Questions and answers will be documented, and answers provided here. Questions can be submitted to peer_center@berkeley.edu. Questions should be submitted by October 7, 2024. Questions and answers will only be available on the website. For updates on all questions and answers, please check the website after October 9, 2024.
Question 1: Figure 5 shows pile embedded into ground is 19' whereas Table 1 mentioned the in-ground pile length 19.67'. Please confirm which length is correct.
- Answer: Figure 5a is a schematic. The pile embedment length shall be taken as provided in Table 1.
Question 2: Can you please describe the pile installation method. Are these piles driven or bored?
- Answer: The test pile was installed using an ABI TM22 mobile ram rig with a vibratory hammer. A single 16-in wide 1.5-in thick knife plate which is welded into the top of the pile allowed for the hammer jaws (clamps) to grip the pile for installation.
Question 3: When was the pile under consideration tested in relation to the other test piles? This is to understand whether there is any shadowing effect or not.
- Answer: The pile considered in the blind prediction was the second pile tested in the four pile test sequence. The first test pile is the easternmost test pile shown in Figure 2, not the soldier pile. The first test pile was tested nearly three months prior and has a center-to-center distance from the second test pile of nearly 14'-0".
Question 4: Free vibration test. Please confirm that the concrete blocks were attached to the axial load apparatus during the free vibration test.
- Answer: As indicated in "General Information - Free Vibration Loading" section on page 7, the Note at the bottom of page 6, and the Comprehensive Analysis Submittal Spreadsheet, and as shown in Figure 5b, mass blocks were not used in the free vibration test and only the steel loading frame firmly placed on top of the pile was used.
Question 5: Free vibration test. It is mentioned that the spare tyre hits the pile at 9" below pile top and displacement measured at 20" below pile top. Can you please confirm the max displacement of 0.26" was measured at the pile top or 20" below the pile top.
- Answer: The max displacement of 0.26" was measured at the location of recorded displacement in Figure 5a, 20" below top of the pile. A sentence with this specific information was added to "General Information - Free Vibration Loading" on page 7.
Question 6: Lateral load test. Please confirm the loading protocol given in Table 3 is applied at 7'-7" (2311.40 mm) from ground level as shown in Figure 4b.
- Answer: The protocol in Table 3 was applied by the actuator shown in Figure 9. Figure 4b is a schematic and as indicated on the note in the middle of page 3, the field dimensions can vary +/- 6". Considering the actual in-field measurement, the location of the loading protocol in Table 3 should be taken as 7.625 ft above the ground elevation. This specific information is added as a Note below the Figure 4 caption on page 2.
Question 7: Does the peak displacement to be included in submission spreadsheet include the 0.26-inch displacement at the end of free vibration phase or not? Did this displacement change after fixing the concrete blocks?
- Answer: The peak displacement includes the 0.26 inch at the beginning of the free vibration phase. This value is already in cell D32 and should remain there in the submitted spreadsheet.
- As indicated in "General Information - Free Vibration Loading" section on page 7, the Note at the bottom of page 6, and the Comprehensive Analysis Submittal Spreadsheet, and as shown in Figure 5b, mass blocks were not used in the free vibration test and only the steel loading frame firmly placed on top of the pile was used.
Question 8: Am I able to modify my previous entry and re-submit it prior to the new deadline (Nov. 5)?
- Answer: Yes you can re-submit it prior to the new deadline. In the case that you re-submit, we will consider your latest submission for evaluation.
Question 9: On Pg 1 of the “Rules” pdf, it reads that contestants can only submit a single entry. Confirming that this is still true?
- Answer: Yes this is still true. An individual can only be involved in a single team. However, multiple teams from a company, a research institution or a university may submit predictions as long as they have different team members.
Question 10: I already mentioned this in my Oct. 18th entry submission but I was confused with the required word count in the Questionnaire Tab. On Pg 2 of the “Rules” pdf under Limited Analysis, the method of analysis description should be “no less than 450 words”. This is also mentioned within the spreadsheet itself. However, on Pg 4 of the “Rules” pdf, the 4 point maximum is only achieved if the method of analysis is less than 450 words. Is this intentional? There seems to be conflicting messages here that I am looking to confirm.
- Answer: The “no less than 450 words" statement on Pg 2 of the “Rules” pdf under Limited Analysis, and the limited analysis spreadsheet was a typo and should be “no more than 450 words". However, considering this typo, the 450 words criterion in point 4 of the Questionnaire evaluation will not be used.