# Introduction¶

## Opile Introduction¶

OPILE is a program to analyse single piles under lateral and axial loading. From the soil design parameters it generates the axial capacity and the PY, TZ & QZ response curves which can be used to calculate the response of a pile under axial, lateral and torsional load conditions.

ALLCAP, which is part of OPILE, can be used to examine the different axial capacities given by the various different methods available. This comparison is made on the basis of input data which is common to various methods and allows the user to determine quickly how the different calculated capacities compare.

Soil resistance to driving (SRD) can also be calculated and any similar soil input can easily be transferred between the various tables.

After the various analyses have been made OPILE offers a number of different ways in which the results can be reported:

• A pile model can be produced which can be input directly into structural analyses package.

• Construction of a customisable report in Microsoft Word which contains the various key inputs and plots.

• Exporting all of the results to a Microsoft Excel workbook which can be customised by the user.

• Plots and tables can easily be copied to other applications.:

Note

For technical questions or requesting a quotation please send us an e-mail.

## Getting Started¶

The quickest way to get familiar with OPILE is to investigate the worked_examples files that are provided in the program directory. There are two worked examples which are fully functional within the demo version.

Or use the following steps:

1. Create a new OPILE file and save it.

2. Input the project details: project title, engineer etc.

3. Input the pile dimensions and properties under the general tab. The material properties can be left to the default for steel.

4. Input the pile length and scour depths.

5. Create some axial soil input (the SANDAPI and CLAYAPI methods are suggested as quick and easy).

6. Create some lateral soil input (again the SANDAPI and CLAYAPI methods suggested are quick and easy).

7. Now press the Analyse button and OPILE will calculate the axial capacity and carry out axial and lateral finite element analyses using the default options (there are various options for developing axial load cases and lateral load cases).

8. The results can be examined under the various output tabs and include many plots which can be exported to Word or Excel using the reporter module, or copying the content of a particular control to the Windows Clipboard using Edit>Copy.

9. If you require a pile model for input to structural analyses (such as Sacs) then use the structural model module.

10. Explore the different options and features which OPILE offers when conducting single pile analyses.

If you are using the demo version then please check the limitations that come with this

## Demo Version¶

The demonstration version of OPILE is fully functional, with some limitations applied. These limitations include:

• Fixed pile penetration of 20m.

• Fixed diameter, wall thickness and material number.

• Fixed soil stratigraphies (at 5m intervals for 20m) and soil unit weights ($$10.33 \frac{kN}{m^3}$$).

Within these restrictions it should be possible to analyse all of the available axial and lateral options.

There are two worked examples which are fully functional in the demo version and you can create your own OPILE files, within the restrictions listed above. The other Worked Examples provided with OPILE can only be reviewed and not analysed in the demo version.

When reopening OPILE files, created using either version of OPILE, the results of previous analyses are retained and replotted. Because OPILE works in this manner you are able to share the results of your analyses with colleagues and they can review them within OPILE, without the necessity to have the full version.

If the OPILE file was created in the full version and it is opened in the demo version then pressing analyse may result in some loss of data. To help prevent this loss of data OPILE disables the Analyse button if it detects that a file was created in the full version, thus it will only be possible to review the data. If you really want to re-analyse in the demo version and accept that some data will be lost, you must save the file, close down and reopen OPILE and then open the saved file. This step is implemented in OPILE to prevent accidental loss of data. Some rows in input tables are set to read only, where you can read data but not change it. In order to create OPILE files requiring input outside of the demo version restrictions the full version is required.

Only the hardware dongle key is required to go from the demo version to the full working version. No software change or reinstallation is required, although the latest version of OPILE can always be downloaded from our website.