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This book is a comprehensive presentation of a study related to the static behavior of piles as well as their performance during earthquakes investigated through "long duration impulse method" which is usually called the Rapid Loading Test. The book confirms the applicability of Rapid Loading Test by considering the data of experiments carried out in three sites. In all the cases, Falling Mass method was employed to carry out the experiments. The experiment in Sakai-machi was conducted for the aim of this study. The main purpose was to observe the applicability of the method for piles seated in different soil layers and to determine the set-up ratio of dynamic resistance and the effect of falling mass weight. For each case, static load-movement curves were derived by using Unloading Point Method and were compared with existing load-movement curves from Static Loading Tests. Applicability of Unloading Point Method was confirmed also.The author proposes a Developed Signal Matching Method, which can improve the quality of the derived solutions and also can adjust the parameters, such as modulus k or damping factor c, characterizing the pile/soil model.

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Neritan Shkodrani, Assoc.Prof., Head of Civil Engineering Department, Polytechnic University of Tirana, has over 26 years of experience in teaching Soil Mechanics & Foundation Engineering, deeply involved with CPT test and in various projects in the fields of civil, structural and foundation engineering. A PhD from Polytechnic University of Tirana.

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