Investigating the Efficiency Coefficient of Pile Group in Clay Under Two-Way Lateral Load

This research investigates the behavior of a 2x2 pile group under two-directional lateral loads in addition to the vertical load. Through three-dimensional numerical modeling based on Flac 3D software, the study examines the total bearing capacity and efficiency coefficient of the pile group, considering factors such as the angle of lateral load, relative pile spacing, and relative stiffness of the pile-soil system. The findings highlight the significance of these factors in understanding and predicting the response of pile groups to changing lateral load directions. The results reveal that increasing the angle of the lateral load from 0 degrees to 45 degrees enhances both the maximum total lateral load and the efficiency coefficient of the pile group. When the relative stiffness of the pile-soil system significantly increases, soil stiffening occurs and reducing the relative spacing of the piles from 7 to 3 times the diameter of the piles diminishes the influence of the pile group. Consequently, the response of the pile group to lateral loads becomes more linear, with only a slight alteration in the maximum total lateral load and the efficiency coefficient when the lateral load is angled from 0 degrees to 45 degrees. Conversely, increasing the relative distance between the piles, specifically from 3 to 7 times the diameter of the piles, amplifies the influence of the pile group. Both the maximum total lateral load and the efficiency coefficient of the pile group exhibit an observed increase. These provide insights for designing pile groups and optimizing their performance under lateral loading conditions.