Abstract: The response of the pile foundation under the vertical and cyclic horizontal loads was simulated with a commercial finite element software PLAXIS. The results indicate that, when the vertical load is less than a critical value, the horizontal displacement at the pile head decreases with the increase of the vertical load. When the vertical load exceeds the critical value, the lateral response at the pile head increases with the vertical load. For piles with a relative low strength, the vertical load is a major factor that influence the lateral deflection of the piles. A reverse deflection curve will be developed if the cyclic lateral loads are acting on a pile with large vertical load.

Key words: Cyclic Lateral Load, Coupled Loads, Finite Element Analysis, Pile Foundations