Lateral Load Test on Large Diameter Composite Piles

The details of a lateral load test performed on a 1.8 m (6 ft) and an 2.4 m (8 ft) diameter monopile fabricated of high-strength glass fiber reinforced composite materials are presented within the paper. After installation of the piles by jetting and vibrating, the piles were laterally loaded by pulling the two piles together using a uniquely designed jacking system. The lateral deformations along the length of the piles were measured by using an inclinometer probe placed in casing that was fixed to the inside of the monopiles. The results from these measurements are presented and compared to lateral pile calculations performed prior to the load test. The load test results indicate that the pile deflections were greater than those predicted by the lateral pile calculations. A discussion is presented that provides possible reasons for the significant difference between the measured and calculated results.