Response of single piles and pipelines in liquefaction-induced lateral
spreads using controlled blasting
Scott A. Ashford and Teerawut Juirnarongrit
Department of Structural Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La
Jolla, CA 92093-0085
Abstract: Two full-scale experiments using controlled blasting were
conducted in the Port of Tokachi on Hokkaido Island, Japan, to assess the
behavior of piles and pipelines subjected to lateral spreading. Test specimens
were extensively instrumented with strain gauges to measure the distribution of
moment during lateral spreading. This allowed us to compute the loading
condition, as well as to conduct damage and performance assessments on the piles
and pipelines. This paper presents the test results and discussions on the
response of single piles and pipelines observed from the full-scale experiments.
Based on the test results, it can be concluded that using controlled blasting
successfully liquefied the soil, and subsequently induced lateral spreading. The
movements of the single pile, as well as the transverse pipelines, were
approximately the same as the free field soil movement. Observed moment
distribution of the single pile indicated that global translation of the
liquefied soil layer provided insignificant force to the pile. In addition, the
degree of fixity at the pile tip significantly affected the moment along the
pile as well as the pile head displacement. The pile with a higher degree of
fixity at the pile tip had smaller pile head displacement but larger maximum
moment.
Keywords: piles; pipelines; pile tests; lateral spreading;
liquefaction; soil-pile interaction
