Group Effects for Laterally Loaded Piles 1

[abusementpark]

Which method/reference do you use to account for group effects on laterally loaded piles?

 

[Guest262653]

You might consider taking a look at CIRIA report 103 - Design of laterally-loaded piles. A couple of methods are presented there.
I think that Randolph and Poulos method is the most widespread.
Hope it helps.

 

[FixedEarth]

It is covered in great detail in:

FHWA HI 97-103, 1998, Volume 1, Chapter 9 for laterally loaded driven piles
FHWA NHI Course 132014, 2007, Chapter 12 for laterally loaded drilled piers
Advanced Foundation Engineering by V.N.S. Murthy, 2007 and
Single Piles and Pile Groups Under Lateral Loading, 2010, Reese & Van Impe.

I believe the first two publications are available online. Watch out that you do not exceed the passive resistance of the upper soils, even if your deflections are low. There are other publication by various DOT's that cover how much a pile or a pier is embedded in the pile cap so that you may classify your group piles as a free headed or fixed headed condition.