Marine Pile Modeling Procedure Verification

SC Solutions was engaged by the California State Lands Commission (CSLC) to examine the requirements of the “Marine Oil Terminal Engineering and Maintenance Standards” (MOTEMS) for wharf and pipeline structures. During the deconstruction of a berth at the Port of Long Beach, several pile groups and their deck structures were left in place for testing purposes. SC Solutions was tasked with providing analytical models and using the model results for comparison versus the experimental test results in relation to the MOTEMS performance requirements.

An ADINA model was created for each pile test assembly. The piles were modeled as moment-curvature elements covering a range of the expected pile materials. Nonlinear soil springs were modeled for the embedded portions of the piles. The load applied to the piles in the model represented the loads applied in the actual tests, and nonlinear dynamic analyses were performed.

The University of California, San Diego conducted the experimental tests. The test assemblies were pushed over with hydraulic jacks, while measuring the load-deflection behavior. Provided with the results from the tests, SC Solutions used comparison of experimental results versus analytical results to successfully verify the MOTEMS requirements for wharf and pipeline structures at the Port of Long Beach.