Question

For classic pile bents in marine piers, how can vertical loads related to horizontal capability of pile bents?

Answer

At first consider a pile bent with a top slab supported by two ranking piles, inclining at equal angle to t pier slab. In designing of such a system, truss action is usually adopted to analyze pile bent. When reaction forces of these piles, horizontal forces as in due to berthing and deberthing of vessels and vertical forces are analyzed by portrayal a force polygon, it is noted that the lateral resistance of pile bent is dependent on vertical load for example lateral resistance is small when vertical loads are high.