RELATION BETWEEN DECREASE IN BEARING CAPACITY OF PILES AND BUILDING SETTLEMENT AND TILT BASED ON CENTRIFUGE TESTS

Dynamic centrifuge tests were conducted on a superstructure with two-span and single-span foundations to examine the effects of piles’ failure on unequal settlement and stresses of piles and footing beams. For single-span foundation, unequal settlement progressed rapidly due to plastic deformation of the piles. The pile cap contacted ground surface, and then halted the progression of settlement. For two-span foundation, the settlement stopped without the pile cap contacting ground surface. After the pile failure, the bending moment of the piles were affected by the inclination of the footing beam as well as lateral force at the pile head.