SEISMIC BEHAVIOR OF PILE-SUPPORTED BUILDING WITH SEMI-RIGID PILE HEAD CONNECTIONS IN LIQUEFIABLE SOIL

Dynamic centrifuge model tests of building with embedded footing in non-liquefiable surface layer

Abstract

Dynamic centrifuge model tests are conducted to investigate the seismic behavior of a pile-supported building with embedded footing on semi-rigidly connected pile heads in liquefiable soil. The external force which acts on the piles with semi-rigid pile head connections during liquefaction is smaller than that with rigid pile head connections, because the superstructure acceleration and the seismic earth pressure acting on the embedded footing decrease due to the superior deformation performance of the soil-pile-footing system with semi-rigid pile head connections. Therefore, the effectiveness of semi-rigid pile head connections for reducing the pile damage could be enhanced in liquefiable soil.