Design Recommendations for Pile Subjected to Cyclic Load

Pile foundations subjected to cyclic load is an age-old problem dealt with for decades by geotechnical engineers. The ocean environment necessitates the piles supporting offshore structures to be designed against lateral cyclic loading initiated by wave action. Substantial experimental and analytical investigations have already been conducted by the author and other researchers. The quasi-static load reversal induces deterioration in the strength and stiffness of the soil-pile system introducing progressive reduction in the bearing capacity as well as settlement of the pile foundation, the degree of such degradation has been observed to be a function of the cyclic load parameters and the type of soil. Based on these observations, a design recommendation has been attempted in this paper for piles subjected to cyclic load in cohesive soil.