Post-buckling analysis of piles by perturbation method

To investigate the critical buckling load and post-buckling behavior of an axially loaded pile entirely embedded in soil, the non-linear large deflection differential equation for a pinned pile, based on the Winkler-model and the discretionary distribution function of the foundation coefficient along pile shaft, was established by energy method. Assuming that the deflection function was a power series of some perturbation parameter according to the boundary condition and load in the pile, the non-linear large deflection differential equation was transformed to a series of linear differential equations by using perturbation approach. By taking the perturbation parameter at middle deflection, the higher-order asymptotic solution of load-deflection was then found. Effect of ratios of soil depth to pile length, and ratios of pile stiffness to soil stiffness on the critical buckling load and performance of piles (entirely embedded and partially embedded) after flexural buckling were analyzed. Results show that the buckling load capacity increases as the ratios of pile stiffness to soil stiffness increasing. The pile performance will be more stable when ratios of soil depth to pile length, and soil stiffness to pile stiffness decrease.