A 3D time domain numerical model based on half-space Green’s function for soil–structure interaction analysis

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical method based on a three dimensional boundary element–finite element (BEM–FEM) coupled formulation in the time domain. The proposed model allows studying soil–structure interaction problems. The soil is modelled with the BEM, where the radiation condition is implicitly satisfied in the fundamental solution. Half-space Green’s function including internal soil damping is considered as the fundamental solution. An effective treatment based on the integration into a complex Jordan path is proposed to avoid the singularities at the arrival time of the Rayleigh waves. The efficiency of the BEM is improved taking into account the spatial symmetry and the invariance of the fundamental solution when it is expressed in a dimensionless form. The FEM is used to represent the structure. The proposed method is validated by comparison with analytical solutions and numerical results presented in the literature. Finally, a soil–structure interaction problem concerning with a building subjected to different incident wave fields is studied.