LATERAL PERFORMANCE OF SINGLE AND GROUP OF LATERALLY LOADED BARRETTES IN COHESIONLESS SOIL

Abstract

The lateral performance of single and group of barrettes in cohesionless soils is investigated using 3D FE program (Plaxis 3D). The shape of the mobilized strain wedge behind the laterally loaded barrettes is visualized using 3D FE techniques. This study presents an approach of using an equivalent shape for the barrette as input in p-y curves method using L-Pile based on the shape of the mobilized strain wedge behind these laterally loaded barrettes. The barrette width and depth in the equivalent shape are multiplied by 1.8 and 0.7 respectively. The equivalent shape approach is suitable for laterally loaded barrette with changing the barrette dimensions, relative density of sand and barrette stiffness. This study evaluates the P-Multipliers method to account the group effect to modify the p-y curves for the single pile. The P-multiplier values of Reese et al. (2006) using the equivalent shape approach improve the results of p-y curves for laterally loaded barrettes group. The behavior of multiple rows of barrette groups is investigated to suggest the appropriate design multipliers (Pm) for multiple rows of barrette groups. The three P-multiplier equations suggested by Reese et al. 2006 for multiple rows are used with using the equivalent shape approach.