On the mechanisms governing the response of pile groups under combined VHM loading

We are happy to share that the paper titled “On the mechanisms governing the response of pile groups under combined VHM loading” authored by Dr. Lampros Sakellariadis and Prof. Ioannis Anastasopoulos just got published ahead-of-print in external page Géotechnique.

The paper presents:

• Centrifuge study of a 2 x 1 bored pile group under combined VHM loading (performed at 100g at the ETH Drum Centrifuge)
• Calibration of advanced nonlinear FE models based on element tests and validation against centrifuge test results at Model Scale.
• Careful transition from Model to Prototype scale, tackling scale effects, emphasizing on the axial load – dependent nonlinear response of the Reinforced Concrete piles (implementation of Concrete Damaged Plasticity model of ABAQUS)
• Parametric Numerical study at Prototype Scale deriving failure envelopes (distinguishable failure modes are identified, and the contribution of different resistance mechanisms is quantified).
• Analytical failure envelopes based on limit equilibrium, expanding Broms’ theory to pile groups under VHM loading: Verification against FE results.

The paper is part of the Doctoral Thesis: Physical and numerical modelling of pile foundations under combined loading, available via ETH Research collection and was funded by the Swiss Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) within the research project: external page Development of reliable methods for optimized retrofit design of bridge pile groups.