The effect of soil-pile separation is studied with respect to the performance of a laterally
loaded pile group. Full-scale tests, which consist of a combination of a single and a 3× 5
group pile under static and dynamic lateral loads, present a unique opportunity and allow a
rigorous study without arbitrary parameter back-fitting. The coupled soil-pile system is
idealized through two-dimensional finite elements with soil models idealized by a hyperbolic-
type multiple shear mechanism. Nonlinear spring elements are used to idealize the soil- ..