Editorial Note â€“ DFI Journal, Vol. 20, Issue 1 â€“ 2026-Article

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This issue of the <em>DFI Journal</em> presents five studies addressing foundation installation, pile testing, ground improvement, and settlement control.

The opening paper evaluates vibratory hammer installation and retrieval of Deeply Embedded Ring Anchors for floating offshore wind turbines. Analyses indicate that commercially available hammers can support both operations under suitable conditions, offering a practical approach to offshore installation in sandy seabeds.

A pile prediction survey in Mobile, Alabama, found substantial disagreement among participants in predicted pile load–movement responses, force distributions, and interpretations of “capacity.” Its findings underscore the value of considering the full load–movement response, rather than relying on a single capacity estimate.

A case study in Guayaquil, Ecuador, assesses stone-column liquefaction mitigation using CPTu and seismic dilatometer testing. Complementary methods detected treatment effects more clearly than CPTu indicators alone, particularly in sand mixtures.

Another paper proposes a hierarchical Bayesian framework for interpreting pile load tests stopped before failure. Treating successful proof loads as evidence that capacity exceeds the test load can improve risk-informed decisions, while recognizing that such data cannot fully establish capacity margins or variability.

The final study reviews bridge approach embankment settlement criteria and surveys U.S. state transportation agencies. Practices vary widely, highlighting the need for more consistent, performance-based guidance to reduce differential settlement and the “bridge bump.”

Keywords

foundation installation

pile testing

ground improvement

settlement control

vibratory hammer

offshore wind turbines

liquefaction mitigation

stone columns

Bayesian framework

bridge settlement