COMPUTER ApPLICATION OF CLM LATERAL LOAD ANALYSIS TO PILES

AND DRILLED SHAFTS

By Tracy Brettmann; Member, ASCE, and J. Michael Duncan/ Fellow, ASCE

ABSTRACT: The characteristic load method (CLM) for analysis at laterally loaded piles and drilled shafts can
be used to accurately estimate ground-line deflections and maximum bending moments for both free-head and
fixed-head piles in both clay and sand. This technical note provides equations for the nonlinear relationships
used in the CLM for analysis of laterally loaded piles and drilled shafts. These equations can be used in
spreadsheets or computer code to automate and simplify the analyses. The steps required for spreadsheet analysis
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of loading conditions involving both load and moment are described.

INTRODUCTION (3)
The characteristic load method (CLM) of analysis for lat- In (1), (2), and (3) y, = ground-line deflection; D = pile or
erally loaded piles and drilled shafts (Evans and Duncan 1982; drilled shaft width or diameter; P, = lateral load at top of pile
Duncan et al. 1994) provides a simple and accurate method to or drilled shaft; Pc = characteristic load; M, = moment at top
(1) perform rationally based lateral load analyses on projects of pile or drilled shaft; Me = characteristic moment; and M max
where detailed analyses are not warranted or are outside the = maximum moment.
scope of the study; and (2) check the results of detailed lateral
load analyses. As described by Duncan et al. (1994), this
method was developed by performing nonlinear p-y analyses COMPARISON OF COMPUTED AND TABULATED
for a wide range of free-head and fixed-head piles and drilled COEFFICIENTS
shafts in clay and sand, and representing the results in the form Tables 4, 5, and 6 and Figs. 1, 2, and 3 compare the coef-
of relationships among dimensionless variables. ficients computed from the equations to the tabulated coeffi-
This method can be used to determine (1) ground-line de- cients reported by Duncan et al. (1994). As shown in the tables
flections due to lateral loads, bending moments, or combined and figures, the computed coefficients match the reported co-
loads and moments (flagpole condition); (2) maximum mo- efficients quite well.
ments for free-head and fixed-head conditions; and (3) the lo-
cation of the maximum moment in the pile or drilled shaft.
To automate this method, equations that accurately represent STEPS FOR SPREADSHEET ANALYSIS
the nonlinear relationships between the variables were deter- The steps required to calculate deflections for the combined
mined. These equations are in a form that is easy to invert for load and moment (flagpole) free-head condition are described
use in the flagpole loading condition where a nonlinear su- next and are illustrated in Table 7. These steps implement the
perposition procedure is required. nonlinear superposition procedure required for the flagpole
EQUATIONS FOR NONDIMENSIONAL loading condition. Simpler spreadsheets for the load only con-
RELATIONSHIPS dition (fixed-head and free-head) and the moment only con-
dition can be written by omitting the columns used for the
There are three main groups of nondimensional relation- nonlinear superposition procedure. Calculated maximum mo-
ships used for this method; load-deflection, moment-deflec-
tion, and load-moment. Different relationships for each main TABLE 1. Constants for Load·Deflectlon Equations [(y,JD) =
group are used for clay and sand soils. The load-deflection and .(P,Jpa)b]
load-moment relationships are further subdivided into free- Clay Sand
head and fixed-head conditions.
A single-term exponential equation in the form of y = d, Constant Free-head Fixed-head Free-head Fixed-head
where a is a constant and b is an exponent, is used for the (1 ) (2) (3) (4) (5)
nondimensional relationships. This equation can be easily in- a 50.0 14.0 119.0 28.8
verted to read x = (yla) lib. The constants and exponents for b 1.822 1.846 1.523 1.500
each of the relationships were determined using an iterative,
nonlinear, least squares curve-fitting technique. The constants TABLE 2. Constanta for Moment·Deflectlon Equation. [(y,JD)
and exponents to be used in the equations for the nondimen- =.(M,JMa)b]
sional relationships are summarized in Tables 1, 2, and 3, and
the following equations: Constant Clay Sand
(1 ) (2) (3)
(y,lD) =a(P,IPc)b (1)
21.0 36.0
(y,/D) = a(M,/M.)b (2) 1.412 1.308

'Proj. Mgr., Fugro-McClelland, 6100 Hillcroft, Houston, TX 77081.

2UniV. Distinguished Prof., Civ. Engrg., 104 Patton Hall, Vtrginia Poly-
TABLE 3. Con.tant. for Load·Moment Equation. [(P,JP.) =
.(M.IIlU 1M.•)b]
technic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA 24061.
Note. Discussion open until November 1, 1996. To extend the closing Clay Sand
date one month, a written request must be filed with the ASCE Manager
of Journals. The manuscript for this technical note was submitted for Constant Free·head Fixed-head Free-head Fixed-head
review and possible publication on June 13, 1995. This technical note is (1 ) (2) (3) (4) (5)
part of the }oUTlUlI of Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 122, No.6, June, a 0.85 0.78 4.28 2.64
1996. ©ASCE, ISSN 0733-9410/96/0006-0496-0498/$4.00 + $.50 per b 1.288 1.249 1.384 1.300
page. Technical Note No. 10902.

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J. Geotech. Engrg. 1996.122:496-498.

 TABLE 4. Load-Deflection Coefficients

CLAY SAND
Free-Head Flxed·Head Free-Head Fixed-Head
Table Computed Table Computed Table Computed Table Computed
Y,/D P,IPc P,/Pc P,IPc P,/PC P,/Pc P,IPc P,IPc P,/Pc
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
0.0025 0.0040 0.0044 0.0088 0.0093 0.0008 0.0008 0.0016 0.0020
0.0050 0.0065 0.0064 0.0133 0.0136 0.0013 0.0013 0.0028 0.0031
0.0075 0.0078 0.0080 0.0168 0.0169 0.0017 0.0017 0.0039 0.0041
0.0100 0.0091 0.0093 0.0197 0.0198 0.0021 0.0021 0.0049 0.0049
0.0150 0.Q113 0.Q117 0.0247 0.0246 0.0027 0.0028 0.0065 0.0065
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0.0200 0.0135 0.0136 0.0289 0.0288 0.0033 0.0033 0.0079 0.0078

0.0300 0.0171 0.Q170 0.0359 0.0358 0.0043 0.0043 0.0104 0.0103
0.0400 0.0200 0.0200 0.0419 0.0419 0.0052 0.0052 0.0125 0.0124
0.0500 0.0226 0.0226 0.0471 0.0472 0.0060 0.0061 0.0144 0.0144
0.0600 0.0250 0.0249 - - 0.0068 0.0068 - -
0.0800 0.0292 0.0292 - - 0.0083 0.0083 - -
0.1000 0.0332 0.0330 - - 0.0097 0.0096 - -
0.1500 0.0412 0.0412 - - 0.0124 0.0125 - -

TABLE 5. Moment-Deflection Coefficients

Clay Sand
Table Computed Table Computed O.... r--...,,--....------,
Y,ID M,IMc M,/Mc M,/Mc M,IMc
(1 ) (2) (3) (4) (5)
0.00 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
0.Q1 0.0048 0.0044 0.0019 0.0019
0.02 0.0074 0.0073 0.0032 0.0032
0.03 0.0097 0.0097 0.0044 0.0044
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.0119
0.0139
0.0158
0.0118
0.0139
0.0158
0.0055
0.0065
0.0075
0.0055
0.0065
0.0075
om 0-'" 0'0 0.15 0.00 ... 0.10 015

0.08 0.0193 0.0194 0.0094 0.0094 Deflection Ratio - YtID Deflection Ratio - Y tID
0.10 0.0226 0.0227 0.0113 0.Q111
0.15 0.0303 0.0302 0.0150 0.0151 FIG. 1. Load-Deflection Curves: <a) ClaYi (b) Sand

TABLE 6. Load-Moment Coefficient.

CLAY SAND
Free-Head Fixed-Head Free-Head Fixed-Head
Table Computed Table Computed Table Computed Table Computed
M....x/Mc P,IPc P,IPc P,IPc P,/Pc P,/PC P,/PC P,/PC P,IPc
(1 ) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000
0.0010 0.0050 0.0053 0.0041 0.0048 0.0021 0.0024 0.0019 0.0023
0.0020 0.0090 0.0091 0.0078 0.0084 0.0038 0.0039 0.0037 0.0040
0.0030 0.0125 0.0124 0.0112 0.0116 0.0052 0.0053 0.0052 0.0054
0.0040 0.0157 0.0155 0.0144 0.0146 0.0065 0.0065 0.0067 0.0068
0.0050 0.0185 0.0185 0.0175 0.0175 0.0076 0.0076 0.0080 0.0080
0.0060 0.0212 0.0213 0.0204 0.0203 0.0087 0.0087 0.0093 0.0092
0.0080 0.0264 0.0266 0.0258 0.0255 0.0107 0.0107 0.0117 0.0115
0.0100 0.0319 0.0316 0.0308 0.0305 0.0126 0.0125 0.0138 0.0137
0.0150 0.0432 0.0433 0.0419 0.0422 0.0168 0.0168 0.0186 0.0187

TABLE 7. Example Spreadsheet-Combined Load and Moment

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
Sum real Sum real Deflection
Loading Deflection Deflection load and mom. and Deflection ratio Average
Conditions ratio Moment ratio Equivalent Equivalent equiv. load equiv. mom. ratio due due to deflection Average
Load ratio (load only) ratio (moment only) load ratio moment ratio ratio ratio to loads moments ratio deflection
P, M, P,IPc YIpID M,lMc y""ID PmlPc MplMc (P,+ PnJlPc (M,+ Mp)/Mc YtpmlD Y"",ID y...ID Y...
(1 ) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11 ) (12) (13) (14)
Input Input (I)IP< Eq. (I) (2)/M< Eq. (2) Inverse Eq. (I) Inverse Eq. (2) (3) + (7) (5) + (8) Eq. (I) Eq. (2) [(II) + (12))/2 (13)*D

JOURNAL OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING / JUNE 1996/497

J. Geotech. Engrg. 1996.122:496-498.

 0.040
moment only (Ym,lD). These deflection ratios can be calculated
• Table using (1) and (2).
i 0.030 The second step is to calculate an equivalent load ratio
0
. (Pm/Pc) using the deflection ratio calculated from the moment
(Ylm/D), and an equivalent moment ratio (Mp/Mc ) using the
"" 0.020
'"
0:: deflection ratio calculated from the load (Yip/D). These cal-
..
"E
E 0.010
culations are performed using the inverse of (1) and (2) for
0
:::I!
the equivalent load ratio and moment ratio, respectively.
The third step is to calculate the deflection ratios due to the
0.000 summation of the real load plus equivalent load (Ylpm/D), and
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 the real moment plus the equivalent moment (Yrmp/D). These
Deflection Ratio - YrID deflection ratios can be calculated using (1) and (2). The av-
FIG. 2. Moment-Deflection Curve. for Clay and Sand erage deflection (Yav,) can then be calculated by multiplying
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the diameter (D) by the average deflection ratio (Yav/D) .

.... ,....---,----,-----..
QOI QOI 0lI! Oal
Moment Ratio - M,..,IM" Moment Ratio· M"..,/M"
FIG. 3. Load-Moment Curve.: <a) Clay; <b) Sand
ments can also be included in the spreadsheet for the load only
condition. Group effects can be included following the pro-
cedures described by Ooi and Duncan (1994).
As described by Duncan et al. (1994), the first step in the
nonlinear superposition procedure is to calculate the deflection
ratios that would be caused by the load only (Yip/D) and the
SUMMARY
The eLM method of analysis for laterally loaded piles and
drilled shafts can be· automated for computer use through the
use of equations and procedures described in this technical
note. The equations are shown to fit the previously reported
data quite well. Steps are described that can be used for the
QOI QOI
nonlinear superposition required for the flagpole loading con-
dition.
APPENDIX. REFERENCES
Duncan, J. M., Evans, L. T. Jr., and Ooi, P. K. (1994). "Lateral load
analysis of single piles and drilled shafts." J. Geotech. Engrg., ASCE,
120(6), 1018-1033.
Evans, L. T. Jr., and Duncan, J. M. (1982). "Simplified analysis of lat-
erally loaded piles." Rep. No. UCBlGTI82·04, Univ. of California,
Berkeley, Calif.
Ooi, P. K., and Duncan, J. M. (1994). "Lateral load analysis of groups
of piles and drilled shafts." J. Geotech. Engrg., ASCE, 120(6), 1034-
1050.

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J. Geotech. Engrg. 1996.122:496-498.