Assessing combined cyclic axial and lateral performance of a pile installed in calcarenite using the ICE-PICK testing apparatus

Small scale experimental tests have been used historically to complement field testing and, more recently, to validate numerical models. In this instance, a novel small-scale multi-axial testing apparatus is presented. This multi-axis frame was developed to study the installation effects on cyclic axial and lateral performance of displacement piles in chalk (ICE-PICK: EP/W00013X/1). The apparatus overcomes some limitations of prior small scale testing apparatus by allowing for simultaneous multi-directional loading due to its 3-axis actuation system. Additionally, it has been designed for compactness, allowing tests to be carried out within an X-ray CT scanning bay, in order to reveal the evolution of soil-structure interaction. Within this scope, a brief overview of the systems construction and performance is given, followed by a demonstration test on pile installation and, subsequently, combined vertical and cyclic lateral loading.