The dataset has been compiled as part of the dissertation of M.J. Hemel (2023) entitled "Amsterdam quays under pressure - Modelling and testing of historic canal walls".
The mechanical properties of existing spruce foundation piles, retrieved from a historic quay wall at Overamstel in Amsterdam, were studied. To better understand the material properties of historic foundation piles in bending, a series of 6 four-point bending experiments were conducted. An adjustable bending test setup was used in which timber piles were bent by hoist and support slings. The forces were adjusted such that the outer fibre stress between the two forces was consistent, leading to a failure at the weakest cross-section. Measurements of the deflections along the piles and force distribution were taken along the pile length during loading. In addition, biological decay in the outer layer of the timber piles, also referred to as ‘soft shell’, was identified with IML