Behavior of Tapered Piles Subjected to Dynamic Loads

In this paper, dynamic characteristics of such piles are described. The dynamic loads may be harmonic, seismic, or impact due to a hammer drop in pile driving. The theoretical solutions reviewed involve a mathematical solution and a finite element approach for tapered piles embedded in an elastic soil and subjected to axial harmonic loads and numerical solution based on total and effective stresses for the analysis of pile driving. To the date, no experimental data are, to the best knowledge of the author, available on dynamic behavior of tapered piles. Therefore, the paper concentrates on theoretical aspects. It will be shown that the performance of tapered piles under dynamic loading can be superior to uniform piles of the same length and volume, and thus making foundations more economical. Recommendations and suggestions will be made for further research work, some of which are under consideration by the author and his graduate students

Keywords:

Piles , Harmonic vibrations , Pile driving , Elasto-dynamic theory