Behavior of Laterally Loaded Piles in Permafrost

Abstract

Analytical evaluations are presented on the behavior of piles in permafrost subjected to long‐term lateral loads and unbalanced moments. Frozen soils that exhibit secondary (uniform) creep characteristics are considered. Computer simulations are used to analyze the behavior of laterally loaded piles in permafrost and to develop comparisons with laterally loaded piles on thawed soils. Comparisons with available field and lab test data are presented. Procedures are developed that allow the prediction of the time required for a laterally loaded pile to attain a uniform creep rate; these results can be used to plan and evaluate future test programs.