How to deal with liquefaction of photovoltaic support pile foundation

Does liquefaction affect pile foundations?

Liquefaction can affect pile foundations. It is a phenomenon in which loose saturated soil, such as loose sandy silts and loose sandy soils, will substantially lose strength. There are tests, such as the standard penetration test and cone penetration test, to specify whether a certain soil is expected to suffer from liquefaction or not.

Are pile foundations liquefiable?

Pile foundations are still the preferred foundation system for high-rise structures in earthquake-prone regions. Pile foundations have experienced failures in past earthquakes due to liquefaction. Research on pile foundations in liquefiable soils has primarily focused on the pile foundation behavior in two or three-layered soil profiles.

Why do pile foundations fail in liquefiable soils after a major earthquake?

Poor performance of pile foundations in liquefiable soils after major earthquakes remains a great concern to the earthquake engineering community. The current understanding of the pile failure in liquefiable soils considers either bending or buckling as a probable cause of failure. However, in reality, the two mechanisms interact.

Can liquefied soil buckle a pile foundation?

According to Eurocode-8 recommendations, the strength of liquefied soil should be ignored. Therefore, a pile foundation is likely to buckle when it supports large axial loads and loses its lateral support due to soil liquefaction.

Can liquefiable soil cause a settlement in a pile?

The settlement in the foundation due to the loss of soil support should be within the acceptable tolerances. The settlement should not induce end-bearing failure in the pile. This paper presents a brief summary of pile design considerations for piles extending through potentially liquefiable soil.

What causes pile failure in liquefiable soil?

The current understanding of the pile failure in liquefiable soils considers either bending or buckling as a probable cause of failure. However, in reality, the two mechanisms interact. Hence, the pile foundations designed with these mechanisms separately might become un-conservative when the mechanisms interact.