ABSTRACT
Experimental research on the influence of the loading rate and of generated pore water pressure during rapid load tests is carried out. In a Geotechnical centrifuge, a number of tests on piles in sand were performed. The influence of loading rate and drainage condition are the main item of this research. This paper describes the testing programme and the test set-up. The test data with typical measurement results from each load test are presented. Next the effects of the loading rate on the pile resistance are shown. The theoretical result that a rapid load test might overestimate the static capacity due to pore water pressure is confirmed. The results of the pore pressure measurements, the evaluation and conclusions are presented in the second paper on this topic hereafter.
