Minimum lateral load on piles that is significant enough to provide to pile designer

[CANeng11]

The screw piles a structure I am designing will be designed by others, I just need to provide the loading criteria. My question is what value for lateral loading is significant enough to show on our drawings? The highest lateral load the piles will see is roughly 1 kN (224 lb) factored. Most of the piles will have less than half of that, 0.4 kN or so. I feel like neither of these is significant enough to show on the drawings, but I'm wondering at what value would it become significant enough to provide?

 

[r13]

Provide the maximum un-factored lateral load and so noted on the drawing should be sufficient.

 

[CANeng11]

Is there a reason to provide un-factored vs factored loading?

 

[GC_Hopi]

The soils types like to work in un-factored terms. Agree provide the maximum and let the specialty engineer determine if it is significant.

 

[r13]

The factored load can be confusion, leads to double factoring, thus over conservative (cost $), or make mistakes. It is better left to the designer to chose safety/load factors according to code, and/or trade practices. Also, it is better to separate the source of the lateral load, so the designer can decide what factors need to be applied.

 

[Liam Nesson]

1kN seems like nothing, thats a guardrail lateral load!

I would probably put in a load more substantial:
1. It might not be the purpose of a notional load, but you might consider that
2. Any chance something could hit it? maybe consider parking lot impact loads (cant remember how big that load is)
3. Do you have a minimum pile diameter size specified or a feel for the actual size based on loads. You could put that pile shaft size into L-pile and determine a reasonable lateral capacity. Pick a lateral force that is easily achievable but still substantial.
4. Indirectly related to the lateral capacity of pile, you should added some moment, or instructed them to allow for some moment based on the pile misalignment tolerances.

 

[KootK]

Maybe 5% axial min. Among other things, the piles will be out of plumb and likely connected to concrete things that shrink. Or go with zero with the understanding that you surely get a nominal amount of lateral whether you ask for it or not.