Static boundary element analysis of piles submitted to horizontal and vertical loads

In this paper a numerical model for the analysis of the interaction between soil and piles, with or without rigid caps, subjected to horizontal and vertical loads is presented. The piles are modelled here by the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the soil by the Boundary Element Method (BEM). In this formulation the pile is represented as one finite element and the displacements and tractions along the shaft are approximated by polynomial functions. Some examples are presented and the results obtained with this formulation are very close to those obtained with other formulations and with experimental results.