A Modified Failure Wedge Model for Modeling Soil–Pile Interaction of Laterally Loaded Piles in Sand Considering Slope Effect

Abstract

The installation of many pile foundations near slopes inevitably exposes them to the influence of the slopes on the stiffness and strength of the soil–pile system, which is a significant issue involving geomechanics and worthy of concern. Therefore, a modified failure wedge model with an optimal base angle is developed to address the impact of slopes on laterally loaded piles in sand, drawing insights from previous experimental results and finite-element analyses. The objective of this model is to provide a more comprehensive and universal analysis of the lateral behavior of piles while considering a limited height slope, compared with previous models applicable in relatively limited cases. In this modified model, factors such as edge distance from the slope crest and slope height are taken into consideration. The proposed theoretical method demonstrates its capability to accurately predict the lateral response of a pile. Based on this method, an analysis is conducted to examine how slope inclination, edge distance from the slope crest, and slope height affect the soil–pile system.