Prediction of pile capacity from stress-wave measurements: some numerical aspects

Abstract

The analysis of measured stress waves for the prediction of static pile capacity is described. The usual method of using the measured velocity record as the input boundary condition in a wave equation analysis with a finite element model, if not properly implemented, can lead to significant numerical errors. An alternative scheme using an accurate prescribed displacement procedure with the measured displacement record (obtained from the integration of the velocity) is proposed, and is shown to be very efficient. These aspects of the numerical modeling procedure are illustrated by a case study.