Analysis of piles under the effect of earthquake loads in layered pumice soil by using 3D fem

In Turkey, which is located in the earthquake zone, it is essential to design and construct earthquake-resistant structures. However, with the increasing population and housing need, high-rise buildings are designed and these structures are sometimes built on soils which have low bearing capacities. In such cases, pile foundation systems are preferred in terms of bearing capacity, settlement and dynamic responses. High-rise structures and piled foundations are also encountered in practice in regions where volcanic origin soil formations are dominant, such as Isparta. In Isparta, the vertical soil profile is in the form of pumice and silty sand layers. Pile foundations, are generally supported on the rigid soil layer. However, it can also act as friction pile by placing piles on non-rigid soils. In this case, stress concentrations occur at the points where it encounters different soil formations, and these stress concentrations can cause damages at these points and therefore the superstructure. In this thesis study, the response of pile foundations built along pumice and silty sand layers in Isparta region under dynamic loads was analyzed using the finite element method. For this purpose, field and laboratory test results related to foundation soil were used to obtain soil and pile mechanical properties. Then, using the finite element method, the behavior of the piles under the earthquake in the pumice soil was investigated.