Abstract

Geotechnical centrifuge tests were conducted to examine the behavior of low-aspect-ratio piles and caissons in clayey soils subject to high moment loading. Model piles with an aspect ratio of two were tested in the 150g-t centrifuge at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Results include moment-inclination and force-displacement response for different loading conditions. Numerical studies were also performed consisting of three-dimensional finite-element simulations in order to predict capacities. The comparisons are performed in terms of the total resistance exerted by the soil on the caisson. This paper focuses on presenting the ultimate bearing capacity factors, including both experimental and numerical results. In addition, results are compared to a series of studies available in the literature, which include upper-bound solutions and experimental results.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation for the project Capacity and Performance of Foundations for Offshore Wind Towers, Award 1041604. Additionally, they would like to acknowledge the NEES site and their personnel at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

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Go to Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 145Issue 10October 2019

History

Received: Oct 3, 2017
Accepted: Feb 13, 2019
Published online: Jul 30, 2019
Published in print: Oct 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Dec 30, 2019

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Madhuri Murali, A.M.ASCE [email protected]
Geotechnical Engineer, Fugro Netherlands Marine BV, Prismastraat 4, Nootdorp 2631 RT, Netherlands (corresponding author). Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Francisco J. Grajales-Saavedra, A.M.ASCE [email protected]
Assistant Professor, School of Civil Engineering, Universidad Tecnologica de Panama, Main Campus Victor L. Sasso, Panama City 0801, Republic of Panama. Email: [email protected]
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Center for Offshore Foundation Systems, Univ. of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy., Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9101-5325. Email: [email protected]
Professor, Zachry Dept. of Civil Engineering, Dwight Look College of Engineering, Texas A&M Univ., 3136 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4032-6895. Email: [email protected]
Lecturer, Dept. of Engineering, Univ. of Cambridge, Schofield Centre, High Cross, Madingley Rd., Cambridge CB3 0EL, UK. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4662-5650. Email: [email protected]

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