MPM Simulation of the Installation of an Impact-Driven Pile in Dry Sand and Subsequent Axial Bearing Capacity
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 4
Abstract
Pile installation leads to significant changes in soil state (i.e., void ratio and effective stress) around the pile, which affects stiffness and bearing capacity. Currently, the driveability of piles is analyzed using empirical methods, and the ultimate bearing capacity is estimated without considering the installation effects. This paper presents simulations of the entire installation and subsequent axial bearing capacity of a close-ended pile using a single numerical tool based on the material point method (MPM). A lab-scale experiment is used as a validation case, where the pile is first impact-driven in dry sand, with different initial relative densities (from loose to very dense), and then axially loaded. A state-dependent constitutive model (DeltaSand) is used in the numerical simulations to predict the mechanical behavior of the sand at different relative densities with a single set of input parameters. The paper also illustrates several enhancements needed to obtain more accurate results: (1) an improved contact algorithm that allows gap closure; (2) a rigid-body formulation for the pile body; and (3) a general analytical solution for calculation of energy-consistent impact forces in uncoupled hammer-pile systems.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The MPM simulations were conducted using a specific version of the Anura3D code, developed in-house by Deltares. Further, the authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their careful and constructive assessment of the manuscript. Their insightful comments and suggestions have greatly enhanced the overall quality of the paper.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 150 • Issue 4 • April 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 29, 2022
Accepted: Oct 18, 2023
Published online: Feb 8, 2024
Published in print: Apr 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jul 8, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Axial loads
- Density (material)
- Effective stress
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering mechanics
- Foundation design
- Foundations
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Load bearing capacity
- Material mechanics
- Material properties
- Materials engineering
- Models (by type)
- Numerical models
- Pile foundations
- Piles
- Sandy soils
- Soil mechanics
- Soil properties
- Soil stress
- Soils (by type)
- Static loads
- Statics (mechanics)
- Stress (by type)
- Structural analysis
- Structural engineering
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