Behavior of piles supporting integral abutments

Steel H-piles are commonly used to support integral abutments. In the absence of expansion joints that allow the superstructure to expand and contract freely, piles supporting integral abutments are subjected to lateral displacement, horizontal shear, and bending moment. Data are presented in this dissertation that describe the variation of bending moment and lateral pressure with depth of pile, and comparisons of test data with predicted values from a commercially available software, LPILE, are made. The piles supporting integral abutments are often designed according to column interaction equations presented by AASHTO or AISC specifications. Both sets of specifications pro'vide valid design approaches for columns subjected to combined stresses. However, neither specification addresses how to account for lateral support provided by surrounding soil.