6 3.5 The use of p-y curves ‘The analytical methods of Reese and Matlock and Davisson and Gill thet are described inthe previous section are applicable only to the deflections of piles which are ‘within the range ofthe elastic compression ofthe sil caused by the lateral loading on the piles. However, these analytical methods can be extended beyond the elastic range to Analyse movements where the soil yields plastically up to and beyond the stage of shear ure. This can be done by employing the artifice of ‘p-y" curves, which represent the deformation of the soil at any given depth below the soil surface for @ range of zontally applied pressures from zero to the stage of yielding of the so in ultimate shear, when tHe deformation increases without any further increase of load/The p-y curves are independent of the shape and stifiess of the pile and represent the deformation of a discrete vertical area of soil that is unaffected by loading above and below it, The form of a p-y cure is shown in Figure 6 41a The individual curves may be plotted on a common pair of axes to give family of curves for the selected depths below the soil surface, as shown in Figure 6 4b Thus for the deformed shape ofthe ple (and also the induced bending moments and shearing forees) to be predicted correctly using the elastic analytical methods described above, the deflections resulting by these analyses ‘ust be compatible with those obtained by the p-y curves for the given soil conditions. The defections obtained by the initial elastic analysis are based on an assumed moduli” of subgrade reaction ng and this must be compared withthe modulus obtained from the pressures corresponding to these deflections, as obtained from the p-y curve for each particular depth analysed If the soil moduli, expressed in terms ofthe sifnes factor 7, do not correspond, the sifaess factor must be modified by making an appropriate adjustment to the soil modulus £, and from this to a new value of my and heave to the new stiflass factor 7 The deflections are then recalculated from the Reese and Matlock curves, and the corresponding pressures again obtained from the p-y curves This procedure results in 2 new value of the soil modulus which is again compared ‘with the second tral value, and the process repeated until reasonable agresment is obtained Al - — 5 =<) 3 E D Tiseaiany o a e601 exe feral He © Sao coma anton tp soe Gy ca oe mere Methods of drawing sets of p-y curves have been established for soils which bave a linearlyincreasing modulus, ie. soft to frm normally-consolidated clays and granular soils. Empirical factors were obtained by applying lateral loads to steel tubular piles driven into soft to firm clays and sands. The piles were instrumented to obtain soil reactions and deflections over ther full embedded depth The method of establishing p-p curves fo soft to firm claysis described by Matlock"* The frst step is to calculate the ultimate resistance of the clay to lateral loading Matlock's method is similar in concept to those described in Section 6 31 but the bearing- capacity factor Ne is obtained on @ somewhat diferent basis Below a critical depth x, the coefficient is taken conventionally as 9 asin Section 631 243‘Above this depth itis given by the equation Ne=3+ (661) where y is the density of the overburden sol, x is the depth below ground level, cu is the lundrained cohesion value of the clay, J is an empirical factor, and, B is the width of the pile The experimental work of Matlock yielded values of J of from 05 for a soft clay to 0.25 fora stiffer clay The critical depth is given by the equation Bey (662) The ultimate resistance above and below the critical depth is expressed in the p-y curves asa force p, per unit length of pile, where Pus Neu (es Figure 6 23a) Up to the point A in Figure 6 42 the shape of the p-y curve is derived from that of the stress-strain curve obtained by testing a soil specimen in undrained triaxial compression, ‘or from the load-settlement curve in a plate loading test (Figure 5 11). The shape of the ccurve is defined by the equation 2 oosaf? 663) Pe ye where yeis the deletion corresponding to the stain «eat a stress equal to the maximum stress resulting from the laboratory stress-strain curve. The strain ¢, can also be obtained ‘com the established relationship between cy and the deformation modulus Eu ee p 181) Matlock quotes values of «2 of 0.005 for ‘bitle and sensitive clays? and 0 020 for “disturbed or remoulded clays or unconsolidated sediments ' These values ofe« have been based on the established range of Eu/cy of 50 to 200 for most clays, and they can be applied to stiff over-consolidated clays, for example the value of Ex/es for stiff London clay is 400 (p. 181). Matlock'*#" recommends an average value of 0 010 for aormally- consolidated clays for use in the equation Vem 25 eB 664) Carve defined by: Ffp,=08 Yr. aa} a0. ie Fe 652 Dawn ‘ 5 OO Docent ee yen 2S eB oo The etect of eyes loading at depths equal to or greater than xe can be allowed for by cutting off the p-y curve by a horizontal line represeating the ultimate resistance pb of the clay under cyclically applied loads From the experimental wotk of Matlock", the point of intersection of this lne withthe p-y carve (shown in Figuce 6 42 as point B)'s Bren by polpu = 072 665) ‘The p-y curves for cyclic loading with values of y/y¢ from 3 to 15 and for depths of less than xy, at x = O are shown in Figure 642 ‘There are little published data on values of py for vasious types of clay The application of a static horizontal load after @ period of cyclic loading, say in a deep-sea structurewhere a berthing ship strikes a dolphin after a period of wave loading, produces a more complex shape inthe p-y curve and a methed of establishing the eure for this loading condition has been described by Matlock'*#") The procedure for establishing p-y curves for lateraly-loaded ples in sands hes been eseribed by Reese, Cox and Koop.*™ The steps in the computation are as follows 1 Obtain the soil parameters 4 and /from field or laboratory tests and select the ple width 2. 2 Obiain the factors « = Hf, B= 45° + 4$, Ke = 04, and K, — tan? (45° — 3) 3 Calculate the ultimate soil resistance per per unit depth of pile near the ground surface from the equation mye [HRN SO, OP apn pon TE + pe Gt stenptae + Kextanp (an sing — tne) — K, 3] 66) 4, Calculate the ultimate soil resistance pg well below the ground surface from the equati oa = K,Byx lan® B — 1) + KyBystan $ tant Cr) 5. Plot curves for per and peg against x, from which the critical depth xy is obtained from the point of intersection of the two curves, as shown in Figure 6 43 6 Select the particular depth at which the p-y curve is to be drawn 7. Establish point yu on the p-axis, where y is equal to 3/80 (Figure 6 44), ana Pon BR 245proaow a Fig. 645. Chars for coeffclentsA* and BY 8. Caleulate rx corresponding to point ye from the equation Pus Ape (6.68) ‘Values ofthe coeficient 4’ ate obtained from Figure 6 45a for either static or eytic applications of load. Values of pe are obtained either from equation 6 66 for points above the critical depth x, or from equation 6.67 for points below the critical depth. Having obtained py and ys, plot the point u (Figure 6.44) 9. Establish the point m on the p-y eurve from ym equals 3/60 and Pm B's (6.69) Values of eoeficient Bare obtained from Figure 6 455, and p. from either equation 6 66 or 6.67 for points above or below the critical depth x respectively 10. Establish the slope of the initial portion ofthe p-y curve from the origin to point k byselecting the appropriate value of ms from Table 6 3 (the values of Reese et al ‘* 1 are applicable to long steel tubular piles in granular soils). 11, Define the parabola to be fitted betvicen the points k and m from the equation pay” (670) ea= Pn (671) Tn equation 6 70, n is given by (6 72) a (673) Point k is given by n-(8) = where x is the depth below the soil surface selected for the particular p-y curve The procedure described below for using the p-y curves in conjunction with the deflections obtained from the elastic analyses of Reese and Matlock is common both to piles in soft to firm clays and to granular soils. From the deflections obtained by ‘equations 6 47 or 6 52 for the given horizontal load or beading moment on the pile the ‘corresponding soil pressures are read of the p-y curves and soil modulus Eis obtained from the linear relationship Ey ply 675)‘The values of E, obtained at exch point below the ground surface are plotted against the ‘corresponding depth and a straight line passing through the origin is drawn through these points (Figure 6 46). Weight is given to the points near to the soil surface at depths of less than 0.57; where the defections are of the most significance. The value of the subgrade modulus my is then obtained from the slope of the trial line through the origin The value of the stifiness factor 7 can then be caleulated from equation 6.5 using the ew value of ms If this factor 7 obtained is equal to the value first assumed T tried then the pile deflections are compatible with the p-y curves and no further trials are necessary Ifthe two factors differ, however, a new value of T is assumed, The pile deflections are recaleulated and the corresponding value of soil modulus obtained as described for the first trial above. The new value of 7 obtained is plotted against the second 7 tried The intersection of a line drawa between the plotted points of the first and second trials and the equality line /e, where T obtained = T tried, as shown in Figure 647, gives the finally selected value of 7 from which the final defections, bending moments and shearing forces can be calculated The above methods are illustrated by examples 8.2 and 8 4. Itis evident from the foregoing that the repetition of the lengthy caleulations makes, the whole procedure rather laborious, and time and effort can be saved by computerizing the successive steps in the calculations. The computerized process also enables additional factors to be introduced, such as the variation of the value of E/ of the pile below the ‘ground surface This enables the effect of changing the thickness of the pile wall to be evaluated and the cases of inserted piles with a grouted annulus, and piles within tubular jackets, to be included in the programmes available The use of the p-y curves a8 described above is strictly applicable only to soils with a linearly increasing modulus (/¢ granular soils or normally consolidated clays). Correls- tions with instrumented piles to prove the validity of the procedure have so far been confined to these soils However, the principle is helpful to the rationalization of design and it is desirable to extend it to stiff over-consolidated clays having a constant soil ‘modulus, where deflections greater than the elastic limit of the soil are anticipated In the absence of experimental data, equation 6.61 can be used to obtain values of Ne Eg Seil malo in MN /? Fig 648. Trial plotting of sol modus gains depth Tiebeained) Tiered) Fig 647 ‘Tal porting of sifhess fctor 276.3.6 Effect of method of pile installation on behaviour under and moments applied to pile head above the critical depth The later can be caloulated from equation 6.82 using a value of 0.25 for coeficient J Values of np are obtained by plotting te soil modulus E, (equation 675) against the depth, but the ral line isa vertical one passing through the plotted points, again with weight being given to depths of 0.5R or les. Cyclic loading can be a critical factor in stiff clays. The relationship in equation 6 65 should preferably be established forthe particular ste by laboratory and field test, but the factor of 072 may be used if results of such studies are not available Tastead of relating the deflection yg to the strain e, ata stress corresponding to the ‘maximum stress obtained in the laboratory stree-strain curve for use in equation 6 63, Reese and Welch’ =) adopt the following relationship for sti clays os 15a ae (6752) where p and py are as previously defined, and yx is the deflection corresponding to the strain «at one-half of the maximum principal stress difference in the laboratory stress- strain curve If 0 value of ty is available from laboratory tests a figure of between 0 005 and 0 O10 can be used in equation 6 64 but substituting y.,for y= and eo for ¢< The larger of these ‘wo values is the more conservative Reese and Welch‘ =) have described a method for establishing p-y curves for cyclic loading on piles in stiff clay. al loads The method of installing a pile, whether driven, driven-and-castin-sita or bored-and- cast-insitu, has not been considered in sections 6.3 | to 634, No research has been tundertaken to study the effect ofthe installation method on the behaviour under lateral load, although it can be allowed for by appropriate adjustments to the soil parameters For example, when considering the resistance to lateral loads, of piles driven into a soft sensitive clay the remouided shearing strength should be used in equations 6 10 and 6.13 and in Figures 624 and 6.29, to obtain the ultimate resistance over a petiod of afew days ‘or weeks after driving. I the piles are not to be subjected to loading for a few months after driving, the full ‘undisturbed” shearing strength can be used There is unlikely to be uch difference between the ultimate lateral resistance of piles driven into stiff over- consolidated clays and bored piles inthe seme type of soil The softening effects for bored piles mentioned in Section 4.2 3 occur over a very short radial distance from the pile and the principal resistance to lateral loads is provided by the undisturbed soil beyond the softened zone In the case of piles installed in cohesionless soils the effect of loosening dus to the instalation of bored piles can be allowed for by assuming a low value of # when dete:- mining Kp for use in equations 6 14 to 6 17 and 623 to 6.27 The same low values should be used in Figures 6 26 and 631 When considering the defection of bored piles in cohesionless soils the value ofthe soil modulus na in Table 6 3 should be appropriate to the degree of loosening which is judged to be caused by the method of installing the piles 6.4 Lateral loads on raking piles The resistance of vertical piles to lateral loads is very small even in good soil. Tests at Pickering Generating Station in Ontario reported by Hanna**” showed that F-piles driven through very stif to hard clays having ultimate compression loads of more than 2LOQOKNN (200 tons) could be allowed to carry only SOKN (5 tons) in horizontal loading The most effective way of arranging ples to resist lateral loads isto have pairs of piles raking in opposite directions as shown in Figure 65. The simple graphical method of determining the compressive and tensile forces inthe piles by a triangle of fores assumes that th piles are hinged at their point of intersection and thatthe lateral loads are carried only in an axial direction by th ples. The tension pile will develop its maximum pull-out resistance with negligible movement, and the yielding ofa properly designed compression pile of small to medium diameter is unlikely o exceed 10mm or fin at the working load ‘Thus the horizontal deflections ofthe pile cap will be quite small For economy, the raking piles should be installed atthe largest possible angle from the