A NEW PILE-HEAD DEVICE FOR DECREASING CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND INCREASING THE SEISMIC PERFORMANCE OF PILE FOUNDATIONS, AND ITS APPLICATION TO STRUCTURES

摘要

A new pile-head device for decreasing construction costs and increasing the seismic performance of pile foundations is introduced and its effectiveness is demonstrated through numerical studies. The device is installed at pile-heads for reducing the bending moment at the pile-heads. This reduction of bending moment enables the cross-sectional dimensions of piles and continuous capping beams to be reduced, because these dimensions are commonly determined based on the maximum bending moment at the pile-heads. Reduction of bending moment at pile-heads can prevent seismic damage to the piles causing by severe bending moments as observed in Kobe, Japan, during the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake.