Comparing Sliding Block Procedures for Displacement-Based Design of Earth Structures in Light of Major Chilean Earthquakes

Abstract

Current practice for seismic design of earth structures considers the use of displacement-based methods, which allow a quick and quantitative estimation of the movement of soil masses under earthquake loading. This type of procedures are aimed to establish a relationship between (i) the main earthquake parameters, (ii) the critical acceleration, and (iii) the corresponding permanent displacements of the soil structure. In this sense, based on the well-known Newmark’s sliding block method, several regression models intended for design purposes have been proposed during last decades. However, the selection of an appropriate method to predict the expected permanent displacements of a soil mass remains a difficult and somewhat arbitrary practice. In this paper, strong-motion records from four major Chilean earthquakes, grouped by soil conditions, are used to compare and evaluate the suitability of the reviewed methods for assessing the seismic performance of earth structures. From the results obtained, general conclusions and recommendations for practical applications on sites with similar characteristics to the Chilean subduction zone are elaborated.