Blind Prediction Contest:
Piles under monotonic and cyclic lateral loading

As part of the GEOLAB project, the Institute of Geotechnics of TU Darmstadt is calling geotechnical engineers from industry and academia to participate in an international Blind Prediction Contest (BPC) on the response of piles under monotonic and cyclic lateral loading. Two separate tests will be performed on a hollow open-ended steel pile embedded in dry sand. One test under monotonic loading and the other under quasi-static harmonic loading with more than 10,000 loading cycles.

Contestant teams can submit predictions for both tests or for the monotonic test only. The predictions will be objectively marked based on their discrepancy with the experimental values. The teams with the higher score in the prediction of each test will be publicly announced. The rest of the submitted predictions will be anonymised and used for assessing the state of the art and the state of practice by the organiser committee.

Composition of the BPC participants
Composition of the BPC participants

Eighteen teams submitted predictions for the Monotonic Pile Test, with seven of those teams also submitting predictions for the Cyclic Pile Test.

In total, the contest had 59 participants from 15 countries, representing both industry and academia.

Monotonic test

Cyclic test

Monotonic Test Predictions
Position Team ID Composition Score (ouf of 100)
1 T10 Researchers 71.00
2 T05 Researchers 69.20
3 T17 Researchers 59.14
4 T16 Mixed 54.38
5 T09 Researchers 52.45
6 T02 Researchers 47.49
7 T14 Researchers 41.76
8 T18 Researchers 37.86
9 T11 Researchers 31.94
10 T06 Practice Engineers 30.36
11 T04 Practice Engineers 29.87
12 T03 Researchers 28.93
13 T08 Mixed 28.63
14 T12 Researchers 24.91
15 T13 Researchers 22.83
16 T01 Practice Engineers 20.13
17 T07 Practice Engineers 19.19
18 T15 Researchers 14.92
Cyclic Test Predictions
Position Team ID Composition Score (out of 100)
1 T09 Researchers 78.65
2 T10 Researchers 62.80
3 T02 Researchers 59.83
4 T05 Researchers 53.37
5 T03 Researchers 49.44
6 T17 Researchers 43.03
7 T01 Practice Engineers 28.96
Combined scores (Montonic and Cyclic Tests)
Position Team ID Composition Score (out of 200)
1 T10 Researchers 133.81
2 T09 Researchers 131.10
3 T05 Researchers 122.57
4 T02 Researchers 107.33
5 T17 Researchers 102.17
6 T03 Researchers 78.37
7 T01 Practice Engineers 49.09
Best Monotonic Test Prediction and Best Overall Prediction: IC-MAGE team (T10)
Pishun Tantivangphaisal Imperial College London United Kingdom
Fabián Ortiz Wall Imperial College London United Kingdom
David Taborda Imperial College London United Kingdom
Best Cyclic Test Predicition and 2nd Best Overall Prediction: Offshore Geotechnical Group at Zhejiang University (T09)
Lizhong Wang Zhejiang University China
Xing Zha Zhejiang University China
Yi Hong Zhejiang University China
Yaru Zhang Zhejiang University China
Junwei Liu Qingdao University of Technology China
Zhen Guo Zhejiang University China
Huan Wang Norwegian Geotechnical Institute China
Rui Liu Zhejiang University China
Xuetao Wang Zhejiang University China
Lilin Wang Zhejiang University China
3rd Best Overall Prediction: HCA Team (T05)
José Duque Universidad de la Costa Colombia
Carlos Lascarro Universidad del Sinú Colombia
Merita Tafili Ruhr-Universität Bochum Germany
David Mašín Charles University Czech Republic
4th Best Overall Prediction: Centrif Eiffel (T02)
Zheng Li Gustave Eiffel University France
Matthieu Blanc Gustave Eiffel University France
Luc Thorel Gustave Eiffel University France

Organising Committee

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hauke Zachert

Dr.-Ing. Jan Machaček

Dr.-Ing. Joaquín Liaudat

M.Sc. Simon Siegel

GEOLAB Project

The GEOLAB project is a collaborative initiative aimed at advancing geotechnical research and innovation through cutting-edge laboratory facilities and interdisciplinary cooperation. The GEOLAB project, funded by the European Union H2020 Research and Innovation Programme, spans four years from 2021 to 2025. The ten GEOLAB partners offer access to a wide range of experimental facilities, including:

  • University of Maribor Large-scale Triaxial Apparatus
  • Technical University of Darmstadt Pile Foundation Test Pit
  • ETH Zürich Beam & Drum Centrifuge
  • Norwegian Geotechnical Institute Geotest Sites
  • Deltares GeoCentrifuge and GeoModel Container
  • University of Cambridge Schofield Centre
  • TU Delft Geotechnical Centrifuge and Liquefaction Tank
  • CEDEX Track Box
  • Gustave Eiffel University Geotechnical Centrifuge