with the theoretical value. pp. 1-8.
The lateral soil pressure recorded at 1.5 m depth under the BAGUELIN, F., GOULET,G., and JEZEQUEL,J. 1972. ~ t u d eexperi-
lateral load of 450 kN was 200 kPa while the theoretical value mentale du comportement d'un pieu sollicit6 horizontalement.
was about 320kPa. This difference may be attributed to the Proceedings of 5th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and
installation pressure, as the measured lateral pressures reported Foundation Engineering, Madrid, Vol. I, pp. 3 17-324.
were due to applied loading only. From the measured lateral soil BRIAUD,J. L., SMITH,T., and MEYER,B. 1983. Pressuremeter
pressure distribution the equilibrium of the pile was not satisfied gives elementary model for laterally loaded piles. Symposium of
International in situ Testing, Paris, Vol. 2, pp. 217-221.
For personal use only.

even after allowing side friction equal to half the undrained

BRINCHHANSEN, J. 1961. The ultimate resistance of rigid piles against
shear strength. This is probably due to the effect of ignoring the
transversal forces. Bulletin No. 12, Danish Geotechnical Institute,
pressure decreases on the active side of the pile. Copenhagen, Denmark.
A reinforced concrete bored pile 920 mm in diameter and 6 m CHARI,T. R., and MEYERHOF, G. G. 1983. Ultimate capacity of rigid
deep was subjected to a lateral load applied at 740mm above single piles under inclined loads in sand. Canadian Geotechnical
ground level (Briaud et al. 1983). The average undrained shear Journal, 20, pp. 849-854.
strength of the clay was 95.8 P a and the failure load recorded KERISEL,J., and ADAM,M. 1967. Calcul des forces horizontales
was 860kN, while the estimated value was 1070kN. applicables aux fondations profondes dans les argiles et limons.
A steel pile 950 mm X 950 mm and 4.4 m deep, jacked into Annales de 1'Institut Technique du BAtiment et des Travaux Publics,
saturated clay having an undrained shear strength of 26.5 kPa, Supplement, No. 239, pp. 1655- 1693.
was test loaded under a horizontal load (Baguelin et al. 1972). KIRBY,R. C., and ESRIG,M. I. 1980. Further development of a general
The load was applied at 2 m above ground level and the effective stress method for prediction of axial capacity for driven
piles in clay. Recent developments in the design and construction of
projected failure load was found to be about 132kN while the piles. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, pp.
estimated value was 118 kN. In the light of the above study of 335-344.
field cases it is seen that the estimated values are in good KREY, H. 1936. Erddruck, Erdwiderstand und Tragfahigkeit des
agreement with the observed values on piles under lateral loads Baugrundes. W. Ernst & Sohn, Berlin, W. Germany.
and moments. MACKENZIE,T. R. 1956. Strength of deadman anchors in clay.
Master's thesis, University of Princeton, Princeton, NJ.
Conclusions MEYERHOF,G. G. 1953. Bearing capacity of foundation under
Analysis of measurements of soil pressures along the pile eccentric and inclined loads. Proceedings of 3rd International
shaft and at the base of single rigid instrumented model piles Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Zurich,
Vol. 1, pp. 440-445.
jacked into homogeneous sand and clay has led to a more 1972. Stability of slurry trench cuts in saturated clay. Pro-
rational theoretical approach for predicting ultimate pile capaci- ceedings of Speciality Conference on the Performance of Earth and
ties under pure moment and under horizontal load. Using Earth Supported Structures, Purdue University, Lafayette, IN, Vol.
semiempirical methods the ultimate loads on piles and the 1, pp. 1451-1466.
corresponding lateral soil pressure and base resistance under 1976. Bearing capacity and settlement of pile foundations.
eccentric and inclined loads can be approximately estimated. ASCE Journal of the Geotechnical Engineering Division,
In the case of piles in sand a triangular lateral pressure 102(GT3), pp. 197-228.
distribution of the form suggested by Krey and Terzaghi seems 1979. Soil-structure interaction and foundations. General
to hold promise; for piles in clay the roughly rectangular report of 6th Panamerican Conference on Soil Mechanics, Lima,
pressure distribution suggested by Brinch Hansen is found to be Vol. 1, pp. 109-140.
MEYERHOF, G. G., and RANJAN,G. 1972. The bearing capacity of
applicable in estimating ultimate pile capacities. It is important rigid piles under inclined loads in sand. I: Vertical piles. Canadian
to consider the lateral soil pressures due to installation of Geotechnical Journal, 9, pp. 430-446.
displacement piles driven into clay and dense sand in any MEYERHOF,G. G., and YALCIN,A. S. 1984. Pile capacity for
examination of the equilibrium of such piles under load. eccentric inclined load in clay. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 21,
Although the present instrumented model pile tests and some pp. 389-396.
 276 CAN. GEOTECH. J. VOL. 22, 1985

MEYERHOF, G. G., MATHUR,S. K., and VALSANGKAR, A. J. 1981. SASTRY, V. V. R. N. 1977. Bearing capacity of piles in layered soil.
Lateral resistance and deflection of rigid walls and piles in layered Ph.D. thesis, Technical University of Nova Scotia, Halifax, N.S.
soils. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 18, pp. 159-170. TERZAGHI, K. 1943. Theoretical soil mechanics. John Wiley & Sons,
MEYERHOF,G. G., YALCIN,A. S., and MATHUR,S. K. 1983. New York, NY.
Ultimate pile capacity for eccentric inclined load. ASCE Journal of TERZAGHI, K., and PECK,R. B. 1967. Soil mechanics in engineering
the Geotechnical Engineering Division, 109(GT3), pp. 408-423. practice. John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.
PECK,R. B., HANSON, W. E., and THORNBURN, T. H. 1974.Founda-
tion engineering. John Wiley & Sons Inc., New York, NY.
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