10

BUCKLING LOADS OF SLENDER PILES

Granholm (1929) showed that for piles of normal dimensions driven through soil, buckling should not take place except in extremely soft soil. However, very slender and.long piles are increasingly used today (1990). In offshore structures, these piles also extend for a considerable distance mudline. Therefore, the possibility of buckling of such piles has received considerable attention. Research has been carried out to obtain more accurate estimates of buckling loads of piles. The majority of analytical methods proposed have employed the subgradereaction theory, described in this chapter. Both fully embedded and partially embedded piles are considered.
10.1 FULLY EMBEDDED PILES

Earlier solutions for the elastic buckling loads of embedded piles were based on a subgrade modulus for the soil which was assumed to be constant over the length of the pile. Hetenyi (1946)presented a survey of the work by Forssell(l918, 1926) and Grandholm (1929); the governing differential equation is

d4y El+
dx

P d2y T + ky = 0 dx

(10.1)

where
E l = flexural stiffness of the pile P = axial load k = subgrade modulus
677

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BUCKLING LOADS OF SLENDER PILES

(a)

x
(b)

(e) (4 (e) Figure 10.1 Pile boundary conditions (a) Coordinate system (b)free (f), (c)pinned (p),(d) fixed translating (Ft). (e) fixed (F).

All the foregoing quantities were considered to be constants in those solutions. Figure 10.1 shows pile boundary conditions. The solutions of equation (10.1) have been obtained in the nondimensional form, letting
(10.2) Then

L
Zmax

(10.3)

where
L= embedded length of the pile R = relative stiffness factor EZ = flexural stiffness of pile Z = nondimensional depth coefficient

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FULLY EMBEDDED PILES

679

By substituting these definitions into equation (10.1) and rearranging, the following equation is obtained:

d4y P R 2 d2y -+-.+y=o dz4 EI dz2

Let PR2/EI be the axial load coeficient U;then
PcrR2 U,, = EI

(10.4)

(10.5)

where subscript CY represents the critical values of U,and P. By substitution, equation (10.6) is obtained:

d4y d2y -+u-+y=o dz4

dz2

(10.6)

The critical values of the axial load coefficient, V,, are obtained by solving equation (10.6)for U with due consideration to the pile boundary conditions and the pile length, Z , , , . The boundary conditions are free (f), pinned (p), fixedtranslating (ft), and fixed-non-translating, (F)(see Figure 10.1). An analog computer was used to obtain solutions for equation (10.6); the techniques and the computer program have been presented by Davisson and Gill (1963).
Case I: k = COIISCQII~ In this solution, the axial load has been assumed to be constant in the pile, and no load transfer occurs. The pile is initially straight. The solutions are shown in Figure 10.2 in dimensionless form, as a plot of U,, versus Z , , , for several boundary conditions (e.& ft-p, p-p, fr-f, f-p,f-f) (Davisson, 1963). Figure 10.2 shows that the boundary conditions exert a controlling influence on V,,. For pinned ends, the pile deforms into a number of sine half-waves, with the number of waves depending on the total length of the pile. U,,values were values obtained for the first three modes (Davisson, 1963);for all modes, the U,, , , , become tangent to the line V,, = 2. The are above 2, and at certain values of Z for any given length Z , , , are the ones of interest; for practical lowest values of U,, purposes, U,, is considered equal to 2 (Davisson, 1963). Another solution commonly referred to is the one for perfectly free ends (f-f), In this case, U,, is zero when Z , , , equals zero and increases with an increase in Z , , , until a maximum value of unity is reached. At this point, a mode change occurs and U,, dips below unity, but it returns to unity when the next mode change is about to occur. With increasing pile length, the magnitude of the deviation from unity becomes negligible. Because in most practical cases Z,,, is greater than 5, U,,can be considered equal to unity (Davisson, 1963). It will thus be seen that the boundary conditions exert a controlling influence on U,,.

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BUCKLING LOADS OF SLENDER PILES

3.0

U C ,

Legend f =free

translating Note: Upper end condition listed first

p = pinned ft = fixed

"0

10

12

2 Figure 10.2 Buckling load vs. length for k, = constant (Davisson, 1963).

For a free head and a pinned tip (f-p) pile (Figure 10.2), U,, increases rapidly with an increase in Z ,, up to the limiting value of unity. After first reaching unity, the higher modes indicated U,, values were little different from unity. The buckling appears to be controlled by the boundary offering the least restraint. It may be reasoned that a pile with a pinned head and a free tip would also have a limiting U,,value of unity (Davisson, 1963). A pile with its head fixed against rotation but not translation (ff) represents a pile in a group. When combined with a free tip, the value of U, oscillates slightly about 1. When combined with a pinned tip, the value of U,,becomes tangent to 2.
Case 2: k = q * x When a soil profile is considered for which

k = nh*x, the boundary condition at the pile head becomes extremely important compared to the boundary condition at the pile tip. Because the pile tends to buckle where the subgrade modulus is the lowest, instability will tend to occur immediately adjacent to the pile head. When k = nhx, equation (10.1) becomes
(10.7)

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FULLY EMBEDDED PILES

681

Let and then (10.9) where

Z=T
X

(10.8)

T = relative stiffness factor

Z = nondimensional depth coefficient Z , , , = maximum value of the depth coefficient

By substituting the above into equation (10.7) and rearranging, we obtain: -++.d4y

dz4

PT2 d2y +zy=o EI dz2

(10.10)

Let V denote the axial load coefficient, PT2/EI;then,

r 2

(10.11)
By substitution, equation (10.10) becomes
d4y dz4 d2y -+ v-++y=o dz2

(10.12)

Equation(10.12) was solved for V,, with the aid of an analog computer Davisson (1963). V,, versus Z , , , for a pile with a free head and a free tip (f-f) is shown in Figure 10.3. V, starts at zero and increases with an increase in Z , , , up to a limiting value of approximately 0.71. Other boundary conditions in Figure 10.3 are a pile with a free head and a pinned tip ( f - p ) . Because of the increase in restraint that a pinned tip offers, compared to a free tip, V,, increases more rapidly with length than for the free-tip case. The maximum V,, was approximately 0.78, which is only slightly higher than that for the free-tip case. For a pinned-head, free-tip pile ( p - f ) a considerably higher value of V,, is observed at any given length Z,,,. This illustrates the effect of the restraint of a pinned-head pile when compared to a free-head pile. Two buckling modes were observed for this case, but for all practical pile lengths V,, exceeds 1.44. Generally, a pile will have a length exceeding a Z , , , value of 3 to 4 (Davisson, 1963). For a pile with its head fixed against rotation but not translation and a free-tip, (fig), the minimum value of V , is approximately 0.88; it occurs at a very short pile length, namely, Z , , , = 2.3. V , increases rapidly for pile lengths greater than

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682

BUCKLING LOADS OF SLENDER PILES

3.0

I '

\ I

P-P
2.0

Legend f =free p = pinned p = fixed transiating Note: Upper end. condition listed first

vcr

1.o

3
z l n . 3 . I

Figure 10.3 Buckling load vs. length for kh = nhx (Davisson, 1963).

Z , , , = 2.3. It can be reasoned that a pile with a fixed-translating head and a pinned tip would have higher V , values, for any given pile length, than the free-tip case. By similar reasoning, it can be seen that a pile with a fixed-non-translating head and either a free tip or a pinned tip would also exhibit higher values. For a pile with both ends pinned (p-p), the minimum observed Vc, value was 2.30at Z,,, = 2.60. Because most real piles are initially deformed, and because the theoretical elastic buckling load is an unconservative upper bound to the actual failure load, the computed buckling loads are often only an aid to the judgment of the engineer faced with the task of predicting the buckling load for a pile. The use of load tests is also unconservative. Most load tests are performed in a relatively short period of time during which a large patt of the axial load in the pile is dissipated by skin friction (see Chapter 1). Under service conditions, the skin friction may be much less than that in short term tests and the tendency to buckle would be greater (Davisson, 1963). Prakash (1987) obtained solutions for buckling loads in dosed form by energy methods for fully embedded vertical piles for boundary conditions, pinned toppinned tip (p-p), fixed top-fixed tip (F-F), and a linear variation of soil stiffness

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FULLY EMBEDDED PILES

683

k=O

k-constant

k= n,, x

k=ko+

nh

Figure 10.4 Soil property variation along the depth of the pile.

with initial value k , > 0 (Figure 10.4).The effects of pile length, soil stiffness, and boundary conditions on buckling loads and mode of buckling have been studied for pile lengths up to 24m with an E l of 477 tm2, K O from 0 to 2000 t/m2 and n h from 0 to 2000 t/m3. Where k , = k at the top of a fully embedded pile, and k , = k at the tip of a fully embedded pile, and n,-constant of subgrade reaction, n, = (k, - ko)/L. The variation of coeficient of subgrade reaction with depth has been shown in Figure 10.4. Four cases are shown: 1. Constant with depth k, = k = 0 (Figure 10.4a) 2. Constant with depth k, = k , = constant (Figure 10.4b) 3. Increasing linearly with depth with zero value at the surface, k = n , x (Figure 10.4~) 4. Increasing linearly with depth with nonzero value at the surface, k = k , + nhx in which ko # 0, as in Figure 10.4d The critical load was determined by calculating the smallest eigenvalue of the leading principal submatrix. The buckling loads were determined based on an energy method (Le., the increment of the strain energy during the beam deflection will be equal to the work done by the external forces). The equations of the deflection curves satisfying different boundary conditions on the beam have been substituted into the work energy equation. In order to determine the buckling load P,,, the derivative of the energy equation was set equal to zero and transformed into matrix notation with a standard eigenvalue form. Efect of Stifness Linearly Increasing with Depth and k = Constant on the Buckring Load Figure 10.5 shows a plot of buckling load P,, and length L of

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684

BUCKLING LOADS OF SLENDER PILES

4.40 4.20 4.00

000-

3.80

AAA-

nh 0 Case b nh 100 Case d

the pile for a pile with EZ = 477 tm2, (1) k, = 100 t/m2 (case b Figure 1 0 . 4 ) ,and (2) k, = 100t/m2 nh increasing from zero to 2000 t/m3 (case d). The buckling mode changes from the first mode to the second and then to the third as the length of the pile increases. The buckling load in general increases with increase in the value of nh, which is obvious. The minimum buckling load (in case d Figure 10.4) in a higher mode increases as compared to the corresponding value in the previous mode. This behavior is distinctly different from the situation in which k was constant with depth, that is, in case b (Prakash, 1 9 8 7 ) .Similar behavior was observed with k , = 500, 1000, and 2000 t/m2 (Prakash, 1985).
Eflect of Increasing k, Values when n,=Constant on the Buckling Loads Figure 1 0 . 6 shows a plot of buckling load P,, and length of pile L with EZ = 477 t/m2, ?th = lo0t/m3 and k, increasing from zero to 2000t/m2. As in the previous case, the buckling mode changes from the first mode to the second and then to the third as the length of the pile increases. The buckling load in general increases with the increase in the value of k, (nh = constant), which is to be expected. The minimum buckling load in a higher mode increases as compared to the

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FULLY EMBEDDED PILES

685

i $ (t) (X 1000)

4.40 4.20 4.00 3.80 3.60 3.40 3.20 3.00 2.80 2.60

Legend
nunAAA000000-

k, 0 Case c k, * 100 Case d k, 500 Case d k, 1000 Case d

000-

K O -2000Case d

2.40
2.20 2.00 1.80 1.60 1.40 1.20 1 .oo 0.80 0.60 0.0

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1-00

L fm) (X 10) Figure 1 0 . 6 Critical Load of case c and d for a pinned-pinned end Pile when 100 t/m3 (Prakash, 1987).

n,, =

corresponding value in the previous mode. This is distinctly different than when k was constant with depth and n h was zero that is, case b, Figure 10.5. Similar behavior was observed for nh = 500 t/m3, lo00 t/m3 and 2000 t/m3 (Prakash, 1985). E$ect of Boundary Conditions on the Buckling Load In Figure 10.7,P,, has been plotted against the length of the pile for ko = 100 t/m2 and nh = 100 t/m3 (case d Figure 10.4) for two boundary conditions (i.e., pinned top-pinned tip (p-p) and fixed top-fixed tip (F-F)). It will be seen that the buckling load decreases sharply as the length of the pile increases and attains a minimum value of 724t and 1413t for p-p and F-F boundary conditions, respectively. The buckling loads in the higher modes are larger in both cases. The mode shape in both cases depends on the length of the pile (i.e., as the pile length increases, higher buckling modes appear). The buckling loads are highest for boundary conditions F-F and minimum for boundary conditions p-p. The above conclusions are more or less in the realm of expectation. However, specific numerical values have been determined for the case mentioned above. Similar diagrams for k, = 100t/m2 and n h = 0 (case b) and n h = 100 t/m3 and k , = O (case c) have been reported elsewhere (Prakash, 1985). Results as above will become readily usable by field engineers when these are plotted in

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BUCKLING LOADS OF SLENDER PILES

2.40 2.202.00 2.60

Legend
UDD

-F-F
-p-p

AAA

1.80-

, , ,
I9

1.40 1.60 1.20 1.00

i
h
I

a
'-*I

0.80 -

'
I

L f m ) (X 10) Figure 1 0 . 7 Critical load o f case d f o r a pile with different boundary conditions when k, = I00 and n, = 100t/m3 (Prakash, 1987).
non-dimensional forms as in Figures 10.2 and 10.3 for case b and c (Figure 10.4) respectively.

10.2 PARTIALLY EMBEDDED PILES

Column instability is usually a problem in the design of structures supported by piles that are partially free standing. Furthermore, for structures such as piers that are subjected to both vertical and lateral loads, a flexural analysis of the piles may control the design of the foundation. Generally, the analysis is highly indeterminate and unwieldy unless some simplifying conditions are imposed (Davissonand Robinson, 1965). In Figure 10.8, L, is the unsupported pile length above the ground level. The vertical load tends to magnify the deflection caused by Q and M.
Solutions for Constant k Davisson and Robinson (1965) have presented solutions for buckling loads of partially embedded piles. The axial load on the pile is constant and the pile is relatively long. In this analysis, jt has been assumed that the actual pile in Figure 10.8a is equivalent to a pile of length Le fixed at the tip

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PARTIALLY EMBEDDED PILES

687

mn

base

Figure 10.8 Partially embedded pile (a) Actual Pile, (b) equivalent system (Davisson and Robinson, 1965).

(Figure 10.8b). The depth L L may be viewed as one that will make the buckling loads of the actual system equal to the equivalent system. By solving equation (10.1) for the freestanding length, the solution has been developed in nondimensional form with the help of the following functions: L: s -(10.13)

R-R

LU JR =R
L: = equivalent length of embedded portion of pile (Fig. 10.8)

(1 0.14)

Lu= unsupported pile length

and R is defined in equation 10.2 with L, = embedded length.

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\
I
X

(a)

Figure 10.9 Nondimensional representation of partially embedded pile (a) Actual pile, (b) equivalent system (Davisson and Robinson, 1965).

Free, free ( f-f 1

1.4

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EFFECT OF AXIAL LOAD TRANSFER

689

With the above substitutions, the dimensions in Figure 10.8 may be expressed in nondimensional parameters in Figure 10.9. The equivalent length of the freestanding length is now equal to ( S , J R ) . The relationship between SR and J , were developed by Davisson and Robinson (1965) for two cases of loading on the pile top, Q shear only and M moment only. It was found that S R varies within a narrow range of approximately 1.33 to 1.6. Therefore, for practical case, a value of 1.33 for SR has been recommended. For the two boundary conditions in Figure 10.10, the critical buckling load P,, may then be computed from equation

(10.15)
Solutions for Linearly Varying k Solutions for a long pile (Z,,,> 4, with L, = embedded length) for the case k = nh-x are shown 'in Figure 10.11. The equivalent length of embedded portion of pile has been defined as (see Figure 10.9).

(10.16a)

(10.16b) The buckling load is (10.17) Lee (1968) carried out model tests on 1/4-in. to 1/2-in. diameter piles in dry sand. He found good agreement between the measured and computed buckling loads.

10.3 EFFECT OF AXIAL LOAD TRANSFER

In the solutions in the preceding sections, it has been assumed that the axial load is constant along the pile, that is, no load transfer occurs along the pile shaft. This condition is applicable for relatively short or stiff end-bearing piles. In floating piles and compressible end-bearing piles, considerable load transfer occurs along the shaft. The effect of axial load transfer on the critical buckling loads of fully and partially embedded piles has been investigated by Reddy and Valsangkar (1970). The following idealized axial load distributions has been assumed:

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690

BUCKLING LOADS OF SLENDER PILES

2.0

1.9

Fixed-translating,free ( fr-f 1

S ,

1.8

Free, free ( F f 1 1.7

1.6 0

6
JT

10

12

Figure 10.11 Dimensionless depth of fixity for buckling. Linearly varying k (Davisson and Robinson, 1965).(Reprintedby permission of Universityof Toronto Press, Canada.)

103.1 Fully Embedded Piles

P = Po(l and where P o = load at pile head x = depth below surface L = pile length # = parameter (0 < I) < 1)

- #x/L)

(10.18a)
(1 0.18b)

P = Po(1 - # ( X Z / L 2 )

For I ) = 0, the pile is an end-bearing pile and for I(/ = 1, the pile is a friction pile.
10.3.2 Partially Embedded Piles

(10.19) where

L,= total length of pile (L, + L"), Figure 10.8

n = ratio of unsupported length to total length, LJ(L, L,)

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6
5
4
3 b

'r

Zm=4

p Fixed-fixed
Fixed-pinned Fixed-free

3
2

Fixed-free with sway

Freefree

- 0

0.25 0.5 0.75 1.0

w
fa)

Fixed-free no sway Fixed-fixed Fixed-free no sway

Fixed-free with sway Fixed-free with sway

- ------& -. -2. ._ . .g} Freefree

0.25 0 1 5

0 . ; 5

110

w
fb)

Figure 10.12 Effect of skin friction on buckling loads of fully embedded piles for (a) Constant soil modulus, (b) linear soil modulus (Reddy and Valsangkar, 1970). 691

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692

BUCKLING LOADS OF SLENDER PILES

In this case, the dimensionless length is defined as

,z ,

= L,/T

( 10.20)

Also, t,b can be greater than one. For long piles (Z,,, > 4), the variation of the dimensionless buckling loads U,,= P,,R2/EpIpand V,,= P,,T2/E,I, with J/ is shown in Figure 10.12 for fully embedded piles. For = 0 and appropriate boundary conditions,the solutions in

2.0

1.5

2 1.0
0.50

Fixed-free with sway

- Freefree
0

0.5

1
yl

Freefree

0.4167 0.8333 1.250 1.6667

0 Figure 10.13 Effect of skin friction on buckling loads for partially embedded long piles Z , , , = 4 for k = constant (a) n = 0.2, (b) n = 0.4 (Reddy and Valsangkar, 1970).

2.0
Fixed-free

1.5
> 1.0
Freefree

2 1.0
Oa5

d Freefree

Fixe&free with sway

Oa5+

0
J

0.4167 0.8333 1.250 1.6667

yl

(b)

Figure 10.14 Effect of skin friction on buckling loads for partially embedded long piles Z,,, = 4 for k = flhx: (a) n = 0.2, (b)n = 0.4 (Rcddy and Valsangkar, 1970).

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REFERENCES

693

Figures 10.2 and 10.12a agree (k constant with depth). Similarly for k increasing linearly with depth, the limiting solutions in Figures 10.3 and 10.12b agree. For $ greater than 0, considerable increase in the buckling load occurs because of load transfer. For fixed-translating top and free bottom (ft-f), the increase in buckling load is about three times for friction piles ($ = 1) as compared to end bearing piles (e = 0) for k = constant. Corresponding solutions for partially embedded long piles ( Z , , ,= 4) for constant k and n = 0.2 and 0.4 are shown in Figure 10.13(a) and (b). Similar solutions for k = n h * x and n = 0.2 and 0.4 have been plotted in Figure 10.14(a)and (b). The values of $ may be estimated by a suitable distribution of skin friction.
10.4 GROUP ACTION

Model tests by Toakley (1964) with groups of two and three strip piles in soft silt showed the critical load is reduced by group action. However, full scale tests by Hoadley et al. (1969) showed little interaction between closely spaced piles. In practice, both vertical and horizontal loads will act on a group of piles. The change in the value of k (soil modulus) due to group action was described in Chapter 6. It is recommended that the same value of soil modulus be used for computing the buckling loads of piles in a group as for computing lateral deflection. The presence of lateral load is equivalent to introduction of eccentricity in the vertical load, which reduces the critical buckling load.

REFERENCES
Davisson, M. T., Estimating Buckling Loads for Piles, Proceedings Second Pan American Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Sao Paulo, Vol. 1, (1963), pp. 351-371. Davisson, M. T. and Gill, H. L., Laterally Loaded Piles in a Layered Soil System, J . Soil Mech. Found. Diu. Vol. 89, No. SM3, (1963), pp. 63-94. Davisson, M. T. and Robinson, K. E., Bending and Buckling of Partially Embedded Piles, Proceedings 6th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Montreal, Canada, Vol. 2, (1965), pp. 243-246. Forsell, C., Berakning av palar 1918 Stockholm. Forsell, C., Knacksakerhet nos Palar Och Palgrupper Uppsal No. 10, Festskrift kungl. Vag-och Vattenbyggna-dskarem 1926, Stockholm. . , On Elastic Stability of Piles Surrounded by a Supporting Medium, Ing. Grandholm, H Vet. Akad., Hand. 89, (1929), Stockholm. Hetenyi, M., Beams on Elastic Foundations. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor
(1946).

Hoadley, P. J., Francis, A. J., and Stevens, L. J., Load Testing of Slender Steel Piles in Soft Clay, Proceedings 7th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Mexico, Vol. 2, (1969). pp. 123-130.

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694

BUCKLING LOADS OF SLENDER PILES

Lee, K. L., Buckling of Partially Embedded Piles in Sand, J. Soil Mech. Found. Diu., ASCE, Vol. 94, NO. SM1, (1968), pp. 255-270. Poulos, H. G. and Davis, E. H . , Pile Foundations. Wiley, New York (1980). Prakash, Sally, Buckling Loads for Fully Embedded Piles, M. S. Thesis University of Missouri-Rolla (1985). Prakash, Sally, Buckling Loads of Fully Embedded Piles, Int. J. Computer Geotech. V O ~4, . (1987), pp. 61-83. Reddy, A. S . and Valsangkar, A. J., Buckling of Fully and Partially Embedded Piles, J. Soil Mech. Found. Diu., ASCE, Vol. 96, No. SM6, (1970), pp. 1951-1965. Toakley, A. R., The Behavior of Isolated and Group o f Slender Point Bearing Piles in Soft Soil, M.S. Thesis, University of Melbourne, (1964), Australia.

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