Semiempirical Model of Vibration-Induced Ground Deformations due to Impact Pile Driving
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 149, Issue 11
Abstract
A semiempirical method to determine ground deformations and vibrations induced by impact pile driving in sandy soil conditions is presented in this study. Field data during installation of precast prestressed concrete piles with impact hammers were obtained in terms of ground deformations and peak particle velocities. Semiempirical equations are proposed using a combination of field measurements and numerical analyses to consider the following triggering factors for the ground response due to impact pile driving operations: (1) rated energy of the hammer, (2) scaled distance from the pile, (3) pre-drilling depth, and (4) relative void ratio, which is closely related to the relative density. The numerical component of this framework was developed adopting a continuous pile driving modeling approach coupled with the Updated Lagrangian approach to deal with large deformations and an advanced constitutive soil model (i.e., hypoplasticity for sands enhanced with the intergranular strain concept) capable of reproducing changes in soil void ratios during pile installation. The model parameters were adopted by computationally matching published nonlinear shear modulus degradation curves of the granular layers. A highly disturbed zone close to the pile was computed arising from pile driving-induced soil liquefaction causing large variations in computed void ratios. It was concluded that even if vibration levels are below typical vibration limits defined by regulatory agencies, large levels of ground deformations can still occur. The proposed method is validated in terms of ground vibrations and deformations induced by impact pile driving using field measurements, published vibration attenuation curves, and vibration-induced ground surface settlement prediction methods.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request.
Acknowledgments
Financial support was provided by the Florida Department of Transportation, Project No. BDV24 TWO 977-33. The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Florida Department of Transportation or the US Department of Transportation.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 149 • Issue 11 • November 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 25, 2023
Accepted: Jul 19, 2023
Published online: Sep 13, 2023
Published in print: Nov 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Feb 13, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Concrete
- Concrete piles
- Continuum mechanics
- Deformation (mechanics)
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Engineering mechanics
- Foundations
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Geotechnical investigation
- Ground motion
- Materials engineering
- Motion (dynamics)
- Pile driving
- Pile foundations
- Piles
- Precast concrete
- Rock mechanics
- Soil deformation
- Soil mechanics
- Soil properties
- Soil stress
- Solid mechanics
- Structural mechanics
- Vibration
- Void ratio
- Voids
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- Jorge E. Orozco-Herrera, Berk Turkel, Luis G. Arboleda-Monsalve, Larry Jones, Case Study on Ground Deformations and Vibrations Induced by Impact Pile Driving in Central Florida, Geo-Congress 2024, 10.1061/9780784485323.008, (69-78), (2024).