Reinforced Concrete Pile Response during Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Spreading: Experimental Insights

This paper presents a research study focusing on the impact of liquefaction-induced lateral spreading on pile foundations. Previous earthquakes have demonstrated that such lateral spreading deformations can lead to significant movement and localized plastic demands on the piles. To investigate this phenomenon, the authors conducted a 1g shake-table experiment using a medium-sized laminar soil container. In the experiment, a single reinforced concrete pile with a diameter of 25 cm was subjected to earthquake excitation in a mildly inclined soil profile. The response of the pile-soil system was analyzed using the employed dense instrumentation and post-test physical observations. The discussion encompasses various aspects, including soil and pile lateral displacement, as well as an examination of the pressure fields around the pile.