Long piles integrity trough impact echo technique

DANIEL AMBROSINI; JAVIER EZEBERRY

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Congreso; VIII Congreso Argentino de Mecánica Computacional MECOM2005; 2005

AMCA

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the capabilities of the non-destructive impact-response method in detecting the existence of defects in long piles. The impact-echo technique, based on the use of transient elastic waves, was developed many years ago for non-destructive detection of defects in piles and structures. Moreover, is recognised in the specialised literature that this method could be applied confidently for piles with length/diameter relationship up to 20. However, with the development of hardware in computers and new sensors and dynamic equipment, it is possible now to use this method for long piles. In this paper, piles of length/diameter relationship of approximately 40 are studied. A numerical-experimental study was carried out. Finite element models 1D and 3D were performed for piles including the surrounding soil and defects type necks and bulbs. Subsequently, experimental studies were carried out to verify the finite element models using similar piles. These experimental studies were carried out in the air and soil, and impact responses were analyzed in both time and frequency domains. It was shown that the results of the experiment were in agreement with those of numerical studies, and the accuracy of the impact-echo method was influenced by the type, size and location of defects. In addition, it was also revealed that the method could be applied for long piles.