Linear and Nonlinear Dynamic Response of Piles in Soft Marine Clay

This paper presents the results of free vibration tests carried out at different load levels on a system of three near-shore steel pipe piles vibro-driven into soft marine clay. Piles are arranged in an L-shaped horizontal layout and are free at the head. The instrumentation consists of strain gauges placed at selected levels along the shaft of the loaded pile and accelerometers at the head of the receiver piles. The aim of this experiment is to analyze the dynamic soil–water–pile and pile-to-pile interaction and to investigate the development of nonlinearities at increasing load levels. The results of experimental modal analyses, in terms of natural frequencies and damping ratios of the system, are presented and the complex dynamic behavior of the vibrating soil–water–pile system and the pile-to-pile interaction are discussed. For a better reliability assessment of the system response in the range of linear behavior, the results of free vibration tests at the lowest level of the applied loads are compared with those obtained from impact load tests.