Vertical dynamic impedance of tapered pile considering compacting effect

Abstract

Based on complex stiffness transfer model, the vertical vibration of tapered pile embedded in layered soil is theoretically investigated by considering the compacting effect of the soil layer surrounding the tapered pile in the piling process. Allowing for the stratification of the surrounding soil and variable crosssection of the tapered pile, the pile-soil system is discretized into finite segments. By virtue of the complex stiffness transfer model to simulate the compacting effect, the complex stiffness of different soil segments surrounding the tapered pile is obtained. Then, substituting the complex stiffness into the vertical dynamic governing equation of tapered pile, the analytical solution of vertical dynamic impedance of tapered pile under vertical exciting force is derived by means of the Laplace technique and impedance function transfer method. Based on the presented solutions, the influence of compacting effect of surrounding soil on vertical dynamic impedance at the pile head is investigated within the low frequency range concerned in the design of dynamic foundation. © 2013 Wenbing Wu et al.