A field testing study on negative skin friction along piles induced by seismic subsidence of loess

At present piles foundation is widely used in the earthquake-prone loess area of China. Unfortunately, negative skin friction (NSF) along piles induced by an abrupt settlement of loess under strong earthquakes, so called seismic subsidence, has not been taken into account in design of piles foundation due to the lack of NSF data from field test. In order to investigate NSF along piles caused by seismic subsidence of loess and develop a method to estimate this earthquake-induced NSF, the authors perform a field test at a loess site by means of a series of explosions, i.e. a short delay blasting, in which two reinforced concrete piles was grouted. The expected ground motion generated by the short delay blasting is strong enough to induce an obvious seismic subsidence in the loess site. There are 40 stress gages to be averagely disposed into the two piles with a certain interval to collect the data of NSF during this field test. Meanwhile, ground motion and seismic subsidence of loess were, respectively, observed by accelerographes and a level gauge. The obtained data particularly disclose the developing characteristics and magnitude of loess seismic subsidence and NSF at the condition of strong ground motion. The loess seismic subsidence and NSF both have a rapid development in the explosion process and then keep a slower increase for some days after the blasting. At the end of observation, the maximum seismic subsidence of loess in the field reaches 33 mm; the average NSF along piles attains to 54 kPa, which is much greater than previous cases of NSF caused by collapse of loess. This field test shows the NSF along piles induced by seismic subsidence of loess is significant and should not be ignored in design of piles foundation in seismic loess regions.