ABSTRACT
This research presents a study about the behavior of Strauss pile, driven in a tropical soil, when submitted to static horizontal load and different soil moisture contents. The horizontal load tests were performed at the Geotechnical Engineering Experimental Field (GEEF) in the State University of Londrina campus, located in the north of the State of Parana—Brazil. The GEEF geological and geotechnical profile can be defined as a basaltic silty-clay residual soil and it is typical of a large area in the Parana State. The superficial layer consists of a lateritic and collapsible soil—approximately 12 meters thick. Above this layer, there is a saprolitic rigid silty clay soil layer. The water level is approximately 21 meters deep. Several 12 m-long Strauss piles were driven at GEEF soil. These piles were totally embedded in the lateritic and collapsible layer of the soil. Horizontal load tests were performed on two piles at the same time and for three soil conditions: a) in natural content moisture (not wetted); b) pre-wetted for 36 and 12 hours and c) controlled 1-hour wetting, maintaining a constant horizontal load, applied before the wetting, with magnitude equal to the admissible load. The load was applied in a fast manner, so as not to allow horizontal displacements stabilization. Soil matric suction and moisture content were determined during all load tests. Matric suction data was obtained by conventional 1 m-length tensiometers, adequately calibrated and installed in the soil near the piles. Water content data was determined in laboratory, using disturbed soil samples collected 1 m deep into the soil, using a manual auger.
