Design of Offshore Piles in a Layered

Deposit Using p-y Based Methods

By
Hitendra Kumar Sonkar (17CE01043)
under the supervision of
Dr. Sumanta Haldar
 Objective of the Project
 To support fixed offshore platforms long piles are used in which lateral load is a major component
of design loads . for design of piles for platforms in Indian offshore API (American Petroleum
Institute) recommendations are followed.

 Main objective - When Su of clay is a transition value between soft clay and stiff clay .i.e., 100kPa
or slightly more . So, p-y data should be generated whether on the basis of soft clay p-y procedure
or stiff clay p-y procedure .So, comparative study was carried out on the effect of the two p-y
procedures on analysis of offshore piles where soil near seafloor was mainly stiff clay.
 Methodology : p -y curve Method

 The p-y analysis is a numerical model that simulates the

soil resistance as predefined nonlinear springs, where p
is the soil pressure per unit length of the pile and y is
the pile deflection.

 The soil is represented by a series of nonlinear p-y

curves that vary with depth and soil type.

 The p-y analysis has been done using pypile software. . Single Pile Model
 The Genesis of p-y curves
 A non linear relationship that provides soil
resistance as a function of pile deflection .

 When the pile laterally displaces a distance

of y1 at a depth of z1 , the stresses are
decreased on the backside of the pile and
increased on the front .

 Backside stress is known as Active Lateral

Soil Resistance & stress on front is known
as Passive Lateral Soil Resistance . Unit stress distribution in a laterally loaded pile
 Theorectical p-y curve for Soft clay

p-y curve for soft clay for static loading p-y curve for soft clay for cyclic loading
( MATLOCK,1970) ( MATLOCK,1970)
 Theorectical p-y curve for Stiff clay

p-y curve for stiff clay with free water p-y curve for stiff clay w/o free water
(Reese et al.,1975) (Welch & Reese ,1972)
Theorectical p-y curve for sand

p-y curve for API Sand (API RP 2A)

 Analysis & Results : Soil Profile-1 & Pile
Parameters

• Clay Layer - Su = 100 kPa(constant throughout depth)

𝛾’ = 9 kN/m2 , ℇ50 = 0.007

• Steel Tubular Pile - Length = 40 m.

Diameter =1.524 m.
Modulus of Elasticity = 200 GPa
• Load(F) = 2000 kN
Soil -1 : Lateral Deflection vs Depth & Bending Moment vs Depth

Lateral Deflection vs Depth for Soil-1 Bending Moment vs Depth for Soil-1
 Soil-1 : Effect of variation in Lateral
Load at Pile Head
 The displacement at pile head is lesser on applying the ‘stiff
clay’ p-y procedure when compared with the ‘soft clay’
procedure up to a limit of lateral load on the pile .

 Thresold Displacement/diameter(%)=(31.925/1524)*100=2.09

 Limiting Lateral Load = 3395 kN

 When the load exceeds this limiting lateral load , the

displacement and bending moment increase rapidly and the
foundation collapses.
Pile head Displacement with Variation of
Lateral Load for d = 1.524 m.
 Soil-1 : Effect of d/L of Pile on
Thresold displacement/diameter(%)
Case Diameter Length d/L Pile head Thresold Displacement Limiting
No. of Pile of Pile deflection /diameter Lateral Load
(m) (m) (mm) (kN)
(%)

1 1.219 40 0.0304 24.77 2.03 2299

2 1.372 40 0.0343 28.96 2.11 2827
3 1.524 40 0.0381 31.92 2.09 3395
4 1.829 40 0.0457 37.99 2.07 4660
5 1.981 40 0.0495 40.65 2.05 5350
6 2.134 40 0.0533 44.90 2.10 6090

-> Avg. Thresold displacement/diameter(%) = 2.07%

 Soil-1: Effect of ℇ50 on Thresold
displacement/diameter(%)
• When ℇ50 = 0.007 (Reese)

Thresold Displacement/diameter(%)=(31.925/1524)*100=2.09

Limiting Lateral Load = 3395 kN

• When ℇ50 = 0.00635 (ASHOUR)

Thresold Displacement/diameter(%)=(28.87/1524)*100=1.89

Limiting Lateral Load = 3298 kN

Pile head Displacement with Variation of
Lateral Load with ℇ50 (ASHOUR) for d=1.524 m
 Analysis & Results : Soil Profile-2 ( Two
Layered Soil ) & Pile Parametrs

Layer Depth Undrained Shear Strength(Su) Unit weight (‫)’ץ‬

LAYER-1 (0-5m) 30 kPa 9 kN/m3

LAYER-2 (5-40m) 100 kPa 10 kN/m3

 Steel Tubular Pile - Length = 40 m.

Diameter =1.219 m.
Modulus of Elasticity = 200 GPa
 Soil-2 : Effect of variation in Lateral Load
at Pile Head
 The displacement at pile head is lesser on applying the ‘stiff
clay’ p-y procedure when compared with the ‘soft clay’
procedure up to a limit of lateral load on the pile .

 Thresold Displacement/diameter(%)=(46.84/1219)*100= 3.62

 Limiting Lateral Load = 2195 kN

 When the load exceeds this limiting lateral load , the

displacement and bending moment increase rapidly and the
foundation collapses.
Pile head Displacement with Variation of
Lateral Load for d = 1.219 m.
 Soil -2 : Effect of interchanging layers on
Thresold displacement/diameter(%)
Layer Depth Undrained Shear Unit weight (‫)’ץ‬
Strength(Su)
LAYER-1 (0-35m) 100 kPa 10 kN/m3

LAYER-2 (35-40m) 30 kPa 9 kN/m3

 Thresold Displacement/diameter(%)=(24.55/1219)*100= 2.01 ,

 Limiting Lateral Load = 2195 kN

 While in original soil -2 it was 3.62% @ 3300 kN Pile head Displacement with Variation of
Lateral Load for d = 1.219 m.
 Soil-2: Effect of ℇ50 on Thresold
displacement/diameter(%)
Layer Depth Su Unit weight (‫ )’ץ‬ℇ50(Reese) ℇ50(ASHOUR)

Layer-1(0-5m) 30 kPa 9 kN/m3 0.01 0.0105

Layer-2(5-40m) 100 kPa 10 kN/m3 0.007 0.00635

 Thresold Displacement/diameter(%)=(42.18/1219)*100=3.46

 Limiting Lateral Load = 2115 kN (ASHOUR)

 Reese –> Thresold value is 3.62% @ 2195 kN

Pile head Deflection with Variation of Lateral
Load with ℇ50 (ASHOUR) for d=1.219 m
 Soil-2 : Effect of d/L of Pile on Thresold
displacement/diameter(%)
Case No. Diameter of Length Of d/L Lateral Thresold Limiting
Pile (m) Pile Displacement Displacement Lateral Load
(m) At pile head /diameter (kN)
(mm) (%)
1 1.219 40 0.0304 46.84 3.62 2195
2 1.524 40 0.0381 48.11 3.15 3270
3 1.981 40 0.0495 56.67 2.86 5250

 Unlike in case of soil-1 , threshold displacement/diameter(%) is not constant & depend upon d/L
of pile .
 Analysis & Results : Soil Profile-3
(Multi Layered Soil ,An actual offshore profile)
Soil Layer Depth Su 𝜙 𝛾′ k ℇ50
(m) (kPa) (deg) (kN/m3) (MN/m3)
1 0-5.8 19 - 6 - 1.5
2 5.8-16 100 - 9 - 1
3 16-18.3 55 - 9 - 1
4 18.3-21.3 55 - 7 - 1
5 21.3-26.5 280 - 10 - 0.5
6 26.5-31 140 - 10 - 0.5
7 31-40.2 140-160 - 7.5 - 0.5
8 40.2-43.5 - 30 10 16.5 -
9 43.5-54 160-250 - 8.5 - 0.5
 Analysis & Results :Pile Parameters
Steel non-uniform Tubular Pile

Section Top-Outer Bottom-Outer Top Thickness Bottom Young’s modulus

length Diameter Diameter(m) (m) Thickness of elasticity(GPa)
(m) (m) (m)
80 1829 1829 44 44 200
2 1829 1829 50 50 200
 Soil-3 : Effect of variation in Lateral
Load at Pile Head
 The displacement at pile head is lesser on applying the ‘stiff clay’
p-y procedure when compared with the ‘soft clay’ procedure up to
a limit of lateral load on the pile .

 Thresold Displacement/diameter(%)=(67.81/1829)*100= 3.7

 Limiting Lateral Load = 4400 kN
 When the load exceeds this limiting lateral load , the displacement
and bending moment increase rapidly and the foundation collapses.

Pile head Displacement with Variation of

Lateral Load for d = 1.829 m.
 SOIL -3 : Effect of increasing thickness of Soil
layer of Transition Su(100kPa) on Thresold
displacement/diameter(%)
• When thickness of layer 2 is changed from 10.2m to 14.2m ->

 Thresold Displacement/diameter(%)=(83.36/1829)*100= 4.56

 Limiting Lateral Load = 4525 kN

Pile head Deflection with Variation of Lateral

Load with increased thickness of layer-2
 Soil -3 : Effect of decreasing thickness of Soil
layer of Transition Su(100kPa) on Thresold
displacement/diameter(%)
• When thickness of layer 2 is changed from 10.2m to 8.2m ->

 Thresold Displacement/diameter(%)=(60.97/1829)*100= 3.33

 Limiting Lateral Load = 4200 kN

Pile head Deflection with Variation of Lateral

Load with decreased thickness of layer-2
 Summary
• The displacement at pile head is lesser on applying the ‘stiff clay’ p-y procedure when compared with the ‘soft clay’
procedure up to a limit of lateral load on the pile .

• The threshold value of displacement/diameter(%) is constant and does not depend on d/L ratio of pile for
monolayer soil(soil-1) but for multi-layered soil ,it depends on the d/L ratio of the pile .

• threshold value also depends on the thickness of soil layer , orientation of soil layers , according to whom the value
of ℇ50 has been considered during analysis .

.
 Work To be Done
• Analysis of laterally loaded piles in multi-layered soil deposit in 3D.
 References
• Rupam Mahanta and R. K. Ghanekar “ Influence of API p-y Procedures on Design of Offshore Piles
in Clay”. Institute of Engineering and Ocean Technology, ONGC, Panvel, Maharashtra. India.
• Rocscience( 2018) “Laterally Loaded Piles”
https://www.rocscience.com/help/rspile/pdf_files/theory/RSPile_-_Laterally_Loaded_Pile_Theory.p
df
• Dhruba Lal Pradhan(2012)” Development of P-Y Curves for Monopiles in Clay using Finite Element
Model Plaxis 3D Foundation” https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/30791249.pdf
• K. Madhusudan Reddy, R. Ayothiraman.(2015) "Experimental Studies on Behavior of Single Pile
under Combined Uplift and Lateral Loading" , Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental
Engineering.