Lateral Behavior of a Long Pile with Load Application Above Ground: A Case Study

Large diameter piles are generally used to provide the foundation system for the elevated tanks. The behavior of the laterally loaded pile is influenced by the pile head conditions, position of load application, pile length, and the soil resistance below ground. Understanding the load deflection behavior of the pile is an essential requirement for the consistent and reliable design of the tank. In this paper, performance of 1 m diameter pile installed in layered soils and tested 2 m above ground level is discussed. The pile is modeled by Finite Difference and Finite Element approaches to understand behavior of pile. This paper illustrates theoretical and actual behavior of laterally loaded long piles tested above ground level.