Abstract
Pile punching (or driving) affects the surrounding area where piles and adjacent piles can be displaced out of their original positions, due to horizontal loads, thereby leading to hazardous outcomes. This paper presents a three-dimensional (3D) coupled Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics and Finite Element Method (SPH-FEM) model, which was established to investigate pile punching and its impact on adjacent piles subjected to lateral loads. This approach handles the large distortions by avoiding mesh tangling and remeshing, contributing greatly high computational efficiency. The SPH-FEM model was validated against field measurements. The results of this study indicated that the soil type in which piles were embedded affected the interaction between piles during the pile punching. A comprehensive parametric study was carried out to evaluate the impact of soil properties on the displacement of piles due to the punching of an adjacent pile. It was found that the interaction between piles was comparatively weak when the piles were driven in stiff clays; while the pile-soil interactions were much more significant in sandy soils and soft clays.
Highlights
Piles are commonly used as foundations for many major structures in civil engineering to transfer the heavy loads, for which shallow foundations may not be economical and feasible
The objective of this study is to develop an efficient 3D coupled numerical model to probe the impact of pile punching on adjacent piles
The impact caused by pile punching on an adjacent pile was investigated using a 3D well-established Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics and Finite Element Method (SPH-Finite Element Method (FEM)) model; the model was calibrated against field measurements
Summary
Piles are commonly used as foundations for many major structures in civil engineering to transfer the heavy loads, for which shallow foundations may not be economical and feasible. The impact mechanism underlying the dynamic interaction between adjacent piles in the process of pile punching is still not clear, some investigations are available [20,21]. Another limitation of FEM in the application of large deformation problems is that the use of conventional Lagrangian meshes will result in mesh tangling, leading to severe numerical instabilities. LS-DYNA R10.0 was found to be the most preferred choice for this kind of analysis due to the capability of solving the problems involving large deformation, easy application of SPH method and the vast variety of material models availabale for concrete and soil. The established SPH-FEM model was used to investigate the mechanism underlying pile interactions arising from the impact of pile punching
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
