Development and Performance Study of an Apparatus for Imparting Lateral Cyclic Load on Model Pile Foundation
The environment prevalent in ocean necessitates the pile foundations supporting offshore structures to be designed against lateral cyclic loading initiated by wave action. Such quasi-static load reversal induces deterioration in the strength and stiffness of the soil-pile system introducing progressive reduction in the bearing capacity as well as settlement of the pile foundation. To understand the effect of lateral cyclic load on pile group, a new apparatus, consisting of mechanically and electrically controlled components, has been designed and fabricated. Each of the components of this apparatus is calibrated and a series of trial tests are performed for its performance study. This paper presents detailed description of the apparatus, calibration and operating principle of each of its components, the observations made from trial experiments and the relevant conclusions drawn therefrom.