The construction of buildings and infrastructure on marine deposits is challenging. The impact of the horizontal behavior of structures on reclaimed areas is critical. This study investigated the behavior of laterally loaded drilled shafts in marine deposits through a comprehensive analysis and full-scale lateral load test conducted in Songdo, South Korea. It identified various critical pile characteristics for designing and constructing architectural and civil structures in marine environments, focusing on a 2.5 m diameter, 40 m long drilled shaft. At a 900 kN design load, the test pile experienced a maximum moment of 3520.2 kN·m and a lateral deflection of 2.32 mm, with anticipated failure at a load of 1710 kN and 11.30 mm displacement. Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors enabled precise displacement and strain measurements, essential for constructing accurate load–displacement curves and understanding lateral load responses. Inverse analysis with validated data from a commercial software (LPILE) showed good alignment of maximum moment and displacement but highlighted challenges at failure loads. The study developed depth-dependent p-y curves for marine deposits, crucial for predicting soil–pile interaction and optimizing shaft design. Practical implications include using derived p-y curves and an empirical equation using Standard Penetration Test (SPT) results to predict the coefficient of horizontal subgrade reaction (k_h) with high accuracy. Overall, this research emphasizes the importance of advanced instrumentation and analytical techniques for optimizing drilled shaft design and ensuring structural stability in challenging marine geological conditions.

The increasing demand for energy and industrial development necessitates the construction of large-scale structures, often in previously undeveloped areas. Pile foundations, particularly open-ended piles (OEPs), are extensively used in such projects due to their drivability and structural integrity. This research focuses on the unique plugging effect in OEPs, where soil enters the pile during installation, forming a soil plug that significantly contributes to the pile’s static resistance. A significant challenge in OEP applications is the uncertainty in internal stress states and bearing capacity due to the dynamic nature of impact driving in sands. Current standards assume that the inner skin friction equals the outer skin friction along the entire soil plug length, a conservative approach lacking in consideration of the actual stress states. Utilizing the Particle Flow Code (PFC) software, this research aims to analyze the internal stress conditions within the soil plug during impact driving, providing a more accurate prediction of OEP behavior under various conditions. The study’s findings, validated against experimental results, enhance the understanding of soil–pile interactions, contributing to the development of improved design methodologies for open-ended piles.