Three dimensional elasto-plastic interface for embedded beam elements with interaction surface for the analysis of lateral loading of piles

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical formulation for a three dimensional elasto-plastic interface, which can be coupled with an embedded beam element in order to model its non-linear interaction with the surrounding solid medium. The formulation is herein implemented for lateral loading of piles but is able to represent soil-pile interaction phenomena in a general manner for different types of loading conditions or ground movements. The interface is formulated in order to capture localized material plasticity in the soil surrounding the pile within the range of small to moderate lateral displacements. The interface is formulated following two different approaches: (i) in terms of beam degrees of freedoms; and (ii) considering the displacement field of the solid domain. Each of these alternatives has its own advantages and shortcomings, which are discussed in this paper. The paper presents a comparison of the results obtained by means of the present formulation and by other well-established analysis methods and test results published in the literature.