A possible physical meaning of Case damping in pile dynamics

This paper presents some possible interpretations of the physical meaning of the lumped, toe, and skin Case damping factors, j(cL), j(ct), and j(cs), respectively, which are extensively utilized in the dynamic analysis of pile driveability and capacity. A single degree of freedom model is employed to relate the Case damping to the hysteretic damping ratios of soil and pile materials. This relation and the damping ratios of soils and piles show that the Case damping factors for piles in sandy and clayey soils may overlap at all strain magnitudes. Coupling of pile toe and skin resistance is analyzed, and the j(cL) factor is found to be a function of the skin and toe resistance ratio of the pile. Consequently, the j(cL) factor is an important indicator with which the skin friction and toe resistance of piles can be separated. A database of 133 cases of dynamic pile tests in Florida has been used to substantiate the analyses and interpretations. The effects of the assumptions made in this paper are also discussed