Effects of Pile Installation Simulation on Behavior of Pile Groups in Centrifuge Model Tests

Abstract Centrifuge model testing plays an important role in investigations of the bearing behavior of pile groups and its underlying mechanisms, for which pile installation simulation is a key issue. Centrifuge model tests were conducted to analyze the effect of different pile installation simulation methods, namely traditional installation at 1 g and in-flight installation at 50 g. Compared to the traditional method, the in-flight pile installation induces two effects: the deformation effect, in which the neighboring soil is made denser, and the shielding effect, in which the existing piles influence the deformation and pore pressure of the neighboring soil. Thus, the limit-bearing capacity and corresponding settlement of the pile group using the in-flight pile installation method are significantly greater, and the deformation and excess pore pressure of the soil near piles are smaller. The traditional pile installation method obtains unrealistic responses of pile groups because it cannot adequately simulate these effects.