Dynamic response of a large-diameter pile with variable section in layered saturated soil considering construction disturbance effect

ABSTRACTAn analytical solution is developed in this paper to investigate the vertical time-harmonic response of a large-diameter variable-section pile, and it considers the radial inhomogeneity of the surrounding soil caused by construction disturbance. First, the saturated soil surrounding the pile is described by Biot’s poroelastic theory and a series of infinitesimally thin independent layers along the shaft of the pile, and the pile is represented by a variable-section Rayleigh–Love rod. Then, the dynamic equilibrium equations of the soil and pile are solved to obtain an analytical solution for the impedance function at the pile top using the complex stiffness transfer method and impedance function transfer method. Finally, the proposed solution is compared with previous solutions to verify its reliability, and a parameter study is conducted to provide insights into the sensitivity of the vertical dynamic impedance of the pile and velocity response in low-strain integrity testing on defective piles.