Pile Top Research Articles

Shaking Table Test of Dynamic Response of Near-fault Rock-embedded Pile Foundation Under Strong Seismic Action

Dynamic response characteristics of near-fault bridge pile foundations under seismic wave action are studied by using a large shaking table model test. The results show that the peak acceleration at the top of the pile is more significant than that at the bottom. The pile top acceleration response is most significant for the EI-Centro wave and least significant for the 5002 wave. The maximum values of the permanent horizontal displacement of the pile top and the permanent relative horizontal displacement between the pile tops of the upper and lower plate piles appear under the action of the Kobe wave. The maximum pile bending moment appears to be at the interface of the upper overburden layer and the interface of the lower bedrock and overburden layer. The amplification coefficient of the pile top acceleration, the peak horizontal displacement of the pile top and the peak bending moment of the pile body of the upper plate pile foundation are more significant than those of the lower plate.

Thermal-mechanical behavior of deeply buried pipe energy pile group in sand obtained from model test

One practical and effective method for shallow geothermal development is energy piling. This research presents the deeply buried pipe energy pile (DBP-EP), which has a wide range of potential applications and can collect deeper geothermal heat from the pile toe. This work conducts a model test investigation of the thermal–mechanical behavior of the DBP-EP group in sandy soil because the construction of the former differs from that of the common inside buried pipe energy piles (IBP-EP). The findings indicate that the heat exchanger tube at the pile toe of DBP-EP will be extended outward for heat exchange with the soil, in contrast to IBP-EP, and that the temperature change at the pile toe is greater than that of the whole. The pile cross-section strain decreases gradually from inside to outside along the radial direction. The axial earth pressure change rule around the pile is larger at both ends and small in the middle. For every 1℃ that the inlet temperature raises, the pile top’s final displacement increases by roughly 0.11‰D. At various inlet temperatures, the DBP-EP group heat transfer rate per meter drops by 8% − 23% when compared to the single pile’s. The average axial earth pressure difference surrounding the pile gradually rises when the pile top is not loaded, while the pile side friction difference of the pile group reduces in comparison to that of the single pile. The variations in pile side friction, axial earth pressure surrounding the pile, and pile top displacement of the pile group are reduced when the pile top is loaded because of the dense effect between the pile and the soil. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of the design and practical implementation of DBP-EP structures.

Bearing behaviors of rock-socketed piles in layered dynamically compacted soil-rock mixtures: A case study

After layered dynamic compaction (DC) treatment in a mountainous area with deep backfill in Chongqing, China, a series of pile tests and analyses were conducted to evaluate the vertical bearing capacity of rock-socketed piles and to investigate their mechanical characteristic and load-bearing behavior. Static pile load tests (SPLT) were carried out on three types of rock-socketed piles with different diameters (800 mm, 1000 mm, and 1200 mm). Based on the test data of pile reinforcement stress, the pile axial force, frictional resistance, and load-sharing ratio were calculated and analyzed. The results indicate that load-settlement curves of static load tests for all piles change progressively, and the S-lgt curves are relatively straight lines without obvious downward bending. The pile axial force exhibits the characteristics of “large at the top and small at the bottom”, resulting in stress concentration at the pile top, especially prominent in longer piles (lengths of 33.2–37.1 m). Additionally, the overall frictional resistance increases with the increase of pile top load. In shorter piles (lengths of 16.5–22.6 m), the frictional resistance presents a C-type curve with depth, while in longer piles, it presents an S-type curve distribution. Comparatively, the test pile bears the upper load mainly by the side friction resistance, which is more prominent in the longer pile. With the increase of pile top load, the load-sharing ratio of side friction decreases and the load-sharing ratio of pile tip resistance increases.

Model Test on Thermomechanical Behavior of Deeply Buried Pipe Energy Pile Under Different Temperature Loads and Mechanical Loads

Deeply buried pipe energy pile (DBP-EP) offers the capability to harness geothermal energy from significantly deeper subterranean layers than those available inside buried pipe energy pile (IBP-EP). Despite its potential, there is a notable scarcity of research on the thermomechanical behavior of DBP-EP. This study meticulously observed the thermal variations in the soil surrounding the DBP-EP, the mechanical response of the pile itself, the earth pressure at the pile toe, and the displacement occurring at the pile’s top during the heating phase across various operational conditions. The findings show that for every 1 °C increase in inlet temperature, the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet increases by about 0.27 °C. The method of load application at the pile top during heating markedly influences the frictional resistance along the pile’s sides. Furthermore, When the pile top load rises from 0.26 kN to 0.78 kN, the observed vertical load at the pile foot decreases by 2.2–8.51%. This indicates that the increase in the pile top load reduces the downdrag effect on the sandy soil near the pile toe. This reduction subsequently diminishes the impact of vertical loads on the pile toe. Notably, after continuous operation for 8 h, the rate of increase in pile top displacement for DBP-EP shows a decline. Additionally, for every 1 °C rise in the inlet water temperature, the final displacement at the pile top diminishes by approximately 0.03‰D. This research endeavors to furnish a robust theoretical foundation for the structural design and practical engineering applications for DBP-EP.

Experimental Investigations of Seismic Performance of Girder–Integral Abutment–Reinforced-Concrete Pile–Soil Systems

Integral abutment bridges (IABs) have been widely applied in bridge engineering because of their excellent seismic performance, long service life, and low maintenance cost. The superstructure and substructure of an IAB are integrally connected to reduce the possibility of collapse or girders falling during an earthquake. The soil behind the abutment can provide a damping effect to reduce the deformation of the structure under a seismic load. Girders have not been considered in some of the existing published experimental tests on integral abutment–reinforced-concrete (RC) pile (IAP)–soil systems, which may not accurately represent real conditions. A pseudo-static low-cycle test on a girder–integral abutment–RC pile (GIAP)–soil system was conducted for an IAB in China. The experiment’s results for the GIAP specimen were compared with those of the IAP specimen, including the failure mode, hysteretic curve, energy dissipation capacity, skeleton curve, stiffness degradation, and displacement ductility. The test results indicate that the failure modes of both specimens were different. For the IAP specimen, the pile cracked at a displacement of +2 mm, while the abutment did not crack during the test. For the GIAP specimen, the pile cracked at a displacement of −8 mm, and the abutment cracked at a displacement of 50 mm. The failure mode of the specimen changed from severe damage to the pile top under a small displacement to damage to both the abutment and pile top under a large displacement. Compared with the IAP specimen, the initial stiffness under positive horizontal displacement (39.2%), residual force accumulation (22.6%), residual deformation (12.6%), range of the elastoplastic stage in the skeleton curve, and stiffness degradation of the GIAP specimen were smaller; however, the initial stiffness under negative horizontal displacement (112.6%), displacement ductility coefficient (67.2%), average equivalent viscous damping ratio (30.8%), yield load (20.4%), ultimate load (7.8%), and range of the elastic stage in the skeleton curve of the GIAP specimen were larger. In summary, the seismic performance of the GIAP–soil system was better than that of the IAP–soil system. Therefore, to accurately reflect the seismic performance of GIAP–soil systems in IABs, it is suggested to consider the influence of the girder.

Theoretical investigation of the resistance effect of embedded isolation piles on tunneling-induced lateral ground movements

This paper presents an isolation pile–soil lateral interaction model that considers not only the relative linear sliding at the pile-soil interface but also the pile group–soil interaction. The model allows for the calculation of the pile–soil interaction force using the elastic continuum method combined with the displacement compatibility relationship at the pile–soil interface, thus enabling the total lateral ground displacement to be obtained. The proposed method is validated by comparisons with the elastic foundation method (EFM) and the boundary element method (BEM). The advantages of the proposed method in calculating the lateral ground deformation resisted by isolation piles are demonstrated. The mechanical mechanism of the isolation pile’s lateral resistance effect on ground deformation can be summarized as follows: the combination of positive and negative resistance effects drives the lateral ground displacements along the depth direction from the original inhomogeneity caused by the tunnel excavation to a relatively homogeneous state. The soil parameters including Poisson’s ratio, internal friction angle and ground volume loss; the isolation pile parameters including the distance of the tunnel axis from the pile axis, the pile length, the buried depth of the pile top and the relative pile bending stiffness; and isolation pile–soil interface parameters including relative pile shaft–soil stiffness and relative pile tip–soil stiffness all exert a significant influence on the lateral resistance effect of the isolation pile. In light of that the resistance effects at different depths below the surface are not uniform, it is of the utmost importance to assess the resistance performance of the isolation pile in accordance with the location and lateral deformation requirements of the protected structure in actual engineering.

Establishment of Pile-soil Interaction Model and Optimization Analysis of Distance Diameter Ratio

Abstract The anti-skid pile is s an effective method for slope treatment. Analyzing its stress law and designing reasonable schemes are urgent problems that must be solved to guide slope prevention and control, and in this paper, combined with the original anti-skid pile reinforcement scheme, 5 pile-soil interaction models with different distance diameter ratios D/d are established. The anti-skid pile and slope are discretized, and the slope displacement and safety factor, pile stress and deformation, and soil arching effect between piles are numerically analyzed so as to optimize the design parameters of spacing diameter ratio of anti-skid piles. The results show that (1) the distance diameter ratio of anti-skid piles negatively correlates with the safety factor. When D/d>2.8, the slope safety factor is 2.011>2.0. (2) The peak shear force and soil arching effect of anti-skid piles are positively and negatively correlated with the distance diameter ratio, respectively. The reaction force of the anti-skid pile suddenly changes at the soil-rock interface about 10 m away from the pile top, and local reinforcement should be carried out when the anti-skid pile is designed and optimized. (3) Based on the analog data of displacement and safety factor changes, pile body stress, and soil arch stress between piles, and considering economic factors, the optimal distance diameter ratio D/d is determined to be 2.8-3.0. Compared with other methods, the optimization method proposed in this paper has reasonable theory and sufficient data. The research results will provide theoretical reference and engineering technical guidance for similar slope reinforcement with anti-skid piles, and have specific application and promotion value.

Multi-Source Monitoring and Numerical Simulation Deformation on Highway Steep Slopes Under Rainfall Effects

Rainfall is one of the most important factors affecting slope stability. This study employed multi-source monitoring devices to observe the slope displacements in real time under rainfall infiltration and performed numerical simulations to investigate the effects of different rainfall conditions and anti-slip pile configurations on slope stability. Specifically, multi-source monitoring operations were conducted on the high and steep slopes along the Yunmao Expressway. Real-time data on slope deformation, rainfall, and displacement at the tops of anti-slip piles were collected and analyzed, and numerical simulations were conducted using Geo Studio finite-element software. The findings indicated that abrupt deformation of slopes occurs once a threshold rainfall amount is surpassed and sustained over a specific duration. Slope displacement decreased with increasing slope depth above the potential slip fracture surface, with a more rapid reduction in deformation rates observed in slopes reinforced with anti-slip piles. For equivalent rainfall amounts, short-duration, intense rainfalls led to a rapid decrease in the slope safety factor, which also recovered rapidly once the rainfall ceased, in contrast to long-duration, mild rainfalls. The presence and location of anti-slip piles significantly influenced slope stability; therefore, project implementation should carefully consider factors such as cost and duration for optimal decision making.

Experimental Study on Horizontal Resistance Parameter of Gravelly Soil Considering Slope Gradient Factor

Horizontal resistance can be significantly different for gravelly soil slope sites with different gradients. The impact of slope gradient on the horizontal resistance of soil based on a three-dimensional physical simulation test has been investigated, and the displacement of the pile top and soil pressure for four piles under various gradients (slope gradient 0–45°) was analyzed. The research reveals that ① The soil resistance exhibits a linear increase stage, non-linear steep increase stage, and gradually stabilizing stage with the increase in load. ② The ultimate soil resistance is significantly affected by depth and displacement, and hyperbolic variation characteristics related to the displacement stage. It has a slope weakening effect, and the steeper the slope gradient, the lower the ultimate soil resistance of the pile sides, which effect is negligible when the depth exceeds 0.6–0.7 times that of the pile buried depth. ③ Based on the characteristics of horizontal ultimate resistance-displacement-depth variation in soil, a gradient factor, which is only related to the slope gradient, was used to describe the impact of gradient on the soil resistance modulus (kini) and ultimate resistance (pu). kini is reduced close to the ground surface and gradually increases with depth until it becomes equal to the value of level ground. The ratio between pu in slope ground and level ground was determined for slope angles. The above horizontal resistance parameters were expressed as a function based on the test data to calculate the lateral ultimate bearing capacity of gravelly soil considering the slope gradient factor. The research results developed the theory of foundation design for building structures, promoting the reliability evaluation of pile soil systems towards a more scientific and rigorous direction.

Full-scale in-situ tests on a displacement cast in situ energy pile: Effects of cyclic thermal loads under different mechanical load levels on pile stress and strain

Numerous full-scale in situ tests have been conducted to assess the effect of thermal cycles on the pile response. However, those studies investigated the response of only precast and cast in-situ energy piles, with limited focus on the impact of the applied mechanical load on the pile response. This study presents the results of a field test conducted on a new type of energy pile, i.e. a displacement cast in-situ energy pile in multilayered soft soils, subjected to different fixed mechanical loads while undergoing simultaneous thermal cycles. Four tests were carried out, each corresponding to various axial loads ranging from 0 % to 60 % of the pile’s estimated bearing capacity. After applying the axial load on the pile head (0 %, 30 %, 40 %, or 60 % of the bearing capacity), the pile was subjected to up to ten thermal cycles. The highest magnitudes of thermal axial strains were observed near the pile top due to the lowest restraint provided by the made ground layer in all tests. Under zero (0 %) mechanical load, the thermal axial strains near the pile head were elastic and recoverable, while residual strain was observed near the toe. Under reasonable working mechanical loads (30 %, 40 %, or 60 %) residual strains were observed near both the pile head and the toe, with higher residual strains observed under higher mechanical loads. The results indicate that the cyclic thermal loadings could induce an increase in the compressive stress in the energy pile, attributed to the drag-down effects of the surrounding soil. The compressive stress induced by drag-down effects counteracts thermally induced tensile stress and thus leads to an insignificant effect on the energy pile during cooling. A limited impact of the shaft capacity was observed and was mainly attributed to the drag-down of the surrounding soil and thermal creep along the pile-soil interface.

Stability and failure probability analysis of super-large irregularly shaped deep excavation in coastal area considering spatial variability in soil properties

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to investigate the effects of spatial variability in coastal silty soil properties on the stability and failure probability of deep excavation. A super-large irregularly shaped deep excavation in the coastal area in Wenzhou, China, is considered. A numerical model is established based on the random field theory, finite difference method and Monte-Carlo simulation method. Focusing on the friction angle and cohesion, the effects of horizontal and vertical correlation distances and variation coefficients on excavation stability are systematically studied. Meanwhile, the reliability evaluation approach is also applied to systematically examine the impact of the correlation distance on the surface settlement and horizontal displacement of pile. The results show that the greater correlation distance leads to a larger dispersion degree of the ground settlement curve and the displacement curve of the diaphragm wall around. The influence of the horizontal correlation distance on land settlement is more significant. The horizontal and vertical displacements of the pile top are less affected by the correlation distance. Compared with the deterministic analysis, the random analysis results considering the soil spatial variability produce larger displacement.

Influence of silicon carbide incorporation on the macroscale and microscale heat transfer characteristics of energy piles

This paper explores the impact of silicon carbide (SiC) incorporation on the heat transfer capabilities of energy piles by deploying a suite of methodologies that includes standard specimen tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, and indoor modeling tests. The findings indicate that SiC doping enhances the thermal conductivity, compressive strength, and flexural strength of the pile material at the macroscopic level. Whereas, the doping of SiC forms a new cluster structure in the concrete compared to that without SiC at the microscopic scale. In contrast to conventional energy piles, the SiC-enhanced energy piles exhibit superior heat transfer efficiency and accelerated temperature growth rates. In addition, SiC helps to mitigate the heat accumulation around the heat exchange tube. The temperature-induced upward displacements at the top of the SiC-enhanced energy pile increase at elevated temperatures, while the additional displacement reduces when the pile top is loaded. On the contrary, the temperature induces downward displacements as well as the top decreases during the cooling process, with heavier loads resulting in large settlements. Finally, this research assists in establishing an experimental foundation for the design and implementation of SiC-enhanced energy piles.

Stability analysis of deep foundation pit with a double-row cast-in-place piles and diagonal steel lattice braces under sloped excavation conditions

Existing deep foundation pit support structures are commonly composed of external earth-retaining structures, internal horizontal bracings, and vertical columns. A closed bracing system, often formed by a horizontal support through a bracket board, frequently impedes vertical excavation and soil removal operations in the foundation pit, and the processes of assembly and dismantling are complex and time-consuming. This study presents a combined support system and construction method consisting of cast-in-place piles and diagonal steel lattice braces. For sloped excavation, diagonal braces were constructed by slotting through the reserved soil, allowing the use of a single layer of support within the excavation depth. This approach significantly optimizes the construction process, reducing both project duration and overall cost. The field monitoring results indicated that the support method effectively controlled the lateral displacement of the pile bodies. Field monitoring results demonstrated that the proposed support system effectively controlled the lateral displacement of the pile bodies. The adoption of a support-first, excavation-second approach significantly controlled the settlement of the ground surface around the foundation pit, thereby preventing excessive increments in the axial force of the supports due to the large longitudinal depth excavation. The calculation results of the three-dimensional finite element model for foundation pit excavation and support indicate that the proposed support method results in a decreasing ratio of the maximum lateral deformation depth of the pile body, denoted as δh-m, to the excavation depth He as the excavation depth increases. This implied that the displacement of the pile body was strictly controlled. When the depth of the foundation pit excavation exceeded 10 m, the maximum lateral deformation occurred below 10 m along the pile shaft. The diagonal steel lattice braces transferred the load to the top of the cast-in-place piles at the bottom of the pit, where the stress concentration occurred. During construction, special attention must be paid to the strength of the connection between the pile top and the connecting beams.

Experimental Study on the Failure Mechanism of Finned Pile Foundation under Horizontal Cyclic Loads

In order to study the failure mechanism of a finned pile foundation under horizontal cyclic loads, a physical model test of the pile–soil interaction of finned pile is designed in this paper. Based on the model tests, the pile top displacement, the cyclic stiffness of the pile foundation, and the response of pore water pressure within the soil around the pile were fully studied for the finned pile foundation under horizontal cyclic loads. It is found that the cyclic stiffness attenuation of the finned pile foundation is more severe than that of a regular single pile foundation, but the final stiffness at equilibrium is still greater than that of a regular single pile foundation. The accumulation of horizontal displacement at the pile top and pore water pressure within the soil around the pile mainly occurs in the first 1000 loading cycles, and an increase in fin plate size will reduce the magnitude of pore water pressure and pile top displacement. This study can not only deepen the understanding of the failure mechanism of finned pile foundation under horizontal cyclic loads, but also provide guidance for the design of the finned pile foundation.

A Transparent Soil Experiment to Investigate the Influence of Arrangement and Connecting Beams on the Pile-Soil Interaction of Micropile Groups.

The use of a micropile group is an effective method for small and medium-sized slope management. However, there is limited research on the pile-soil interaction mechanism of micropile groups. Based on transparent soil and PIV technology, a test platform for the lateral load testing of slopes was constructed, and eight groups of transparent soil slope model experiments were performed. The changes in soil pressure and pile top displacement at the top of the piles during lateral loading were obtained. We scanned and photographed the slope, and obtained the deformation characteristics of the soil interior based on particle image velocimetry. A three-dimensional reconstruction program was developed to generate the displacement isosurface behind the pile. The impacts of various arrangement patterns and connecting beams on the deformation attributes and pile-soil interaction mechanism were explored, and the pile-soil interaction model of group piles was summarized. The results show that the front piles in a staggered arrangement bore more lateral thrust, and the distribution of soil pressure on each row of piles was more uniform. The connecting beams enhanced the overall stiffness of the pile group, reduced pile displacement, facilitated coordinated deformation of the pile group, and enhanced the anti-sliding effect of the pile-soil composite structure.

Local scour effects on seismic behavior of pile-group foundations in cohesionless soils: Insights from quasi-static tests

Local scour has been reported as a common phenomenon for pile-group foundations in marine, coastal, and riverine sites, while its effects on the seismic behavior of pile-group foundations are yet to be well documented. This paper reported a pair of quasi-static cyclic loading tests on 2 × 3 scoured pile-group foundation specimens, one in global scour and the other in local scour, to understand the influence of local scour on the seismic behavior, particularly in terms of soil-pile interaction features and failure mechanisms. Test results indicate a flexural failure mode for both specimens. Local scour does not change the order of limit states but postpones the occurrence of concrete cover cracking and rebar yielding due to the reduced lateral stiffness of the locally scoured piles. Moreover, local scour rarely changes the aboveground damage regions at the top of outer piles (one time the side length of squared pile section, D), but significantly aggravates and deepens the underground damage regions at outer piles (from 4 ∼ 5D for global scour to 3.7 ∼ 6D for local scour). Besides, local scour reduces the displacement ductility factor from 2.50 to 1.25 for the Easy-to-Repair limit state, resulting in adverse impacts on pile-group foundations in general.

Research on the Reinforcement Characteristics of Thick Cushion Layer and Rigid Pile Composite Foundation

The rigid pile composite foundation method is the most commonly used method for strengthening weak soil foundations. In this method, piles usually need to pass through weak soil layers, and the pile end falls on a bearing layer with good bearing capacity. Under existing technical conditions, the thicker the weak soil layer, the longer the pile body, and the more difficult it is to ensure the construction quality of the pile. In response to this issue, some scholars have adopted the rigid pile composite foundation method with a thick cushion layer for reinforcement treatment. This article uses PLAXIS 3D (V20.04.00.790) software to establish a finite element model of rigid pile composite foundation with a thick cushion layer and simulate the process of foundation reinforcement. The influence of parameters such as thickness, compression modulus, and shear strength index of the cushion layer on foundation settlement and pile–soil stress distribution is studied, and the reasonable range of these parameters is analyzed under the condition of considering reinforcement effect. Through comparative analysis, it can be concluded that for deep and weak soil areas, the thickness of the cushion layer can range from 0.5 to 2.6. The thickness and compressive modulus of the cushion layer have a significant impact on the settlement of the foundation, the pile–soil stress ratio, and the stress of the pile body, while the shear strength index of the cushion layer has a relatively small impact on these parameters. Reasonably selecting the geometric and mechanical parameters of the cushion layer can effectively reduce stress concentration at the pile top and better play the role of the soil between piles.

Soil arching evolution in GRPS embankments: Numerical spring‐based trapdoor tests

AbstractSoil arching is one of the main load transfer mechanisms of geosynthetic‐reinforced and pile‐supported (GRPS) embankments. This study established a numerical spring‐based trapdoor model that can consider the coupling effect between embankment filling, horizontal geosynthetic, piles, and soft soil between piles by the discrete element method (DEM). The effects of multiple factors on the deformation pattern, load transfer, and the settlement at the top surface of GRPS embankments were analyzed, such as soft soil stiffness, geosynthetic stiffness, fill height, and pile clear spacing. The multiple spring‐based trapdoor (MS‐TD) model effectively replicated the actual deformation of soft soil between piles in engineering practice by elucidating the nonuniform settlement of the fill on the trapdoor. Although the geosynthetic indirectly reduces the load transferred to the pile top by weakening the soil arching, it can directly increase the load transferred to the pile top by the membrane effect, thereby increasing the total load transferred to the pile top. The effect of the geosynthetic on reducing settlement decreases with the increase of soft soil stiffness, and the displacement reduction ratio at the top surface remains unchanged when it exceeds a certain value. In addition, the shape of the soil arch evolves rather than unchanged during the growth of pile clear spacing.

Experimental study on seismic characteristics of slope supported by long-short composite anti-slide piles

In this study, a shaking table test was conducted on long-short composite anti-slide piles, the development process and dynamic response of cracks in a pile-supported slope were observed, and the failure mechanism of the slope was explored. The experiment showed that the failure of the pile-supported slope under an earthquake was a gradual process; cracks first occur at the top of the slope, where the support action of the piles was weak. As the input seismic action increased, cracks developed downwards along the slope. Owing to the support effect of the long-short anti-slide composite piles, the transmission path of the cracks changed, and the cracks developed along the top of the composite piles, ultimately leading to overtop failure. When cracks appeared on the slope or near final failure, the acceleration response law of the supported slope undergone a sudden change, which was an important indicator of slope instability. The distribution of dynamic soil stress on the pile body was greatly affected by the input peak ground acceleration, and the maximum bending moment of the long-short composite anti-slide piles was located near the weak interlayer.

Investigation of the dynamic response of h-type anti-slide pile based on shaking table test

The h-type anti-slide piles (hTPs) are extensively utilized in slope stabilization projects, yet their response to seismic activities remains inadequately understood. This study investigated the dynamic response of hTPs with circular cross-sections (hTCPs) through a shaking table test, focusing on seismic events along Jiuzhaigou-Mianyang highway slopes (ZK142 + 124 to ZK142 + 274). Time-frequency analysis using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) was conducted. The peak acceleration and its direction, dynamic earth pressure and its sharing ratio, and moment were characterized, and the variations of pile displacement and the seismic damage on different parts of hTCPs were analyzed under varying loading conditions. Results reveal a distinct pressure distribution and damage characteristics between the long and short piles in hTCPs. A positive correlation between peak accelerations and loading conditions was observed in both long and short piles, with peak amplification occurring only at the top of long piles. Long piles exhibited diverse acceleration directions under different loading conditions, contrasting with the infrequent occurrence in short piles. The peak dynamic earth pressure distribution varied between the front and back side of pile bodies, with opposite overall trends between the long and short piles. The sharing ratio displayed an increasing followed by decreasing trend in long piles, but an opposite trend in short piles, with the turn point occurring at a loading condition of 0.3 g. These differences were significantly influenced by El Centro waves within a low frequency band (13.34 Hz–16.18 Hz), as a single large peak HHT energy spectrum was observed in long piles, but multiple and destructive low-frequency energy spectra in short piles. The results suggest an independent dynamic response occurred in the long and short piles of hTCPs during shaking table test, providing insights for their field engineering application in seismic active regions.