Dynamic responses of shallow foundations on saturated soft clayey soil under impact loadings

In civil engineering, there are many problems related to the transmission of pressure waves through the soil due to dynamic loads. The objective of this investigation is to research the dynamic soil properties. In industrial applications, these vibrations remain often caused by the impact of weights on the foundation machine. This study investigates how saturated soft clay soil responds to a single impulsive load. Deflectometry via falling weights was conducted to produce single pulse energy by dropping different weights from various elevations. Usually, these dynamic foundations have a greater effect on the surface than various depths of the same foundation. Soil surface responses were studied, then the effects occurring at the depth of the soil surface and causing these responses were studied, which include vertical displacements, velocities, and accelerations. Using the same impact weight (5 kg) at both drop heights (250 mm and 500 mm), the average percentage change in the maximum impact force generated at the contact surface increased by 33 %. This decreased the maximum displacement response of the clay soil model by 25 %, and the maximum displacements increased with increasing operational frequency and dynamic loads.