Determination of the Constant Modulus of Horizontal Subgrade Reaction of Saturated of Sand Pile Based on p-y Curve

The p-y curve for laterally loaded piles in saturated sand is related to the internal friction angle φ. However， the coefficient m used in the m-method is selected from empirical ranges in code tables and is not linked to φ. Under the condition of the same allowable pile-head displacement， the horizontal load H0 calculated by p-y curve method can be substituted into the m-method model to determine the corresponding m value. Based on extensive numerical calculations， relations were established among the internal friction angle φ， pile diameter， allowable pile-head displacement， and the coefficient m for saturated sand. These results were presented as formulas and tables to allow for convenient lookup. It was found that the stiffness of the pile shaft had a negligible influence on these relations. In three practical cases， the allowable lateral bearing capacities computed with the m values from this method showed good agreement with the measured results.