P-Y Curve Data for Laterally Loaded Piles in Shale and Sandstone

摘要

A total of eight 8.6 inch diameter, 15 foot long model piles socketed in Pennsylvanian Age sandstone and shale were tested under lateral load. The lateral load was applied by a manually operated 50 ton hydraulic jack set between two steel load transfer saddles. The applied load was measured with an electronic load cell. Pile deflection under load was measured with coaxially mounted inclinometers for subsurface measurement and dial gauges for above ground movement. Each pile was subjected to a series of 3 ton cyclic and up to 20 ton static lateral loads. The nondimensional method for analysis of laterally loaded piles was used to develop a set of p-y curves for each pile. The resulting p-y curves were used with computer program COM624 to check the validity of the experimental curves. The experimental curves were used to develop a 'typical' p-y curve for sandstone and sandy shale. The tests also demonstrated the applicability of the stiff clay above the water table p-y curves for the prediction of lateral deflections of piles in low and moderate strength clay shales. The uninstrumented pile lateral load test described in the report has proven to be a very useful method of obtaining p-y curve data at minimum cost.