Physical modelling of piles under lateral loading in unsaturated soils
In this paper, selected aspects of an experimental study conducted in a geotechnical centrifuge are discussed. The tests aimed to explore the effects of partial saturation of soil on the response of a single pile subjected to a combination of lateral force and bending moment under drained conditions. The soil used in the experiments is a low plasticity silty soil, named B-grade kaolin, characterized by a relatively high permeability compared to the typical values for clayey soils. Two different elevations of the water table and its effects on the pile response under loading are studied.