Investigations on the dynamic behaviour of a small diameter pile driven in soft clay

This paper presents results and analyses of the dynamic behavior of a small-diameter pile driven in very soft clay, with its tip embedded to a depth of 4.5 m with a clear distance of 1–1.5 m above a stiffer substratum. The research program included static and dynamic load tests performed over a period of 15 days, with blows from three different drop heights. The dynamic signals were analyzed using two different pile–soil interaction models. The performance of the dynamic models in predicting the shaft and base behavior of the model pile, as well as the change in bearing capacity and in some model parameters the dynamic with time, are addressed in particular.