Effect of Earthquake on a Single Pile Located in Sloping Ground

Abstract

Piles are often constructed on natural slope such as sea bed slope in off-shore structures. When piles are constructed on sloping ground, the behaviour of piles under earthquake loading is different from the piles on horizontal ground surface. The dynamic response of a pile subjected to external excitation is a complex phenomenon resulting from the interactions between the pile and the surrounding soil. In the present study, a finite element analysis of a single field pile located on sloping ground was carried out. A single pile of length 30m with embedment length to diameter ratios (L/D) 20, 25 and 30 was located on a crest of soft clay of slopes 1V:1H and 1V:5H, and subjected to dynamic earthquake loading (California Earthquake,1990). From the study, the behaviour of acceleration with time, lateral displacement and bending moment behavior along the pile shaft was studied.