Vertical vibration of a floating pile considering the incomplete bonding effect of the pile-soil interface

Abstract

Based on the dynamic Winkler model and fictitious soil pile model to consider the relative sliding at the pile-soil interface and the propagation effect of soil beneath the pile toe, respectively, a more rigorous analytical model for the vertical vibration problems of a floating pile is established. The general solution for the displacement of soil is derived by combining the Laplace transform and variable separation methods. Then, the vertical dynamic solution of the floating pile is obtained by introducing the pile-soil interface condition and transfer function recursion method. Furthermore, extensive parametric analyses are performed to investigate the effects of the stiffness coefficient for the dynamic Winkler model, the length of the fictitious soil pile, and the inhomogeneity of the soils and pile on the vertical vibration for the floating pile. This indicates that the proposed analytical model provides a wider range and more rigorous application for the vertical vibration problems of floating piles embedded in layered and limited thickness soils. Moreover, the reduced form of the obtained solution can also be applied to investigate the corresponding vibration problems of end-bearing piles.