218 2. Select pile/shaft diameter
D.
3. Compute the ultimate resistance (
pu) of soil per unit length of pile. Use the smaller of the following
values calculated as 𝑝𝑝
𝑢𝑢
= �3 +
𝛾𝛾
′
𝐶𝐶
𝑢𝑢
𝑘𝑘 +
𝐺𝐺
𝐷𝐷 𝑘𝑘� 𝐶𝐶
𝑈𝑈
𝐷𝐷 Equation A)
𝑝𝑝
𝑢𝑢
= 9𝐶𝐶
𝑈𝑈
𝐷𝐷 Equation A-2)
where
γ′ = average effective unit weight between the ground surface to the depth
z under consideration,
Cu= undrained shear strength at depth
z,
D = diameter or width of pile/shaft, and
J is an experimental parameter that depends on the clay consistency. Matlock (1970)
recommended to use J = 0.5 for soft clay and
J = 0.25 for medium clay.
4. Compute the deflection,
y50, that occurs at 50 percent of the ultimate soil resistance as follows
𝑦𝑦
50
= 2.5𝜀𝜀
50
𝐷𝐷 Equation A)
5. Construct the p-y curve using
the following relationship 𝑝𝑝
𝑝𝑝
𝑢𝑢
= 0.5 �
𝑦𝑦
𝑦𝑦
50
�
1 Equation A-4)
This curve is delimited to
p =
pufor
y ≥ 8
y50Cyclic Loading For cyclic loading, follow the steps indicated below to construct the p-y curve shown in Figure Ab
1. For
p ≤ 0.72
pu(i.e., for
y /
y50= 3) use Equation A to construct the first part of the p-y curve for cyclic loading.
2.
Find the critical depth zr. According to Matlock (1970), the critical depth
zrrepresents what is in reality a rather indefinite point of transition from a condition of incomplete vertical restraint to one where plastic flow is confined to horizontal planes. If γ
’ and
Cuare homogeneous in the upper zone,
zrcan be calculated as
𝑘𝑘
𝑐𝑐
=
6𝐶𝐶
𝑈𝑈
𝐷𝐷
(𝛾𝛾
′
𝐷𝐷 + Equation A) If the γ
’ and
Cuprofiles
are non-homogeneous, calculate
zrby solving simultaneously Equations A and A at depths where the p-y curve is applied and using the corresponding soil properties at these depths.
3. If a depth
z at which the p-y curves is applied results
z ≥
zr, then use
p = 0.72
pufor deformations
y ≥
3
y50.
In this case, the p-y curves for cyclic and static conditions coincide.
4. If the depth
z at which the p-y curves is applied results z <
zr, then calculate
p as a line decreasing from p = 0.72
puat
y = 3
y50up to a value defined by
219
𝑝𝑝 = Equation A) at
y = 15
y50. For
y ≥ 15
y50,
p remains constant as given by Equation Ab A P-Y CURVE FOR STIFF CLAY WITH FREE WATER (REESE ET AL. 1975)
Reese et al. (1975) developed a criterion to be used for stiff clay with water based on field tests. Stiff clays are those with undrained shear strength (
Su) ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 psf). Figures A through A show the main characteristics the original and modified p-y curves under static and cyclic loading conditions. It must be recognized that the presence of free water does not necessarily translate in conditions below the groundwater table. In fact, the presence of free water refers to the submerged conditions of the pile that was tested during the experimental studies to develop the p-y curves. The tests used to develop the criterion for stiff clay in the presence of free water were performed using cyclic loading at a site of stiff fissured clay in a submerged condition. During the application of the cyclic loading, an annular gap developed between the soil and the pile after deflections at the ground surface of about 0.4 inch. The soil response was observed to rapidly degrade with multiple cycles of load due to this localized scour adjacent to the pile, and the criterion developed for static loading also exhibits significant strain-softening behavior. This criterion will result in a substantial reduction in mobilized soil resistance compared to that of Welch and Reese (1972), which does not include such strain softening. This reduction is only appropriate for situations where stiff clay is exposed to free water
at or near the ground surface, where degradation similar to that observed in the load test experiment can occur. In conditions where the groundwater surface is at depth and free water is not present at or near the ground surface, the Welch and Reese criterion is more appropriate, even below groundwater. Similarly, stiff clay strata at depth below a sand stratum would normally not be subject to degradation due to free water (unless scour removed the overlying sand.