3D Kinematic Interaction Analysis of Piled Foundations in Clays of Different Stiffness

Abstract

Nowadays, pile foundations are preferred for purposes such as eliminating bearing capacity problems or transferring loads to rock along with construction. Major dangers may arise due to the failure to control pile foundation designs, which are determined according to field conditions and earthquake movements, under the right conditions. It is known that the loss of life and property, especially due to earthquakes, is high in our country and many regions. Necessary precautions should be taken in order to prevent such damages in structures or to create earthquake-resistant structures. Considering the reality of earthquakes, pile foundations should be designed by considering the structure-pile-soil interaction according to the changes that this ground movement will cause.According to the Turkish Building Earthquake Code (TBEC), which is renewed in 2018, pile foundation design criteria are also renewed according to international norms. In TBEC (2018) Method 1, within the scope of kinematic interaction calculation, the investigation of pile foundations with the three-dimensional geotechnical finite element analysis solution method is requested.Within the scope of this study, soil structure interaction of the pile foundation performance is examined according to the different earthquake levels in clayey soils with various stiffness using a three-dimensional finite element-based software. The kinematic interaction results that occurred in the piles in different determined soil and earthquake situations are evaluated. First of all, the bedrock earthquake records to be used for the model are evaluated together with one-dimensional soil response analyses and the depth-dependent displacements formed in the soil profile are obtained. These displacements are defined in the three-dimensional finite element model and in the final case, the foundation-pile-soil interaction is examined and the effects of clay soils with different stiffness on the piles are compared.