Course:

Soil Dynamics Module 2: Theory of vibrations

LECTURE4

Course: Soil Dynamics Module 2: Theory of vibrations

CASE STUDY

Piling in fine and medium sand---a case study of ground and pile
vibration

By: T.S. Thandavamoorthy

The paper presents the results of the measurement of ground and pile vibrations from
a field investigation of prototype piling in which a steel casing of 600 mm diameter
was driven in fine and medium sand for a depth of 16.4 m by impacting a hammer of
mass 4100 kg dropped from a height of 2.4 m by a motorised which fitted in a pile rig.
In the case of ground vibration, both horizontal and vertical accelerations at 3 m, and
vertical velocity at 15 m on the ground surface from the driven pile were measured.
So also, vibration of the top of the already installed pile at 6.25 m from the driven pile
was measured.
Vibrations were measured using piezoelectric accelerometers and recorded using a
16-channel RT 145D DAT recorder. The recorded data were processed and acquired
using DASYLAB data acquisition system.
Time history plots of velocity and acceleration of ground were obtained. The
maximum pack ground vertical velocity measured at a distance of 25 time of diameter
of pile from the driven pile was 126.2 mm/s. The maximum vertical acceleration of
the already installed pile situated at a distance of 10.42 times diameter of pile was
123.42 m/s2indicating the resonance of pile due to shock wave propagating in the soil
medium.
The time history of the ground vibration indicated its impulsive dynamic nature of
short duration in contrast to the random periodic nature of ground waves generated by
earthquake. Spectral analysis of the time histories of ground accelerations shows a
dominant vertical frequency of 35.21 Hz and horizontal 25 Hz.
The vertical frequency of pile was observed to be 25 Hz. Based on thee spectral
frequency and going by the permissible vibration limits prescribed in various
standards and codes, it has been found that the ground and pile vibrations were quite
severe.

Course: Soil Dynamics Module 2: Theory of vibrations

Such severe ground vibration has got the potential of inflicting to structure in the
vicinity. The problem can be quite serious in the midst of cluster of building in the
urban habitat in the vicinity of pile driving.
Conclusions
o Field measurement of ground and pile vibrations were taken during the driving
of a steel pipe closed-ended pile of diameter 600 mm with wall thickness of 25
mm and length 20 m.
o The soil at the site was essentially fine and medium sand of various categories
for a depth of about 20 m below the ground surface, at which weathered rock
of sand stone category was met with. The piling is a driven casing cast-in-situ
type installed for a depth of 16.4 m.
o Ground vertical and horizontal accelerations were measured at a distance of 3
m, i.e., 5 times diameter of pile, from the source with the help of piezoelectric
accelerometers. The ground vertical velocity was at a distance of 15 m, i.e., 25
times diameter of pile from the source. The vertical acceleration of the pile
head of an already installed concrete pile situated at 6.25 m, i.e., 10.42 times
diameter of pile, was also measured with a piezoelectric accelerometer.
o Study of the vibration of the ground vertical acceleration measured, at a
horizontal distance of 3 m with depth of penetration shows that the maximum
pack acceleration of 15.57 m/s2 occurs when the pile tip is at a depth of 8.7 m
below the ground surface. As the dynamic soil resistance varies with the blow
count, the acceleration of the ground also fluctuates along the depth of
penetration of pile.
o The variation of ground vertical velocity shows a maximum peak velocity of
126.2 mm/s when the pile tip is at a depth of 8.563 m. Throughout the depth of
penetration, the velocity is always greater than the permissible value of 50
mm/s. The maximum peak velocity recorded was more than 2.5 times the
permissible value. A comparison of the ground velocity recorded in this
investigation with those published in the literature disclosed in this
investigation with those published in the literature disclosed the severity of
ground vibration in the vicinity of piling, considering the fact that the velocity
was measured at 15 m from the driven pile.

Course: Soil Dynamics Module 2: Theory of vibrations

o The pile head vibration of the existing pile also varies with the depth of
penetration of the driven pile and the acceleration was maximum at a tip depth
of 9.94 m. The maximum value recorded was 123.42 m/s2. Such a high value
of acceleration would have caused the settlement of existing piles to a great
due to the loss of frictional resistance or settlement of the bed on which the
pile rests.
o The ground vertical acceleration spectrum is a board spectrum with the range
of frequencies from 0 to 200 Hz. The dominant frequency was 35.21 Hz. The
horizontal acceleration spectrum was also wide band spectrum with a
frequency range from 0-150 Hz. The range of frequencies and the dominant
frequency was 25 Hz. The range of frequencies and the dominant frequencies
are comparable to those reported by other investigators. The dominant
frequency of the ground vertical velocity was 20 Hz. The high frequency
vibration of the driven pile was attenuated by the soil mass and it has been
reduced to below 200 Hz with the dominant frequencies falling in the range of
frequencies of normal residential buildings. Therefore the ground vibration
induced by pile the driving is a high amplitude vibration with high frequencies
coinciding with that of structures built on it. This will lead to a condition of
resonance and thus the ground vibration has a potential for inflicting severe
damage to structures.
o The pile response spectrum has a frequency range of 0 to 500 Hz. With
dominant frequency at 25 Hz which is the vertical mode and a preceding
frequency at 15.6 Hz in horizontal mode. These two frequencies are
comparable to these reported in literature determined by forced vibration tests
on a single pile of comparable dimensions.
o The time history of acceleration indicates that the ground vibration is of
impulsive dynamic of short duration in nature and of high frequency content
and that the vertical vibration was greater than be horizontal. This is quite
different from the earthquake generated waves in the ground. Therefore
procedures relating to earthquake phenomena are not applicable to ground
vibration induced by pile driving.