DYNAMIC PILE FOUNDATION MEASUREMENTS BARTER ISLAND, ALASKA.

• Main Author: Aamot, Haldor W. C.
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1966
• Subjects: Structural Engineering and Building Technology; *ALASKA; STABILITY; ELECTRIC POWER PLANTS; MAINTENANCE; FLOORS; REINFORCED CONCRETE; PIPES; SUPPORTS; WEIGHT; LOADS(FORCES); FAILURE(MECHANICS); VIBRATION; Barter Island; permafrost; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0488574; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0488574

In the summer of 1963, USA CRREL provided equipment and personnel to assist the U. S. Army Engineer District, Alaska, in conducting dynamic measurements of the pile foundations of the generator plant at Barter Island, Alaska. The purpose of the study was to determine the cause of a settlement failure and to provide information for effecting repairs. USA CRREL was particularly interested in determining the adequacy of the design criteria with respect to dynamic loads since these were considered to be a possible cause of the failure. The powerplant extension was constructed during the spring and summer of 1962. The foundation of the extension consists of I-beams resting on 8-in. schedule 40 pipe pilings and carrying a 10-in. reinforced-concrete slab floor. The open end pipe piles are anchored in the permafrost (adfreeze bond) which begins at a depth of approximately 5 ft. Strain gages were installed on three piles to determine the static weight supported. Two installations were directly under generators (see Appendix D for description of generators) where the loads were expected to be the heaviest; one installation was on the building corner pile where the lightest load was anticipated. Three high sensitivity accelerometers were used for sensing vibrations in three mutually perpendicular directions at eight locations shown on the floor plan. Measurements and recordings of one accelerometer's signal at a time were made with an amplifier/G-meter and oscilloscope.