SUMMARYThe objective of this work was to evaluate the theoretical capabilities of the non-destructive impact-response method in estimating the length and cross-sectional area of intact piles. Three-dimensional (3-D) axisymmetric finite element models were developed to simulate the testing. The results obtained were compared to one-dimensional solutions to evaluate the importance of 3-D effects. Extensive parametric studies were then performed on piles without defects. In each parametric study, the results from the direct use of time histories of displacements or velocities, the mobility function and the Fourier transform of the recorded displacements (impact-echo method) were compared in order to assess their relative advantages and disadvantages. The effects of the relative stiffness of the surrounding soil to that of the pile and of the embedment depth were also investigated for all three methods. In a companion paper the use of these procedures to detect defects such as bulbs (increases in the cross-sectional area of the pile) or necks (decreases in area) is studied.

The theoretical capabilities of the Parallel Seismic (PS) test for determining the length of piles and characterizing possible defects are investigated in this paper. In deriving the theory, a correction factor is proposed in this paper to enhance the accuracy of the prediction. An axisymmetric finite element (FE) model was developed to carry out a series of parametric studies which included the effects of the pile length, the pile-to-borehole distance and the stiffness of surrounding soil. A miniature experiment using an aluminum bar embedded in epoxy prism was also designed and tested in the lab to verify the theory and to demonstrate the use of the correction factor. The results from the experiment and the numerical FE model were also compared to expose the potential of this nondestructive method to in situ application. The model was further modified to simulate the PS test on defective piles with axisymmetric necks and bulges. It can be concluded that the geometric configuration of a pile and the possible significant defect can be characterized with this nondestructive test.

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SUMMARYThe objective of this work was to evaluate the theoretical capabilities of the non-destructive impact-response method in detecting the existence of a single defect in a pile, its location and its length. The cross-section of the pile is assumed to be circular and the defects are assumed to be axisymmetric in geometry. As mentioned in the companion paper, special codes utilizing one-dimensional (1-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) axisymmetric finite element models were developed to simulate the responses of defective piles to an impact load. Extensive parametric studies were then performed. In each study, the results from the direct use of time histories of displacements or velocities and the mechanical admittance (or mobility) function were compared in order to assess their capabilities. The effects of the length and the width of a defect were also investigated using these methods.

In this paper, the theoretical capabilities of the impedance log method in profiling the geometry of a column or pile along its length are investigated. The main idea of this method is to introduce a transient stress wave into the member and then utilize the reflected signals to obtain the impedance profile. The impedance profile is then used to recover the equivalent cross-sectional area along the length of the pile. To gain an insight into this nondestructive evaluation technique, this research started with a review of its theoretical background. The dynamic behavior of defective columns or piles with weak zones, bulges, and necks of constant or varying cross sections were then simulated with finite element models. The success in recovering the profiles of this kind of rod-like structural members proved that the impedance log method is a tool with high potential for evaluating the integrity of piles.Key words: impedance log method, nondestructive test, stress wave, column, pile.