| A number of solutions are presented for the static, dynamic, and seismic response of single piles, pile groups, and pile-group-supported bridge piers, on homogeneous and layered soil deposits. Vertical, horizontal and moment loading are considered, and results are presented in terms of both analytical closed-form expressions and numerically-evaluated graphs. The seismic analysis considers both the kinematic and inertial interaction, in the frequency as well as the time domains, with the excitation properly specified through the acceleration at the surface of the "rock" outcrop.;The developed methods make use of certain physically-motivated simplifications regarding the wave fields around an oscillating pile and the interplay of such fields with other piles. Thus diffraction of the incident seismic waves by a pile and of the pile-generated waves by other piles is represented in a realistic, although simplified, way. The accuracy of the developed methods is systematically checked against available solutions from the literature, as well as against a few field measurements.;The new developments in this dissertation include: (i) the presentation of solutions for pile-to-pile interaction in multi-layered soil, and the demonstration of the profound effect of soil layering on this interaction; (ii) the recognition and presentation of numerical and analytical results for the "additional distress" on a pile from the waves emanating from the neighboring piles; and (iii) the evaluation of certain popular approximations in soil-structure-interaction analyses as performed in practice, such as ignoring the kinematic response, ignoring the various types of radiation damping, assuming frequency-independent stiffnesses, and artificially restricting pile-cap rotation. |
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