REPRODUCTION OF LATERAL GROUND DEFORMATION AND LATERAL-FLOW EARTH PRESSURES ACTING ON PILE FOUNDATIONS USING CENTRIFUGE MODELING

Abstract

Dynamic centrifuge model tests were conducted to simulate the seismically-induced displacements of sheet pile quay walls, in order to understand the mechanisms of lateral ground flow of liquefied soil behind walls and to evaluate the effects of the lateral-flow earth pressures acting on pile foundations. It was found that the tests could virtually reproduce the actual lateral -flow of ground caused both during earthquakes and post liquefaction; the influence of earthquake acceleration was very large for the residual displacement of pile foundations; the lateral-flow earth pressures acting on foundations were considerably smaller than the value calculated in the Specifications for Highway Bridges; the degradation ratio of young's modulus of liquefied soil was 1/650.