Canadian Foundation Engineering Manual

(1962). According to this method, the ultimate horizontal resistance of a short head-
restrained pile may be expressed by:
R1a = p 1 b (D -b)

where Rh = ultimate horizontal resistance of pile

= limit pressure from pressuremeter test
P1
b = diameter of pile
D = embedment depth of pile

20.5 Lateral Pile Deflections

For the subgrade reaction models, it is assumed that the soil around a pile can be
simulated by a series of horizontal springs, each spring representing the behaviour of
a layer of soil of unit height. When the pile is forced against the soil under the action
of horizontal loads, the soil deforms and generates an elastic reaction assumed to be
identical to the force that would be generated by the simulating spring subjected to the
same deformation. With the further assumption that the soil is homogeneous, i.e., ali
springs are identical, the soil' s behaviour can be estimated if the equivalent spring
constant is known. This spring constant is called the coefficient of subgrade reactions
ks (dimension: force/volume).
20.5.1 Coefficient of Subgrade Reaction

Though simple in its definition, the coefficient of subgrade reaction has proved to a be
a very difficult parameter to evaluate. This is because it cannot be measured in
laboratory tests, but must be back-calculated from full-scale field tests.

Investigations have shown it to be variable not only with the soil type and mechanical
properties, but also with stress level and the geometry of the pile.

In thé ªpsgftce of better information, the coefficient of horizontal subgrade reaction may
be estimated by the following method.

a) In cohesionless soil (Terzaghi, 1955)

k = n1a !
.r d

where ks = coefficient of horizontal subgrade reaction (force per

volume)
z = depth
d = pile diameter
= coefficient relateq, to soil density as given ll1 Table 20.3.

312
 Geotechnica1 D .
es,gn of D
eep Foundat·1ons

>-
¡<")
"O
o.
160 Hu
'I ::::,

tí :. ·.;, ~-:- . ·- .. :·
1·.·:·•,
u
e L
(2~
.....o1/l 120
I
1/l
(:;J f-. d /
a: a) Short Pile
o 80
L..
.....
(:;J

_J
o
40 r - - - i - - /
.....(:;J
o
·-E
0 -;....-..::::~::::::~ª~:::~;._-l_~!
12 20
Embadmant Langth • Lid
16

>- 1000
l"l
i:::,
a.

'I :::,

(:j
V
e
...,o
V1
1/)
-
100 { -=---
; ,.' - ----~~
Rastrain<2d

b) Long Pil~
Cj
o:
o ~d
L
Cj
+'
,o (Z
o -=
_J

Cj
+-'
o
E 1 1000 10000
+-' 1·0 10 100
0·10 4
Yia Id Mornr2nt, Myiczld/ Kp yd

Figwe 20.9: Ultimale lateral resistance of piles in cohesionless soils (after Broms,

1964b). 313
 Canadian Foundation Engineering Manual

N
"O 60
:::,
u
'I :::,
50 u

u I
e:
.....o 40
L
\/') /
\/')
Ci
I
o: 30
o / a) Short Pile
L.
.....tll
o 20
_J

-E
(j

o 10
.....
:::>
o 4 8 12 16 20
{o) Embczdmqnt Lczngth Lid

N
"O
u:::i 100
'
-:t 60 R czs tr oin czd . - - ~
tll
u 40 Frczcz haadczd . - -
e
.,J
o
11')

11')
20
(j
o: b) Long Pile
o
L.
(j
+J
6 ~-,4---+~-:,L-t-7'--7''4---7f--
o
_J
4
(j
+J
o
E L

d _.......____
1 ~'---'--..w..-----.....___..__......._ _
3 4 6 1O 20 AO 60 100 300 600

Figure 20.10: Ultimate lateral resistance in cohesionless soils (after Broms, 1964a).

314
 Geotechnical Des,gn
. of Deep Foundations

Table 20.3 - Values of for C ohesmnless

. Soils (from.T
erzaghi, 1955)

SOIL COMP ACTNESS nh (kN/m3)

CONDITION ABOVE
BELOW
GROUNDWATER GROUNDWATER
loose 2 200 1300
compact 6 600 4400
dense 18 000 11000
b)
. .
In cohes1ve soil (Davisson, 1970)

k = 67 t.
s d

where = coefficient of horizontal subgrade reaction (force per

volume)
'tu = undrained shear strength of the soil
d = pile diameter

Beca1:1~e of the influence of stress level and geometry of the pile on the value of the
coeffioent of subgrade reaction and the empirical nature of these expressions, the
coefficients determined in this way include a .high degree of uncertainty and must be
used with caution.
For a discussion of factors influencing the coefficient of subgrade reaction, see Rowe
(1956).
According to recen! investigations, a better method of evalu~ting the actual field val':'es
of k is by means of in situ pressuremeter tests. Toe coeffic1ent of subgrade reactton
maY be directly related to the pressuremeter modulus, Ew or indirectly to the limit

pressure, p 1•

In cohesionless soil:
EM Pz
k
s
= 3.3 -
d
= 25 -d

in cohesive soil: EM Pz
ks = 1.6 d = 16 d

315
 Canadian Foundation Engineering Manual

o
DEFLECTION COEFFICIENT, F8
FOR APPLIED

1-
......
N
p
a:::
lp =
o1- 2
2
,,, ,,,,,,. ~
T z
u ,,,.
<(
,,,. ,,, lp
u..
,,, ,,,.
3
I
1-
3
c..
w
o

4
5 :lO
-0.2 o 0.2 0.4 0.6 0 .8 l •O
DEFLECTION COEFFICIENT, F 8

1- ·····• ..
...... ·•.
N
MOMENT COEFFICIENT, Fm
FOR APPLIED LATERAL FORCE p
a:::
L . \
o 1
1-
u
2 -1 = 2 I
T I
<(
u..
I
I
I
/
I
1- Lp I
c.. 3 3
w
o

Mp= Fm (PT) 4
4

5 & lO
-1 . O -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 o 0.2
MOMENT COEFFICIENT, Fm
Figure 20.11: Deflection and moment coefficients for laterally loaded piles.

316