Ground investigations, contracts and testing 533Figure 11.17Lateral loading test on two steel tubular piles forming part of a breasting dolphin.
Figure 11.18Testing rig for push and pull lateral loading test on a pair of piles.
Sleeve Four tie rodsBearing padcLoadHydraulic jackHydraulic
jackTest pilesDial gaugeDial gauge
supportTubular strutample distance from the test pile. If they are too close the lateral pressure on the pile induced
by the load on the ground surface will increase the shaft friction on the pile shaft.
11.4.4 Lateral loading tests
Lateral loading tests are made by pulling a pair of piles together, or jacking them apart. If
the expected movements are large, for example, when obtaining the load/deflection charac-
teristics of breasting dolphin piles, a ‘Tirfor’or block and tackle can be employed to pull the
piles together and a graduated staff used to measure the horizontal movement, as shown
in Figure 11.17. Where the lateral loads on piles are of a repetitive character, as in wave
loading or traffic loads on a bridge, it is desirable to make cyclic loading tests. This involves
alternately pushing and pulling of a pair of piles, using a rig of the type shown in Figure