FEATURE

Transverse Loading on Pile

................................................................................................................................................................................

By: Engr. Tan Yang Kheng, MIEM, P.Eng.

1. Introduction
Transverse loading on a pile arises from
ground movements around the pile. There
had been a number of cases of unacceptable
structure movements or collapse because
the design did not consider this type of
transverse loading. Tschebotarioff (1973)
[1] reported that ‘several unpublicised
cases occurred in the 1950’s where this kind
of movement proved troublesome even on
pile supported bridge abutments’. Similar
cases had been reported in Malaysia and
other parts of the world; examples are Figure 2: Pile subjected to lateral soil movement in
given in Chan (1988) and Stermac et al. an unstable slope.
(1968)[2,3]. The problem is not confined
to bridge abutments only. There are other 2. Design Situations
cases where problems were reported due There are a number of design situations in
to transverse loading on pile, for example which piles will be subjected to transverse
Chin (1979); Tan (1988); Ting and Tan loading. These include:
(1997)[4,5,6]. Therefore, there are various a) Piles with unsymmetrical surcharge on
design situations in which transverse either side; e.g. in or near embankment,
loading on pile needs to be evaluated and like bridge abutment piles
designed for. b) Piles in an unstable or creeping slope
Though the problem was made know c) Piles supporting building on or near
since 1950s, the common design codes unstable slope
used in Malaysia do not address the prob- d) Piles in a marginally stable riverbank
lem specifically. However, the recently with high fluctuating water level
released Eurocode 7 (BS EN 1997-1:2004) e) Piles near an excavation
[7] has now stipulated transverse loading f) Inclined piles in settling ground
as one of the loadings which needs to be g) Piles in a seismic region
considered in pile design. Therefore, this
article is written to alert local practicing Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the problem
engineers on the issue. A brief description involved for Cases A and B respectively. In
of design situations and suggested meth- both cases, the lateral ground movement
od of evaluating the loading is given in the takes place and induces transverse loading
subsequent sections. on the pile. Indeed, the mechanistic
behaviour for Cases C and D is similar to
one of the two cases previously described.
This article shall exclude discussion and
design for Cases F and G.

3. Loading Evaluation
A method of evaluating transverse loading
on pile is proposed based on Ting and Tan
(2004)[8]. The method applies to a single
pile only. It consists of the following steps:
I. Slope stability analysis
II. Determination of lateral ground
movement profile
III. Determination of maximum transverse
Figure 1: Piles subjected to lateral soil movement
due to nearby embankment. loading

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F E A T URE

definite shear strength, 4. Conclusion

ultimately, the soil will Transverse loading on a pile arising from
flow around the pile ground movements around the pile shall
and maximum (ulti- be evaluated in pile design. Slope stability
mate) loading is acting. analysis is first carried out to determine
Transverse loading is the extent of ground movement. Using the
determined by consid- determined ground movement as an input,
ering the interaction maximum transverse loading on pile is then
between the pile and determined using the theory of a beam on
the moving soil mass. a deformable medium characterised by the
One way of evaluating modulus of subgrade reaction. The degree
the loading is to use of stability as represented by the FoS of the
ALP. It is a program slope is then used to quantify the probable
that analyses a laterally transverse loading on the pile. n
loaded pile with the soil
modelled as discrete
References
non-linear springs, and
the pile as elastic beam [1] Tschebotarioff, Gregory P. (1973).
elements. ALP permits Foundations, Retaining and Earth
Structures. McGraw-Hill, New York,
soil displacement to pp.400-410.
be an input to the pro-
gram. Other programs [2] Chan, S.F. (1988) “Underpinning of
Foundation Failures using Micropiles.”
with similar capabilities Proceedings of Sarawak Geotechnical
can also be used. Using Symposium, Kuching, pp. 59-60.
the technique, ground
[3] Stermac, A.G., M. Derata, and K.G. Selby
movement is inputted (1968). Unusual Movements of Bridge
using the ground move- Abutments Supported on Endbearing
Piles.” Can. Geotech. J., Vol.5, No. 2,
ment profile and varying
pp.69-79.
magnitude of ground
movement. The objec- [4] Chin, Fung Kee (1979). “Course Notes on
One-Day Course on Piled Foundations.”
IV. Evaluation of probable transverse tive is to determine the maximum forces
The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia,
loading on the pile acting on the pile. The values are used to Kuching.
evaluate probable transverse loading.
[5] Tan Yang Kheng (1988). “Abutment
Slope stability analysis is first carried out As mentioned earlier, FoS has a role Failures Associated with Approach
using lower bound strength conditions. to play in determining the extent of Embankments on Soft Clay.” Proceedings
The depth of lateral ground movement ground movement. This is demonstrated of Sarawak Geotechnical Symposium,
Kuching, pp. 19-31.
can be deduced from the stability analyses. by Tschebotarioff (1973) and Stewart
The appropriate lateral ground movement et al. (1994)[1,9] (see Table 1). It can be [6] Ting, W.H. and Tan, Y.K. (1997). “The
profile can then be determined. The degree seen that there is a distinct relationship Movement of a Wharf Structure subject to
Fluctuation of Water Level.” Proceedings
of stability [as Factor of Safety (FoS)] is between FoS and pile head displacement; of XIVth International Conference on Soil
determined for all the potential failure the displacement becomes smaller as FoS Mechanics and Foundation Engineering,
surfaces. FoS of stability has a role to play is increased. The stability of the soil in Hamburg.
in the evaluation of transverse loading. This terms of FoS can, therefore, be applied as a [7] BS EN 1997-1:2004. “Eurocode 7:
is described in a later part of this section. starting point in deciding on the quantum Geotechnical Design – Part 1: General
The next step is to determine the maxi- of ground movement to be applied to a rules.” British Standards Institution.
mum transverse loading that can act on the pile. The interpretation is indirect as the [8] Ting, W.H. and Tan, Y.K. (2004). “Lateral
pile. As ground movement around the pile available quantity is pile head displacement Response of Piles to Soil Movement
increases, transverse loading is acting on that is in turn related to ground movement. when Embedded in Banks of Limiting
Stability.” Keynote Lecture, 15th SEA
the pile by shear transfer. As soil has some As more research is carried out for different Geotechnical Conf., Bangkok.
configurations of lateral pile/soil
Table 1: Factor of safety (FoS) and displacement [9] Stewart, D. P., Jewell, R. J. and Randolph,
interaction, it will be possible to build
M. F. (1994). “Design of piled bridge
FoS 1.0 1.20 1.50 1.70 2.00 3.00 a data base (of soil displacements abutments on soft clay for loading from
directly). Much work remains lateral soil movements.” Geotechnique,
Pile Displ./ 1.0 0.64 0.37 0.27 0.18 0.07 Vol. 44, No. 2, pp. 277-296.
to be done and in the interim,
Ult. Pile Displ.
reliance would have to be placed [10] ALP 1991. “Oasys Computer Program
BM / Ult. BM 1.0 0.65 0.38 0.28 0.19 0.08
on engineering judgment within the Manual - ALP – Analysis of Laterally
Note: Pile Displ. – Pile Head Displacement, BM – Bending Loaded Piles.” Oasys Limited, London.
Moment in the pile
framework of existing studies.

20 Jurutera, September 2008