Centrifugal model behavior of laterally loaded suction pile in sand

• Published in: KSCE journal of civil engineering Vol. 17; no. 5; pp. 980 - 988
• Main Authors: Jang, Yeon-Soo, Kim, You-Seok
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Korean Society of Civil Engineers 01.07.2013; Springer Nature B.V; 대한토목학회
• Subjects: Civil Engineering; Earth; Earth pressure; Engineering; Equations; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Grounds; Horizontal; Industrial Pollution Prevention; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Passive pressure; Piles; Rotational; Sand; Suction; 토목공학; sand; suction pile; horizontal pullout loading capacity; displacement; centrifugal test; rotational point
• ISSN: 1226-7988; 1976-3808
• DOI: 10.1007/s12205-013-0011-z

A series of centrifugal tests were conducted to evaluate the maximum horizontal pullout capacity of a suction pile embedded in sand by varying the diameter and the length of the pile. The loading point was located at 75% of the pile length from the top, and the results were compared with the prediction equations of suction piles. As a result, it is found that the horizontal pullout capacity of a suction pile is proportional to its diameter and the square of length. The equation derived from Rankine’s passive earth pressure equation predicts the test results very well. When pulling out the test pile from the left the test pile was apt to rotate clockwise, and its rotational point at the maximum pullout capacity was found to be in the upper part of the pile. In addition, on the basis of the center of the suction pile, the vertical displacements for all the cases appeared to develop toward the ground surface.