Real Scale Experimental Assessment of Pile Group Dynamic Impedance

This work presents ongoing research activities conducted as part of the RESPOND (REal Scale experimental assessment of Pile grOup dyNamic impedance) project, funded under the EU ERIES Transnational Access (TA) initiative. The project focuses on investigating the dynamic behavior of full-scale pile groups embedded in the well-documented subsoil of the EuroSeistest site, located in the tectonically active Mygdonian basin, 30 km NNE from Thessaloniki, Greece. A 2x2 pile group consisting of four identical bored piles, each with a diameter of 0.60 m and a length of 10 m, was realized. These piles are connected to a 3x3x0.4 m pile cap, serving as the foundation for a 5 m high model structure. The experimental results have a remarkable value for a reliable design and analysis of structures founded on piles in seismic areas, since soil-structure interaction (SSI) may have a prominent role in the dynamic behaviour of the superstructure. The project is therefore expected to provide a better understanding of fundamental mechanisms associated with dynamic SSI problems, to validate existing formulae for pile group impedances and eventually propose modifications and indications for applications involving moderate non-linearities in the soil.