In practice, analysis of laterally loaded piles is carried out using beams on non-linear Winkler springs model (often known as p-y method) due to its simplicity, low computational cost and the ability to model layered soils. In this approach, soil-pile interaction along the depth is characterized by a set of discrete non-linear springs represented by p-y curves where p is the pressure on the soil that causes a relative deformation of y. p-y curves are usually constructed based on semi-empirical correlations. In order to construct API/DNV proposed p-y curve for clay, one needs two values from the monotonic stress-strain test results i.e., undrained strength ($s_u$) and the strain at 50% yield stress (${\varepsilon}_{50}$). This approach may ignore various features for a particular soil which may lead to un-conservative or over-conservative design as not all the data points in the stress-strain relation are used. However, with the increasing ability to simulate soil-structure interaction problems using highly developed computers, the trend has shifted towards a more theoretically sound basis. In this paper, principles of Mobilized Strength Design (MSD) concept is used to construct a continuous p-y curves from experimentally obtained stress-strain relationship of the soil. In the method, the stress-strain graph is scaled by two coefficient $N_C$ (for stress) and $M_C$ (for strain) to obtain the p-y curves. $M_C$ and $N_C$ are derived based on Semi-Analytical Finite Element approach exploiting the axial symmetry where a pile is modelled as a series of embedded discs. An example is considered to show the application of the methodology.

The results of an experimental program regarding the effects of gradation on shear strength and volume change behavior of silty sands are presented. Consolidated drained direct shear tests were performed on two clean base sands and twelve silty sands obtained by mixing those base sands with two different non-plastic silts at various fines contents (${\leq}$ 25%). Drained shear strengths were observed to be not significantly influenced by either base sand gradation or silt gradation or fines content for the studied range. Increasing fines content has increased the volumetric contraction of specimens at similar void ratio. However, the amount of increase in volumetric contraction of silty sands were found to be affected by silt gradation when other influencing factors such as fines content, base sand gradation and mineralogy were kept the same. Moreover, the amount of increase in volumetric contraction of silty sands were also found to be affected by base sand gradation when other influencing factors such as fines content, silt gradation and mineralogy were kept the same.

This paper presents an experimental study on the influence of principal stress direction and magnitude of intermediate principal stress on the undrained stress-strain-strength behaviors of Bangkok Clay. The results of torsional shear hollow cylinder and advanced triaxial tests with various principal stress directions and magnitudes of intermediate principal stress on undisturbed Bangkok Clay specimens are presented. The analysis of testing results include: (i) stress-strain and pore pressure behaviors, (ii) stiffness characteristics, and (iii) strength characteristics. The results assert clear evidences of anisotropic characteristics of Bangkok Clay at pre-failure and failure conditions. The magnitude of intermediate principal stress for plane-strain condition is also investigated. Both failure surface and plastic potential in deviatoric plane of Bangkok Clay are demonstrated to be isotropic and of circular shape which implies an associated flow rule. It is also observed that the shape of failure surface in deviatoric plane changes its size, while retaining its circular shape, with the change in direction of major principal stress. Concerning the behavior of Bangkok Clay found from this study, the discussions on the effects of employed constitutive modeling approach on the resulting numerical analysis are made.

An analysis model for predicting the tip bearing capacity of drilled shafts in cohesionless soils is improved in this study. The evaluation is based on large amounts of drilled shaft load test data. Assessment on the analysis model reveals a greater variation in two coefficients, namely, the overburden bearing capacity factor ($N_q$) and the bearing capacity modifier for soil rigidity (${\zeta}_{qr}$). These factors are modified from the back analysis of drilled shaft load test results. Different effective shaft depths and interpreted capacities at various loading stages (i.e., low, middle, and high) are adopted for the back calculation. Results show that the modified bearing capacity coefficients maintain their basic relationship with soil effective friction angle ($\bar{\phi}$), in which the $N_q$ increases and ${\zeta}_{qr}$ decreases as $\bar{\phi}$ increases. The suggested effective shaft depth is limited to 15B (B = shaft diameter) for the evaluation of effective overburden pressure. Specific design recommendations for the tip bearing capacity analysis of drilled shafts in cohesionless soils are given for engineering practice.

Considering the influences of fluid penetration, casing, excavation processes of wellbore and perforation tunnels, the seepage-deformation finite element model of oil and gas well coupled with perforating technique is established using the tensile strength failure criterion, in which the user-defined subroutine is developed to investigate the dynamic evolvement of the reservoir porosity and permeability. The results show that the increases of perforation angle and decreases of perforation density lead to a higher fracture initiation pressure, while the changes of the perforation diameter and length have no evident influences on the fracture initiation pressure. As for initiation location for the fracture in wellbore, it is on the wellbore face while considering the presence of the casing. By contrast, the fractures firstly initiate on the root of the tunnels without considering casing. Besides, the initial fracture position is also related with the perforation angle. The fracture initiation position is located in the point far away from the wellbore face, when the perforation angle is around $30^{\circ}$; however, when the perforation angle is increased to $45^{\circ}$, a plane fracture is initiated from the wellbore face in the maximum horizontal stress direction; no fractures was found around perforation tunnels, when the angel is close to $90^{\circ}$. The results have been successfully applied in an oilfield, with the error of only 1.1% comparing the fracture initiation pressure simulated with the one from on-site experiment.

The factor of safety is the most common measure of the safety margin for slopes. When the traditionally defined factor is used in kinematic approach of limit analysis, calculations can become elaborate, and iterative methods have to be used. To avoid this inconvenience, the safety factor was defined in terms of the work rates that are part of the work balance equation used in limit analysis. It was demonstrated for two simple slopes that the safety factors calculated according to the new definition fall close to those calculated using the traditional definition. Statistical analysis was carried out to find out whether, given normal distribution of the strength parameters, the distribution of the safety factor can be approximated with a well-defined probability density function. Knowing this function would make it convenient to calculate the probability of failure. The results indicated that the normal distribution could be used for low internal friction angle (up to about $16^{\circ}$) and the Johnson distribution could be used for larger angles ${\phi}$. The data limited to two simple slopes, however, does not allow assuming these distributions a priori for other slopes.