Time-domain solution for transient dynamic response of a large-diameter thin-walled pipe pile

The propagation of stress waves in a large-diameter pipe pile for low strain dynamic testing cannot be explained properly by traditional 1D wave theories. A new computational model is established to obtain a wave equation that can describe the dynamic response of a large-diameter thin-walled pipe pile to a transient point load during a low strain integrity test. An analytical solution in the time domain is deduced using the separation of variables and variation of constant methods. The validity of this new solution is verified by an existing analytical solution under free boundary conditions. The results of this time domain solution are also compared with the results of a frequency domain solution and field test data. The comparisons indicate that the new solution agrees well with the results of previous solutions. Parametric studies using the new solution with reference to a case study are also carried out. The results show that the mode number affects the accuracy of the dynamic response. A mode number greater than 10 is required to enable the calculated dynamic responses to be independent of the mode number. The dynamic response is also greatly affected by soil properties. The larger the side resistance, the smaller the displacement response and the smaller the reflected velocity wave crest. The displacement increases as the stress waves propagate along the pile when the pile shaft is free. The incident waves of displacement and velocity responses of the pile are not the same among different points in the circumferential direction on the pile top. However, the arrival time and peak value of the pile tip reflected waves are almost the same among different points on the pile top.