Cyclic shakedown of piles subjected to two-dimensional lateral loading

Pile foundations are frequently subjected to cyclic lateral loads. Wave and wind loads on offshore structures will be applied in different directions and times during the design life of a structure. Therefore, the magnitude and direction of these loads in conjunction with the dead loads should be considered. This paper investigates a loading scenario where a monotonic lateral load is applied to a pile, followed by two‐way cycling in a direction perpendicular to the initial loading. This configuration is indicative of the complexity of loading that may be considered and is referred to in the paper as ‘T‐shaped’ loading. The energy‐based numerical model employed considers two‐dimensional lateral loading in an elasto‐plastic soil, with coupled behaviour between the two perpendicular directions by local yield surfaces along the length of the pile. The behaviour of the soil–pile system subjected to different loading combinations has been divided into four categories of shakedown previously proposed for cyclic loading of structures and soils. A design chart has been created to illustrate the type of pile behaviour for a given two‐dimensional loading scenario. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.