Response of vertical pile group subjected to horizontal cyclic load in soft clay

The environment prevalent in ocean necessitates the piles supporting offshore structures to be designed against lateral cyclic loading initiated by wave action. Such 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 the pile head displacement. To understand the effect of lateral cyclic load on lateral capacity of pile group in soft clay, a series of laboratory experiments were performed on model piles in soft cohesive soil. This paper presents the experimental observations made and the relevant conclusions drawn there from