Dynamic Behavior of Helical Piles in Dry and Liquefiable Soils using Scaled Shake Table Tests

Abstract

The dynamic behavior of helical piles with different numbers of helices as well as a single slender shaft was examined through a series of scaled shake table tests. Multiple shakings were applied during each test series to evaluate the seismic behavior of the helical piles and the slender shaft considering different response parameters. A considerable ground settlement was observed during the first shaking in each test series, whereas negligible helical pile and slender shaft settlements were measured during all tests. The dynamic response of the helical piles was evaluated based on their bending moment variation along the depth and various measured response parameters at the model superstructure level. The bending moment variation indicated a similar trend along the depth for the helical piles and the slender shaft: the maximum moment was consistently observed at the boundary between dense and liquefiable layers. The observed bending moments along the depth increased with increases in input motion amplitude and superstructure weight. Densification of the liquefiable layer during different test series reduced the maximum bending moment along the depth for each pile due to increased relative density. Increasing the number of helices enhanced the dynamic performance of the helical piles compared to the slender shaft in terms of maximum bending moment, maximum horizontal displacement, residual horizontal displacement, and superstructure acceleration in different ground conditions.