A Novel Finite Element Model for Modeling Pile Dynamics

Abstract

An efficient semi analytical-numerical methodology is presented for modeling pile dynamics. The medium is assumed to be a transversely isotropic infinite domain. In this paper, the mechanical state of stress and displacement fields arising from the coupling of wave propagation and the various pile effects for vertical cross sections of piles is solved analytically by utilizing the Boussinesq solution. The effective pile stiffness is obtained by finite element assembly of the displacement and force vectors due to wave propagation solution obtained at vertical pile cross sections and the resulting dynamic system is solved using the finite element method (FEM) in the frequency domain. A few numerical examples demonstrating various factors affecting the response of the pile system are presentenced. The present model predicts the pile dynamics problems accurately and efficiently for linear elastic mediums.