Abstract: It is very difficult to measure the lateral load on the micropile in-situ, so the load transfer behavior and the stress characteristics are incomplete; so that numerical simulation of the flexible micropile (l/d more then 50 in general) with finite element software ABAQUS is made. The numerical analysis results are consistent with field measured results, so as to prove that the simulation parameters are effective and correct. They can reflect the field actual situation perfectly. Using finite element numerical simulation, the mechanical behavior of micropiles subjected to horizontal load, and parameters influencing on the lateral bearing capacity of micropile are discussed. Finally, some reasonable values of the pile length, pile diameter, elastic modulus and so on, are given. It is shown that the more larger diameter and the larger friction angle of soil, the more larger lateral bearing capacity of micropiles.

Key words: lateral bearing capacity, numerical simulation, mechanical behavior, micropiles