Numerical analysis of the response of battered piles to inclined pullout loads

This paper presents a three-dimensional finite element analysis of the response of battered piles to the combined lateral and vertical pullout loads. Analyses are carried out using an elastoplastic constitutive law based on the non-associated Mohr-Coulomb criterion. The influence of the contact condition at the pile-soil interface is also investigated. Analyses show that the load's inclination with regard to the pile's axis affects both the lateral and axial response of the battered piles. Analyses also show that the pullout capacity of battered piles is affected by the pile's inclination regarding the vertical axis as well as the load's inclination regarding the pile's axis. The investigation of the influence of the contact condition at the soil-pile interface shows that the possibility of sliding at the soil-pile interface affects the response of battered piles subjected to loads with low inclination regarding the pile's axis. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.