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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