Gentle Driving of Piles at a Sandy Site Combining Axial and Torsional Vibrations: Quantifying the Influence of Pile Installation Method on Lateral Behavior
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 149, Issue 11
Abstract
Gentle driving of piles (GDP) is a new technology for the vibratory installation of tubular (mono) piles that aims to achieve both efficient installation and low noise emission by combining axial and torsional vibrations. To provide a preliminary demonstration of the GDP concept, onshore medium-scale tests in sand were performed in late 2019 at the Maasvlakte II site in Rotterdam (Netherlands). Several piles were installed using both impact and vibratory driving methods (including GDP), with the twofold aim of comparatively assessing (1) the effectiveness of GDP; and (2) the presence of installation effects in the pile response to lateral loading. This work focuses on the latter aspect and presents a quantitative analysis of the installation effects observed in the pile loading test data recorded in the field. Due to soil inhomogeneity across the field, a purely data-based analysis would have not supported objective conclusions, which led to adoption of an alternative approach based on one-dimensional (1D) numerical modeling. To this end, an advanced cyclic p–y model was calibrated for the simulation of the reference pile loading tests, and the values of key parameters were compared to infer quantitative information about relevant installation effects. The results presented herein inform about the promising performance of the GDP method, particularly in comparison to traditional impact hammering. Although the cyclic lateral pile behavior proves affected by the installation process, certain important aspects of installation effects gradually diminish as more loading cycles are applied.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are proprietary or confidential in nature and may only be provided with restrictions.
Acknowledgments
This paper is associated with the GDP project in the framework of the GROW joint research program. Funding from Topsector Energiesubsidie van het Ministerie van Economische Zaken under Grant No. TEHE117100 and financial/technical support from the following partners is gratefully acknowledged: Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V., CAPE Holland B.V., Deltares, Delft Offshore Turbine B.V., Delft University of Technology, ECN, Eneco Wind B.V., IHC IQIP B.V., SHL Offshore Contractors B.V., Shell Global Solutions International B.V., Sif Netherlands B.V., TNO, and Van Oord Offshore Wind Projects B.V. The important contribution to the GDP field campaign of, in alphabetical order, Rob Atkinson, Kees van Beek, Ahmed Elkadi, Sergio S. Gómez, Timo Molenkamp, Maxim L. A. Segeren, Faraz S. Tehrani, Apostolos Tsouvalas, and Peter de Vries is also warmly appreciated.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 149 • Issue 11 • November 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 12, 2022
Accepted: Apr 25, 2023
Published online: Sep 4, 2023
Published in print: Nov 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Feb 4, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Continuum mechanics
- Data analysis
- Driver behavior
- Dynamic loads
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering mechanics
- Forces (type)
- Foundations
- Geotechnical engineering
- Infrastructure
- Lateral loads
- Load tests
- Methodology (by type)
- Motion (dynamics)
- Pile driving
- Pile foundations
- Pile tests
- Research methods (by type)
- Solid mechanics
- Structural dynamics
- Tests (by type)
- Torsion
- Traffic engineering
- Transportation engineering
- Vibration
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