Application of T-EMSD based p-y curves in the three-dimensional analysis of laterally loaded pile in undrained clay

Abstract To apply the p-y curve method in laterally loaded pile analyses, three-dimensional effects in component such as the ultimate pile bearing capacity, pile compatibility factor and initial subgrade modulus must be incorporated. A framework to consider these factors in the theoretical p-y curve derived by the Total-displacement-loading Extended Mobilisable Strength Design (T-EMSD) approach is presented. The bearing capacity design equation can be used to estimate the continuous velocity fields based pile compatibility factor profile. To verify the pile bearing capacity design equation fitted from an upper-bound solution, centrifuge experiments of rigidly translated piles were performed. Corresponding finite element analyses were also performed. The pile compatibility factor profile was obtained through the verified bearing capacity equation and experimental results. Finally, the applications of plane-strain p-y curves to three-dimensional problems were demonstrated via experiment simulation and parametric study.