Interaction between inclined pile groups subjected to harmonic vibrations

Vertical and inclined piles are used in seismic areas where they could be subjected to oblique harmonic vibration loads. The effect of closely spaced battered piles on the pile–soil–pile interaction has not yet been fully recognized. A simple analytical method, based on the elasto-dynamic theory by Novak and his associates, is used in the present study to characterize vertical and inclined isolated cylindrical piles subjected to inclined harmonic vibrations. The free field movement of the ground in the vicinity of the piles is determined using an approximate approach based on the interference of the cylindrical wave field originating along each pile shaft and spreading radially outward. In calculating the interaction factor between two battered piles, an analysis has been carried out to demonstrate the effect of the presence of a neighboring pile (receiver) while the first pile (source) is loaded. In this situation, it has been found that the movement of the source pile head is decreased when a receiver pile is present. Also, the effects of the pile–pile distance, the group geometry, the length of the piles, and the inclined angle for each or all of the piles have been studied and the corresponding results will be presented.