Vertical impedance of tapered piles considering the vertical reaction of surrounding soil and construction disturbance

The pile-soil system is divided into layers of sufficient number such that the shear stiffness at the pile-soil interface can be determined based on the complex stiffness transfer method. The vertical reaction of surrounding soil on the annular projections at the interface of adjacent pile segments is simplified using Voigt model, whose spring and damping coefficients are derived afterward, allowing an amended impedance function transfer method to be proposed. Using the amended impedance function transfer method, the dynamic equilibrium equation of the pile is solved to give an analytical solution for the impedance function at the pile top. By comparing the solution proposed in this paper with other solutions, the superiority of the bearing capacity of a tapered pile is further confirmed. A parameter study is then conducted to give insight into the coupled interaction of the vertical reaction of the surrounding soil with construction disturbance in the low-frequency range concerned in the seismic design of the pile foundations.