CYCLIC STATIC MODEL PILE TESTS IN CENTRIFUGE.

Scaling relations for soil studies indicate that certain model behaviors will represent correctly those of the prototype if the model is subjected to an acceleration proportional to the model scale. The most convenient way of accomplishing this is to perform model tests in a large centrifuge. Lateral cyclic load tests have been carried out on a 1/100-scale instrumented model pile imbedded in a saturated sandy silt at 100 g in a centrifuge. The history of displacements and moments is presented and discussed. An analysis is presented to explain the observed softening behavior of the pile.