The analytical prediction of the buckling loads of fully and partially embedded piles

A non-dimensional solution to the problem of the stability of a beam–column embedded in a Winkler foundation is presented. The beam–column may be supported by any combination of end-bearing and skin friction that develops along the embedded column length. This formal analytical solution is compared with previous analyses of the problem, and the differences between the solutions are discussed. Tests on real structures (both model and full-scale piles) reported in the current literature are also compared with the proposed analytical solution. It is shown that the approach presented here is more general, and overcomes many of the restrictive assumptions inherent in the earlier work.