Ground movements can arise from a large number of sources and can have a significant effect on nearby piles and deep foundations. The loading of the piles by ground movements is a different mechanism to that arising from direct applied loading to the pile head, and consequently it is not generally possible to adequately analyze the effects of ground movements simply by applying some type of equivalent loading to the pile head. The main effects of ground movements are the development of additional movements, axial forces and bending moments in the piles, and thus the key design aspects are related to movements and to the structural integrity of the pile. However, the ultimate geotechnical load carrying capacity is generally not affected by the ground movements themselves. 

This seminar will describe an approach to the analysis of ground movement effects on piles, considering axial and lateral movements separately. Some of the main features of pile response will be discussed for three specific problems involving ground movements for piles near and within embankments, piles near an excavation for a pile cap and piles subjected to seismic ground motions. For these cases, simplified methods have been developed to provide a means of carrying out preliminary analysis and design. These methods and typical practical applications are discussed.

Speaker
Harry Poulos joined the Department of Civil Engineering at Sydney University in 1965, and was appointed a Professor in 1982, a position which he held until 2001. In 1989, he joined the consulting firm of Coffey Partners International, and is currently a Senior Principal and Chairman of Technical Development with Coffey Geotechnics. He is also an Emeritus Professor at the University of Sydney, and an Adjunct Professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He has published books and technical papers on foundation settlements, pile foundations, and offshore geotechnics, and has been involved in over 300 major projects in Australia and overseas. He was the 1989 Rankine Lecturer, and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia. In 1993, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to engineering.