Axial Cyclic and Static Behavior of FRP Composite Seawater–Sea Sand Concrete Piles Ended in a Rock Socket
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 4
Abstract
Pile foundations supporting high-rise buildings are generally subject to cyclic loading because of dynamic loading. The corrosion of steel materials in pile foundations is another major concern, especially for piles in a marine environment. In this study, a series of cyclic and static loading tests on model piles made of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) and seawater–sea sand concrete (SSC) and ended in a rock socket were reported. Three structural configurations (FRP tube–confined, FRP rebar cage–reinforced, and centered FRP rebar–reinforced) were adopted for the model piles. Strain along the depth of the piles was measured using fiber Bragg grating (FBG) optic sensors and an advanced distributed optical sensing technique known as optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR). Strain distribution, axial cyclic stiffness, and shaft friction mobilization of the piles under static and different modes of axial cyclic loading were analyzed and explored in detail. The test results indicated that the FRP tube–confined model pile showed higher confinement and cyclic capacity and lower stiffness degradation, leading to relatively more stable behavior. A high level of cyclic loading can cause microcracks to form and grow within the pile material, thereby decreasing pile stiffness. The strain profile of all the piles along the depth appeared to follow a similar trend, and fluctuations at certain points led to failure. Cyclic stiffness showed gains initially when cyclic load conditions were below a certain threshold level but degraded when loading was increased beyond it. Moreover, shaft resistance gradually increased with cycles, causing higher mobilization in the upper portion of the socket. The experimental results have provided the first systematic study on the performance of the FRP-SSC composite model piles ended in rock sockets under axial cyclic and static loadings. This will contribute to development of a potential predictive method for pile settlement and capacity for the better design of rock-socketed piles.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by a Theme-Based Research Scheme project (T22-502/18-R), a Research Impact Fund project (R5037-18), and two GRF projects (PolyU 15210020 and PolyU 15210322) from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government of China, respectively. The authors of this work also gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the PolyU Research Institute for Land and Space (CD82, CD7A) and the Research Centre for Resources Engineering toward Carbon Neutrality (BBEJ).
References
ASTM. 2000. Test for static modulus of elasticity and Poisson’s ratio of concrete in compression. ASTM C 469-94. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Bekki, H., J. Canou, B. Tali, J. C. Dupla, and A. Bouafia. 2013. “Evolution of local friction along a model pile shaft in a calibration chamber for a large number of loading cycles.” C.R. Mec. 341 (6): 499–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crme.2012.11.012.
Buckley, R. M., R. J. Jardine, S. Kontoe, D. Parker, and F. C. Schroeder. 2018. “Ageing and cyclic behaviour of axially loaded piles driven in chalk.” Géotechnique 68 (2): 146–161. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.17.P.012.
Buildings Department Technical Committee of Hong Kong. 2017. Code of practice for foundations 2017 of Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Buildings Department Technical Committee of Hong Kong.
Carter, J. P., and F. H. Kulhawy. 1988. Analysis and design of drilled shaft foundations socketed into rock. Rep. No. EPRI-EL-5918. Palo Alto, CA: Electric Power Research Institute.
CEB (Comité Euro-International du Béton). 1990. “CEB-FIP model code 1990: Design code.” Bulletin (213/214). Lausanne, Switzerland: CEB.
Chan, S.-F., and T. H. Hanna. 1980. “Repeated loading on single piles in sand.” J. Geotech. Eng. Div. 106 (2): 171–188. https://doi.org/10.1061/AJGEB6.0000920.
Chen, W. B., W. Q. Feng, J. H. Yin, and L. Borana. 2020a. “LVDTs-based radial strain measurement system for static and cyclic behavior of geomaterials.” Measurement 155 (Jan): 107526. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2020.107526.
Chen, W. B., W. Q. Feng, J. H. Yin, and J. Q. Qin. 2021a. “New fiber Bragg grating (FBG)-based device for measuring small and large radial strains in triaxial apparatus.” Can. Geotech. J. 58 (7): 1059–1063. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2020-0145.
Chen, W. B., K. Liu, Z. Y. Yin, and J. H. Yin. 2020b. “Crushing and flooding effects on one-dimensional time-dependent behaviors of a granular soil.” Int. J. Geomech. 20 (2): 04019156. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0001560.
Chen, Z., W.-B. Chen, J.-H. Yin, and N. Malik. 2021b. “Shaft friction characteristics of two FRP seawater sea–sand concrete piles in a rock socket with or without debris.” Int. J. Geomech. 21 (7): 06021015. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0002059.
Copsey, J., T. Hulme, B. Kraft, and P. Sripathy. 1989. “Singapore mass rapid transit system: Design.” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. 86 (4): 667–707. https://doi.org/10.1680/iicep.1989.2627.
El Sharnouby, M. M., and M. H. El Naggar. 2012. “Axial monotonic and cyclic performance of fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP)–steel fibre–reinforced helical pulldown micropiles (FRP-RHPM).” Can. Geotech. J. 49 (12): 1378–1392. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2012-0009.
Fam, A., B. Flisak, and S. Rizkalla. 2003. “Experimental and analytical modeling of concrete-filled FRP tubes subjected to combined bending and axial loads.” ACI Struct. J. 100 (4): 499–509. https://doi.org/10.14359/12659.
Geotechnical Engineering Office. 1988. Guide to rock and soil descriptions: Geoguide 3. Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong: Univ. of Waterloo.
Haberfield, C., and B. Collingwood. 2006. “Rock-socketed pile design and construction: A better way?” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. Geotech. Eng. 159 (3): 207–217. https://doi.org/10.1680/geng.2006.159.3.207.
He, H., W. Chen, Z. Yin, K. Kostas, and J. Yin. 2021. “A micromechanical-based study on the tribological and creep-relaxation behavior of sand-FRP composite interfaces.” Compos. Struct. 275 (Aug): 114423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2021.114423.
Hong, C., X. Wang, K. Han, D. Su, and Z. Chen. 2022. “Performance investigation of 3D printed clay soil using fiber Bragg grating technology.” Acta Geotech. 17 (2): 453–462. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-021-01250-5.
Horvath, R., T. Kenney, and P. Kozicki. 1983. “Methods of improving the performance of drilled piers in weak rock.” Can. Geotech. J. 20 (4): 758–772. https://doi.org/10.1139/t83-081.
Jardine, R., B. Zhu, P. Foray, and Z. Yang. 2013. “Interpretation of stress measurements made around closed-ended displacement piles in sand.” Géotechnique 63 (8): 613–627. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.9.P.138.
Jardine, R. J., and J. R. Standing. 2012. “Field axial cyclic loading experiments on piles driven in sand.” Soils Found. 52 (4): 723–736. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2012.07.012.
Jardine, R. J., J. R. Standing, and F. C. Chow. 2006. “Some observations of the effects of time on the capacity of piles driven in sand.” Géotechnique 56 (4): 227–244. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2006.56.4.227.
Juran, I., and U. Komornik. 2006. Behavior of fiber-reinforced polymer composite piles under vertical loads. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration.
Klapper, J., S. Manceau, A. Hall, R. J. Jardine, and P. Barbosa-Moreira. 2020. “The field behaviour of drilled and grouted piles in rock for offshore foundations.” In Proc., Int. Symp. On Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics (ISFOG) 2022. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Krauss, P. D., and C. K. Nmai. 1996. “Preliminary corrosion investigation of prestressed concrete piles in a marine environment: Deerfield beach fishing pier.” ASTM Spec. Tech. Publ. 1276 (Aug): 161–172. https://doi.org/10.1520/STP16974S.
Kulhawy, F. H., and K.-K. Phoon. 1993. “Drilled shaft side resistance in clay soil to rock.” In Design and performance of deep foundations: Piles and piers in soil and soft rock. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Lam, L., and J. G. Teng. 2003. “Design-oriented stress–strain model for FRP-confined concrete.” Constr. Build. Mater. 17 (6–7): 471–489. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0950-0618(03)00045-X.
Le Kouby, A., J. Canou, and J. Dupla. 2004. “Behaviour of model piles subjected to cyclic axial loading.” In Cyclic behaviour of soils and liquefaction phenomena, 159–166. Leiden, Netherlands: A. A. Belkema.
Li, Y., X. Zhao, and R. S. Raman. 2018. “Mechanical properties of seawater and sea sand concrete-filled FRP tubes in artificial seawater.” Constr. Build. Mater. 191 (Apr): 977–993. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.10.059.
Lin, S.-Q., D-Y. Tan, J.-H. Yin, and H. Li. 2021. “A novel approach to surface strain measurement for cylindrical rock specimens under uniaxial compression using distributed fibre optic sensor technology.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 54 (12): 6605–6619. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-021-02648-z.
Manceau, S., J. Klapper, R. Jardine, A. Hall, and P. Barbosa Moreira. 2021. “The Field Behaviour of Drilled and grouted piles in rock.” In Proc., Piling 2020: Piling 2020 Conf., 163–168. London: ICE Publishing.
McVay, M., F. Townsend, and R. Williams. 1992. “Design of socketed drilled shafts in limestone.” J. Geotech. Eng. 118 (10): 1626–1637. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1992)118:10(1626).
Mirmiran, A., M. Shahawy, and M. Samaan. 1999. “Strength and ductility of hybrid FRP-concrete beam-columns.” J. Struct. Eng. 125 (10): 1085–1093. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9445(1999)125:10(1085).
Ng, C. W., T. L. Yau, J. H. Li, and W. H. Tang. 2001. “Side resistance of large diameter bored piles socketed into decomposed rocks.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 127 (8): 642–657. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2001)127:8(642).
Nolan, S., M. Rossini, C. Knight, and A. Nanni. 2021. “New directions for reinforced concrete coastal structures.” J. Infrastruct. Preserv. Resilience 2 (1): 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43065-021-00015-4.
O’Neill, M. W., and K. M. Hassan. 1993. “Perimeter load transfer in drilled shafts in the Eagle Ford formation.” In Design and performance of deep foundations: Piles and piers in soil and soft rock. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Palmieri, L., and L. Schenato. 2013. “Distributed optical fiber sensing based on Rayleigh scattering.” Open Opt. J. 7 (1): 104–127. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874328501307010104.
Pando, M. A., C. D. Ealy, G. M. Filz, J. Lesko, and E. Hoppe. 2006. A laboratory and field study of composite piles for bridge substructures. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration.
Park, J.-H., B.-W. Jo, S.-J. Yoon, and S.-K. Park. 2011. “Experimental investigation on the structural behavior of concrete filled FRP tubes with/without steel re-bar.” KSCE J. Civ. Eng. 15 (2): 337–345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-011-1040-0.
Pells, P., and R. Turner. 1979. “Elastic solutions for the design and analysis of rock-socketed piles.” Can. Geotech. J. 16 (3): 481–487. https://doi.org/10.1139/t79-054.
Pitarresi, G., T. Scalici, M. Dellaira, and G. Catalanotti. 2019. “A methodology for the rapid characterization of Mode II delamination fatigue threshold in FRP composites.” Eng. Fract. Mech. 220 (Aug): 106629. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfracmech.2019.106629.
Puech, A. 2013. “Design for cyclic loading: Piles and other foundations.” In Proc., TC 209 Workshop 18th ICSMGE. Paris: Presses des Ponts.
Rimoy, S. P., R. J. Jardine, and J. R. Standing. 2013. “Displacement response to axial cycling of piles driven in sand.” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. Geotech. Eng. 166 (2): 131–146. https://doi.org/10.1680/geng.12.00052.
Rowe, R., and H. Armitage. 1987. “A design method for drilled piers in soft rock.” Can. Geotech. J. 24 (1): 126–142. https://doi.org/10.1139/t87-011.
Sakr, M., M. H. E. Naggar, and M. Nehdi. 2004. “Novel toe driving for thin-walled piles and performance of fiberglass-reinforced polymer (FRP) pile segments.” Can. Geotech. J. 41 (2): 313–325. https://doi.org/10.1139/t03-089.
Sargin, M., and V. Handa. 1969. A general formulation for the stress-strain properties of concrete. SM report solid mechanics division. Waterloo, ON: Univ. of Waterloo.
Schoeppner, G. A., and S. Abrate. 2000. “Delamination threshold loads for low velocity impact on composite laminates.” Composites, Part A 31 (9): 903–915. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-835X(00)00061-0.
Seidel, J., and B. Collingwood. 2001. “A new socket roughness factor for prediction of rock socket shaft resistance.” Can. Geotech. J. 38 (1): 138–153. https://doi.org/10.1139/t00-083.
Song, H., and H. Pei. 2022. “A nonlinear softening load-transfer approach for the thermomechanical analysis of energy piles.” Int. J. Geomech. 22 (5): 04022044. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0002358.
Sze, J. W. C. 2015. “Deep foundations for high-rise buildings in Hong Kong.” Int. J. High-Rise Build. 4 (4): 261–270. https://doi.org/10.21022/IJHRB.2015.4.4.261.
Tsuha, C. D. H. C., P. Y. Foray, R. J. Jardine, Z. X. Yang, M. Silva, and S. Rimoy. 2012. “Behaviour of displacement piles in sand under cyclic axial loading.” Soils Found. 52 (3): 393–410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2012.05.002.
Williams, A., and P. Pells. 1981. “Side resistance rock sockets in sandstone, mudstone, and shale.” Can. Geotech. J. 18 (4): 502–513. https://doi.org/10.1139/t81-061.
Wu, J., H. Liu, P. Yang, B. Tang, and G. Wei. 2020. “Quantitative strain measurement and crack opening estimate in concrete structures based on OFDR technology.” Opt. Fiber Technol. 60 (Apr): 102354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yofte.2020.102354.
Wu, P. C., W. B. Chen, J. H. Yin, Y. Pan, K. Lou, and W. Q. Feng. 2022. “A novel sensor for undrained shear strength measurement in very soft to soft marine sediments based on optical frequency domain reflectometry technology.” Sensors 22 (15): 5530. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22155530.
Xiao, J., C. Qiang, A. Nanni, and K. Zhang. 2017. “Use of sea-sand and seawater in concrete construction: Current status and future opportunities.” Constr. Build. Mater. 155 (May): 1101–1111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.08.130.
Zhan, C., and J.-H. Yin. 2000. “Field static load tests on drilled shaft founded on or socketed into rock.” Can. Geotech. J. 37 (6): 1283–1294. https://doi.org/10.1139/t00-048.
Zhang, B. J., B. Huang, C. Mei, X. D. Fu, G. Luo, and Z. J. Yang. 2016. “Dynamic behaviours of a single soft rock-socketed shaft subjected to axial cyclic loading.” Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng. 2016 (Sep): 7457086. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7457086.
Zyka, K., and A. Mohajerani. 2016. “Composite piles: A review.” Constr. Build. Mater. 107 (Mar): 394–410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2016.01.013.
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 5, 2022
Accepted: Nov 13, 2023
Published online: Jan 30, 2024
Published in print: Apr 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jun 30, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Axial loads
- Concrete piles
- Continuum mechanics
- Cyclic loads
- Dynamic loads
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Engineering mechanics
- Fiber reinforced polymer
- Foundations
- Geotechnical engineering
- Materials engineering
- Pile foundations
- Piles
- Polymer
- Solid mechanics
- Static loads
- Statics (mechanics)
- Structural dynamics
- Synthetic materials
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.