Steel H-piles are commonly used to support integral abutments. In the absence of expansion joints that allow the superstructure to expand and contract freely, piles supporting integral abutments are subjected to lateral displacement, horizontal shear, and bending moment. Data are presented in this dissertation that describe the variation of bending moment and lateral pressure with depth of pile, and comparisons of test data with predicted values from a commercially available software, LPILE, are made.; The piles supporting integral abutments are often designed according to column interaction equations presented by AASHTO or AISC specifications. Both sets of specifications provide valid design approaches for columns subjected to combined stresses. However, neither specification addresses how to account for lateral support provided by surrounding soil.; The main focus of this dissertation centers on predicting the buckling capacity of a pile surrounded by soil and subjected to combined axial and bending forces. Field test data obtained from full-scale lateral load tests that included ultimate capacity tests performed in Tennessee were used to develop finite element models of the pile-soil system. The models were executed for various magnitudes of soil stiffness to investigate the relationship between soil stiffness and pile stability. Results produced an approximate minimum soil stiffness required to prevent buckling prior to a yielding failure of the pile. Based on results presented herein, a suggested design approach for determining the structural capacity of a laterally loaded pile is presented.
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