Wave equation analysis

Wave equation analysis is a

viscoelastic-plastic

. The method was first developed in the 1950s by E.A. Smith of the Raymond Pile Driving Company.

Wave equation analysis of piles has seen many improvements since the 1950s such as including a

diesel hammer model and residual stress. Commercial software packages (such as AllWave-PDP and GRLWEAP) are now available to perform the analysis.

One of the principal uses of this method is the performance of a driveability analysis to select the parameters for safe pile installation, including recommendations on cushion stiffness, hammer stroke and other driving system parameters that optimize blow counts and pile stresses during pile driving. For example, when a soft or hard layer causes excessive stresses or unacceptable blow counts.

References

Smith, E.A.L. (1960) Pile-Driving Analysis by the Wave Equation. Journal of the Engineering Mechanics Division, Proceedings of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Vol. 86, No. EM 4, August.

External links

The Wave Equation Page for Piling