Large diameter laterally loaded piles in sand: Numerical evaluation of soil stress paths and relevance of laboratory soil element testing

This paper uses 3D numerical analyses to investigate the stress path experienced by soil elements around large diameter piles in sand subjected monotonic drained lateral loading. Inspection of loading-induced stresses revealed multiaxial nature these paths, which are characterised rotation one or more principal axes. Based on outcome finite element analyses, typical paths for different extracted. Such then evaluated against those enabled conventional and advanced laboratory testing. It is found that a combination tests Hollow Cylinder Torsional Apparatus (HCTA) can reproduce most features numerically identified pile. Unavoidable limitations testing discussed as well major challenge replicating loading direction with respect material Some guidance experimental implementation HCTA provided discussion use equipment, such triaxial simple shear apparatus.