Modelling of raked pile foundations in liquefiable ground

Raked piles are believed to behave better than vertical piles in a laterally flowing liquefied ground. This paper aims at numerically simulating the response of raked pile foundations in liquefying ground through nonlinear finite element analysis. For this purpose, the OpenSees computer package was used. A range of sources have been adopted in the definition of model components whose validity is assessed against case studies presented in literature. Experimental and analytical data confirmed that the backbone force density–displacement (p–y) curve simulating lateral pile response is of acceptable credibility for both vertical and raked piles. A parametric investigation on fixed-head piles subject to lateral spreading concluded that piles exhibiting positive inclination impart lower moment demands at the head while those inclined negatively perform better at liquefaction boundaries (relative to vertical piles). Further studies reveal substantial axial demand imposed upon negatively inclined members due to the transfer of gravity and ground-induced lateral forces axially down the pile. Extra care must be taken in the design of such members in soils susceptible to lateral spreading such that compressive failure (i.e. pile buckling) is avoided.     

中日规范中关于液化和侧向扩流场地桥梁桩基抗震设计考虑之比较

评述了我国液化场地和侧向扩流场地桥梁桩基抗震设计规范。总结了中日两国液化场地和侧向扩流场地桥梁桩基的抗震设计方法与技术细节,阐述了日本规范中液化场地和侧向扩流场地桥梁桩基抗震设计中的液化地基土反力折减系数的确定方法,以及土体液化侧向扩流对桩作用力的计算模式。指出我国规范中在液化和侧向扩流场地桩的抗震分析方法、不同土层分界处桩的抗震措施、桩的竖向承载力及桩的屈曲稳定性分析等方面存在的主要问题,据此给出了亟待改进的初步建议。这对我国桥梁工程的抗震安全性具有重要意义,可供我国工程技术人员参考借鉴。     

Bending–buckling interaction as a failure mechanism of piles in liquefiable soils

This paper investigates the importance of bending–buckling interaction in seismic design of piles in liquefiable soils using numerical techniques. A pseudo-static analysis has been performed using a well documented case history, where the pile–soil interaction is modelled as a beam on nonlinear winkler foundation (BNWF). Six possible analytical methods, three force based and three displacement based, are performed in which the pile is subjected to both lateral and axial load. Three out of six analysis cases did not predict the failure of the piles when analysed only for bending (i.e., lateral loads only). The buckling analysis showed that the pile was also safe against pure buckling during full liquefaction. Further, two out of those three cases which did not predict failure in bending were reanalysed for bending–buckling interaction (i.e., lateral and axial loads acting simultaneously). These combined analyses showed a more realistic behaviour of pile response and did predict the pile failure. Hence, it can be concluded that if a pile is designed for bending and buckling criteria separately and safe for these individual design criteria, it may fail due to their combined effect.     

基于动力BNWF法的冻土-桩相互作用模型研究

基于水平循环荷载作用下不同负温冻土环境中单桩动力特性模型试验结果,在已有分析桩-土-结构相互作用的动力BNWF模型的基础上,提出改进的冻土-桩基动力相互作用非线性反应分析模型。在该模型中,利用改进的双向无拉力多段屈服弹簧考虑桩侧冻土的水平非线性力学特性,同时兼顾桩侧与冻土间的竖向非线性摩擦效应、桩尖土的挤压与分离作用以及远场土体阻尼对桩基动力特性的影响。其中桩侧水平多段屈服弹簧参数根据冻土非线性p-y关系获得,该关系曲线以三次函数曲线段及常值函数段共同模拟,并由室内冻土压缩试验结果确定。最后基于改进的动力BNWF模型,提取动位移荷载作用下该桩顶力-位移滞回曲线及桩身不同埋深处的弯矩动响应数值分析结果,并与相应的模型试验结果对比,二者具有较好的拟合度,表明本文所提出的改进模型在分析冻土-桩动力相互作用时有较好的适用性。     

液化侧扩流场地桥梁群桩效应分析

基于u-p有限元公式模拟饱和砂土中水和土颗粒完全耦合效应,建立液化侧向流场地群桩动力反应分析的三维数值模型。模型中,砂土采用多屈服面弹塑性本构模型模拟、黏土采用多屈服面运动塑性模型模拟,群桩在计算过程中保持线弹性状态;采用20节点的六面体单元和考虑孔压效应的20-8节点分别划分黏土层和饱和砂层;选用剪切梁边界处理计算域的人工边界,模拟地震过程中土层的剪切效应;应用瑞利阻尼考虑体系的阻尼效应。随后对比分析2×2群桩中各单桩的地震反应规律,结果表明,各单桩的弯矩、位移时程规律基本一致,峰值弯矩及峰值位移出现时刻滞后于输入加速度峰值时刻,上坡向桩的弯矩和位移峰值大于下坡向的桩的反应值。接着通过改变桩间距研究群桩效应,随着桩间距增加,群桩中各单桩的弯矩最大值均出现在土层分界处,且各单桩的弯矩、桩顶位移逐渐增大。最后给出液化侧向流场地群桩效应的基本原因,得出该类场地群桩抗震设计的基本认识。     

Mitigation measures for pile groups behind quay walls subjected to lateral flow of liquefied soil: Shake table model tests

This paper presents experimental results of a series of 1g shake table tests on mitigation measures for a model consisting of a 3×3 pile group and a sheet-pile quay wall in which the pile group was subjected to liquefaction-induced lateral spreading. First, general observations associated with the mechanism of lateral spreading and pile response are presented based on tests without remedial measures, followed by in depth discussions. Second, three remedial techniques were deployed to provide an adequate seismic performance of the pile group and the quay wall: (i) mitigating sheet pile of floating type, (ii) mitigating sheet pile of fixed end type, and (iii) anchoring the quay wall to a new pile row. The main objective of these mitigation methods was to restrict ground distortion behind the quay wall, enhancing seismic response of pile group and quay wall. This mitigation philosophy was decided based on the outcome of the first part, which consisted of a series of tests without mitigation measures. In addition, it should be noted that the proposed countermeasures were selected to be applicable for existing vulnerable pile groups, which are at risk of liquefaction and lateral spreading. Results of different mitigation tests are comparatively examined using a parameter called reduction factor, and the effectiveness of each countermeasure is discussed in detail. The results demonstrate that by applying the proposed mitigation measures the seismic performance of both pile group and quay wall can be improved, as a result of reduction in soil displacement and velocity of soil flow.     

Methodology for preliminary seismic design of extended pile‐shafts for bridge structures

Seismic design of extended pile‐shafts requires a careful consideration of the influence of the surrounding soil on the overall response of the soil–pile system. In this paper, a procedure that incorporates soil properties into the process is developed for preliminary seismic design of extended pile‐shafts. The method follows the well‐accepted approach of using a force reduction factor to determine the lateral strength of the structure. The procedure involves an iterative process to arrive at the required amount of longitudinal reinforcement. Other outcomes of the procedure include the appropriate lateral stiffness and strength, as well as an estimation of the local curvature demand and ultimate drift ratio that can be used to ensure a satisfactory lateral response. The design procedure is capable of providing reliable results for a practical range of structural and soil properties. The versatility of the procedure is illustrated using two numerical examples of extended pile‐shafts constructed in different soil sites. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interpretation from large-scale shake table tests on piles undergoing lateral spreading in liquefied soils

Results from a benchmark test on full-scale piles are used to investigate the response of piles to lateral spreading. In the experiment, two single piles, a relatively flexible pile that moves together with the surrounding soil and a relatively stiff pile that does not follow the ground movement have been subjected to large post-liquefaction ground displacement simulating piles in laterally spreading soils. The observed response of the piles is first presented and then the results are used to examine the lateral loads on the pile from a non-liquefied soil at the ground surface and to evaluate the stiffness characteristics of the spreading soils. The measured ultimate lateral pressure from the crust soil on the stiff pile was about 4.5 times the Rankine passive pressure. The back-calculated stiffness of the liquefied soil was found to be in the range between 1/30 and 1/80 of the initial stiffness of the soil showing gradual decrease in the course of lateral spreading.     

Pile response in submerged lateral spreads: Common pitfalls of numerical and physical modeling techniques

A three dimensional dynamic numerical methodology is developed and used to back-analyze experimental data on the seismic response of single piles in laterally spreading slopes. The aim of the paper is not to seek successful a-priori (Type A) predictions, but to explore the potential of currently available numerical techniques, and also to get feedback on modeling issues and assumptions which are not yet resolved in the international literature. It is illustrated that accurate simulation of the physical pile–soil interaction mechanisms is not a routine task, as it requires the incorporation of advanced numerical features, such as an effective stress constitutive soil model that can capture cyclic response and shear-induced dilation, interface elements to simulate the flow of liquefied ground around the pile and proper calibration of soil permeability to model excess pore pressure dissipation during shaking. In addition, the “conventional tied node” formulation, commonly used to simulate lateral boundary conditions during shaking, has to be modified in order to take into account the effects of the hydrostatic pore pressure surplus that is created at the down slope free field boundary of submerged slopes. A comparative analysis with the two different lateral boundary formulations reveals that “conventional tied nodes”, which also reflect the kinematic conditions imposed by laminar box containers in centrifuge and shaking table experiments, may underestimate seismic demands along the upper part of the pile foundation.     

Experimental p-y curves for liquefied soils from centrifuge tests

The present study aims to obtain p-y curves(Winkler spring properties for lateral pile-soil interaction) for liquefied soil from 12 comprehensive centrifuge test cases where pile groups were embedded in liquefiable soil. The p-y curve for fully liquefied soil is back-calculated from the dynamic centrifuge test data using a numerical procedure from the recorded soil response and strain records from the instrumented pile. The p-y curves were obtained for two ground conditions:(a) lateral spreading of liquefied soil, and(b) liquefied soil in level ground. These ground conditions are simulated in the model by having collapsing and non-collapsing intermittent boundaries, which are modelled as quay walls. The p-y curves back-calculated from the centrifuge tests are compared with representative reduced API p-y curves for liquefied soils(known as p-multiplier). The response of p-y curves at full liquefaction is presented and critical observations of lateral pile-soil interaction are discussed. Based on the results of these model tests, guidance for the construction of p-y curves for use in engineering practice is also provided.     

Numerical simulations of shake-table experiment for dynamic soil-pile-structure interaction in liquefiable soils

A shake-table experiment on pile foundations in liquefi able soils composed of liquefi able sand and overlying soft clay is studied. A three-dimensional(3D) effective stress fi nite element(FE) analysis is employed to simulate the experiment. A recently developed multi-surface elasto-plastic constitutive model and a fully coupled dynamic inelastic FE formulation(u-p) are used to model the liquefaction behavior of the sand. The soil domains are discretized using a solid-fl uid fully coupled(u-p) 20-8 noded brick element. The pile is simulated using beam-column elements. Upon careful calibration, very good agreement is obtained between the computed and the measured dynamic behavior of the ground and the pile. A parametric analysis is also conducted on the model to investigate the effect of pile-pinning, pile diameter, pile stiffness, ground inclination angle, superstructure mass and pile head restraints on the ground improvement. It is found that the pile foundation has a noticeable pinning effect that reduces the lateral soil displacement. It is observed that a larger pile diameter and fi xed pile head restraints contribute to decreasing the lateral pile deformation; however, a higher ground inclination angle tends to increase the lateral pile head displacements and pile stiffness, and superstructure mass seems to effectively infl uence the lateral pile displacements.     

Remediation of piled foundations against lateral spreading by passive site stabilization technique

Physical modeling tests were conducted on pile foundations to measure the seismic performance of a new ground improvement technology, called passive site stabilization, for use on sites susceptible to liquefaction and liquefaction-induced lateral spreading. The method involves the slow injection of a low-viscosity stabilizer in conjunction with the natural groundwater flow. The effectiveness of the treatment using dilute colloidal silica as the stabilizer was tested by two centrifuge models that simulated soil–pile interaction of a 2×2 end-bearing pile group embedded in a multilayer soil deposit of 10-m thickness. The models utilized a laminar box and involved gently inclined soil profiles with and without the applied soil improvement. Response of the pile groups and the lateral spreading behaviors of the treated and untreated soil under a simulated base shaking were investigated and compared. The results showed that treatment with dilute colloidal silica stabilizer minimized permanent lateral deformations and reduced the liquefaction potential of the soil. Significant reductions occurred in the measured pile bending moments and axial forces because the layer treated with dilute colloidal silica did not liquefy. Thus, the technique can be an alternative to traditional methods of ground improvement.     

Response of single piles and pipelines in liquefaction-induced lateral spreads using controlled blasting

Two full-scale experiments using controlled blasting were conducted in the Port of Tokachi on Hokkaido Island, Japan, to assess the behavior of piles and pipelines subjected to lateral spreading. Test specimens were extensively instrumented with strain gauges to measure the distribution of moment during lateral spreading. This allowed us to compute the loading condition, as well as to conduct damage and performance assessments on the piles and pipelines. This paper presents the test results and discussions on the response of single piles and pipelines observed from the full-scale experiments. Based on the test results, it can be concluded that using controlled blasting successfully liquefied the soil, and subsequently induced lateral spreading. The movements of the single pile, as well as the transverse pipelines, were approximately the same as the free field soil movement. Observed moment distribution of the single pile indicated that global translation of the liquefied soil layer provided insignificant force to the pile. In addition, the degree of fixity at the pile tip significantly affected the moment along the pile as well as the pile head displacement. The pile with a higher degree of fixity at the pile tip had smaller pile head displacement but larger maximum moment.     

无限层弹性地基中常轴力桩基的地震反应分析

根据Ｗｉｎｋｌｅｒ地基模型，对桩基础通过特性分析建立了合理的力学模型。在动力分析的基础上，给出了桩基础横向自振特性及在常轴力与横向地震载荷作用下的强迫反应解析解。文中的解析公式为桩基础动力分析提供了一种新的解析方法。     

A case study of damages of the Kandla Port and Customs Office tower supported on a mat–pile foundation in liquefied soils under the 2001 Bhuj earthquake

A case study is presented of the interaction between the bending due to laterally spreading forces and axial-load induced settlement on the piled foundations of the Kandla Port and Customs Tower located in Kandla Port, India, during the 2001 Bhuj earthquake. The 22 m tall tower had an eccentric mass at the roof and was supported on a piled-raft foundation that considerably tilted away as was observed in the aftermath of the earthquake. The soil at the site consists of 10 m of clay overlaid by a 12 m deep sandy soil layer. Post-earthquake investigation revealed the following: (a) liquefaction of the deep sandy soil strata below the clay layer; (b) settlement of the ground in the vicinity of the building; (c) lateral spreading of the nearby ground towards the sea front. The foundation of the tower consists of 0.5 m thick concrete mat and 32 piles. The piles are 18 m long and therefore passes through 10 m of clayey soil and rested on liquefiable soils. Conventional analysis of a single pile or a pile group, without considering the raft foundation would predict a severe tilting and/or settlement of the tower eventually leading to a complete collapse. It has been concluded that the foundation mat over the non-liquefied crust shared a considerable amount of load of the superstructure and resisted the complete collapse of the building.     

Generalized cyclic p–y curve modeling for analysis of laterally loaded piles

Owing to their simplicity and reasonable accuracy, Beam on Nonlinear Winkler Foundation (BNWF) models are widely used for the analysis of laterally loaded piles. Their main drawback is idealizing the soil continuum with discrete uncoupled springs representing the soil reactions to pile movement. Static p–y curves, obtained from limited full-scaled field tests, are generally used as a backbone curve of the model. However, these empirically derived p–y curves could not incorporate the effects of various pile properties and soil continuity. The strain wedge method (SWM) has been improved to assess the nonlinear p–y curve response of laterally loaded piles based on a three-dimensional soil–pile interaction through a passive wedge developed in front of the pile. In this paper, the SWM based p–y curve is implemented as the backbone curves of developed BNWF model to study the nonlinear response of single pile under cyclic lateral loading. The developed nonlinear model is capable of accounting for various important soil–pile interaction response features such as soil and pile yielding, cyclic degradation of soil stiffness and strength under generalized loading, soil–pile gap formation with soil cave-in and recompression, and energy dissipation. Some experimental tests are studied to verify the BNWF model and examine the effect of each factor on the response of laterally loaded pile embedded in sand and clay. The experimental data and computed results agree well, confirming the model ability to predict the response of piles under one-way and two-way cyclic loading. The results show that the developed model can satisfactorily simulate the pile stiffness hardening due to soil cave in and sand densification as observed in the experiment. It is also concluded from the results that the gap formation and soil degradation have significant effects on the increase of lateral pile-head deflection and maximum bending moment of the pile in cohesive soils.     

Pile group response to liquefaction-induced lateral spreading: E-Defense large shake table test

This paper presents the results of a large-scale shake table test at E-Defense facility on a pile group located adjacent to a gravity-type quay wall and were subjected to liquefaction-induced large ground displacements. Extensive liquefaction-induced large ground lateral spreading displaced the quay wall about 2.2 m and damaged the pile foundation. The pile foundation consisted of a six-pile group which supported a footing and a superstructure model. Large lateral soil displacements were measured by several sensors such as inclinometers and the results favorably agreed with the directly observed deformations. Soil lateral displacement decreased as the distance from the quay wall increased landward. The piles were densely instrumented and the measured bending strain records were able to explain the damage to the piles. Lateral pressures of the liquefied soil exerted on the piles were measured using earth pressure (EP) sensors. The application of two design guidelines (JRA [1] and JSWA [2]) for estimation of liquefaction-induced lateral pressure on piles is discussed and their advantages and shortcomings are addressed. Furthermore, two simplified methods (Shamoto et al. [3] and Valsamis et al. [4]) are employed to predict the extent of liquefaction-induced large ground displacements and they are compared to the measured deformations. Finally, their accuracy for predicting the liquefaction-induced lateral displacements is evaluated and practical recommendations are made.     

端承桩在分层地基中的横向地震反应分析

本文对分层弹性地基中端承桩基础按Ｗｉｎｋｌｅｒ（温克尔）地基土模型，通过特性分析，建立了合理的力学模型，经过动力分析，给出了端承桩基础横向自由振动特性及在横向动力载荷与地震载荷作用下强迫反应的解析解。文中的解析公式为分层弹性地基中端承桩基础在横向动力载荷与地震载荷作用下的动力反应分析，提供了一种新的解析方法。     

砂土中单桩基础冲刷的修正应变楔计算

由冲刷引起的深水结构物桩基础周围土体损失致使基础水平承载性能下降的问题越发受到重视。应变楔方法假设桩前土体抵抗为三维楔形体,其尺寸发展与楔形体区域土体发挥的内摩擦角有关,从而得到水平受荷桩的p-y曲线。本文对应变楔方法进行修正和拓展,建立非线性位移假设以考虑桩前楔形体区域土体应变沿深度的非均匀分布,将冲刷坑底以上土体的有效自重作用等效为竖向荷载,对楔形体的深度进行修正,以解决楔形体方法只适用于地表水平的情况,得到砂土中单桩基础冲刷的修正应变楔计算方法;并通过与模型试验及三维有限元分析的对比来验证该方法的合理性。分析结果表明:冲刷深度增加会显著降低桩基水平承载性能,冲刷深度3.2D和6.4D情况下的桩顶位移比平均值分别趋近于1.8和3.0;相比有限元方法,本文修正SW方法计算的p-y曲线结果与实测结果更为接近。     

A Study of Piles during Earthquakes: Issues of Design and Analysis

The seismic response of pile foundations is a very complex process involving inertial interaction between structure and pile foundation, kinematic interaction between piles and soils, seismically induced pore-water pressures (PWP) and the non-linear response of soils to strong earthquake motions. In contrast, very simple pseudo-static methods are used in engineering practice to determine response parameters for design. These methods neglect several of the factors cited above that can strongly affect pile response. Also soil–pile interaction is modelled using either linear or non-linear springs in a Winkler computational model for pile response. The reliability of this constitutive model has been questioned. In the case of pile groups, the Winkler model for analysis of a single pile is adjusted in various ways by empirical factors to yield a computational model for group response. Can the results of such a simplified analysis be adequate for design in all situations?The lecture will present a critical evaluation of general engineering practice for estimating the response of pile foundations in liquefiable and non-liquefiable soils during earthquakes. The evaluation is part of a major research study on the seismic design of pile foundations sponsored by a Japanese construction company with interests in performance based design and the seismic response of piles in reclaimed land. The evaluation of practice is based on results from field tests, centrifuge tests on model piles and comprehensive non-linear dynamic analyses of pile foundations consisting of both single piles and pile groups. Studies of particular aspects of pile–soil interaction were made. Piles in layered liquefiable soils were analysed in detail as case histories show that these conditions increase the seismic demand on pile foundations. These studies demonstrate the importance of kinematic interaction, usually neglected in simple pseudo-static methods. Recent developments in designing piles to resist lateral spreading of the ground after liquefaction are presented. A comprehensive study of the evaluation of pile cap stiffness coefficients was undertaken and a reliable method of selecting the single value stiffnesses demanded by mainstream commercial structural software was developed. Some other important findings from the study are: the relative effects of inertial and kinematic interactions between foundation and soil on acceleration and displacement spectra of the super-structure; a method for estimating whether inertial interaction is likely to be important or not in a given situation and so when a structure may be treated as a fixed based structure for estimating inertial loads; the occurrence of large kinematic moments when a liquefied layer or naturally occurring soft layer is sandwiched between two hard layers; and the role of rotational stiffness in controlling pile head displacements, especially in liquefiable soils. The lecture concludes with some recommendations for practice that recognize that design, especially preliminary design, will always be based on simplified procedures.