Analysis of the Behavior of Laterally Loaded Pile–soil System

Piles, as a type of deep foundations, are primarily intended to accept the vertical load from the superstructure; however, under certain circumstances, they are also exposed to significant lateral loads. This is the case with retaining structures, bridge piers, transmission line poles, chimneys, tall buildings, dock facilities, oil platforms, etc. In the focus of this paper is the analysis of the behavior of laterally loaded piles. First, the most common analytical models for the calculation of this problem were presented, and then the described models were evaluated with the results of experimental investigations on laterally loaded piles tested in situ. Based on the conducted comparative analysis, it was concluded that the integrated approach – the enhancement of existing analytical models with the results of experimental investigations – results in models that more realistically take into account the interaction of the pile and the surrounding soil, which is of crucial importance in the case of laterally loaded piles.