Dynamic behaviour of coupled soil-structure systems by means of FEM analysis for the seismic risk mitigation of INGV building in Catania (Italy)

Maria Massimino,Salvatore Grasso,Ernesto Motta,Glenda Abate,Sebastiano Corsico

doi:10.4401/ag-7739

Abstract

Seismic design of new structures, as well as retrofitting and/or improving of existing ones should be definitely considered a multidisciplinary subject, which depends on many factors, such as: local site effects and the dynamic interaction between the foundation soil and the structure. The accurate investigation on the structure and the surrounding soil is the first fundamental step for a realistic evaluation of the structure seismic performance. The present paper deals with the Dynamic Soil Structure Interaction (DSSI) analysis concerning the INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology) building in Catania, by means of a FEM 2D modeling. The building is a prestigious masonry structure situated in an area characterized by a high seismic hazard. Several accelerograms scaled at the same PHA, with reference to the estimated seismicity of Catania, have been adopted. Soil properties were carefully investigated by means of static and dynamic in-situ and laboratory tests. Many investigations were also performed on the structure. Equivalent linear visco-elastic constitutive models have been adopted both for the soil and the structure. For considering soil nonlinearity, degraded shear modula ( G ) and increased soil damping ratios ( D ) have been evaluated for all the involved soil layers, according to two different approach es. Firstly, soil nonlinearity has been modeled basing on the EC8 [2003] suggestions; secondly, it has been modeled choosing the values of G and D according to the effective strain levels obtained for each soil layer and for each different input, by means of an iterative sub-routine . The dynamic response of the system has been analyzed in the time and frequency domains. Results are presented in terms of: acceleration amplification factors, Fourier and response spectra, amplification functions and shear forces per floor. The main goals of the paper are: i) to investigate the acceleration profiles along the soil and the structure considering and not considering the DSSI; ii) to investigate the soil filtering effect in terms of predominant frequency considering and not considering the DSSI; iii) to compare the obtained results with the ones given by a simpler 1D free-field soil analysis; iv) to compare the soil amplification factors and the response spectra obtained by 1D and 2D models with that by the Italian technical code [NTC, 2008]; v) to highlight the influence of DSSI in the seismic response of the structure; vi) to evaluate the influence of different modeling of soil nonlinearity on the dynamic response of the soil and structure.

Highlights

In engineering practice, seismic design of new structures and/or seismic retrofitting of existing ones are generally performed using the design spectra given by technical regulations and the pseudo-static approach
In a second step of analyses, the values of G and D have been chosen according to the curves G/G0 vs γ and D vs γ obtained by the performed Resonant Column Tests (RCT) shown in Figure 6, considering the effective strain level γ obtained for each soil layer and for each different input, according to an iterative sub-routine
In the second phase of the FEM analyses, the values of G and D have been chosen according to the G/G0 vs γ and D vs γ curves obtained by the performed RCT shown in Figure 6, considering the effective strain level γ obtained for each soil layer and for each different input, according to an iterative sub-routine

Summary

Introduction

Seismic design of new structures and/or seismic retrofitting of existing ones are generally performed using the design spectra given by technical regulations and the pseudo-static approach. The designers can use dynamic analysis; in this case, the seismic motion is represented in terms of ground acceleration time-histories. In this second case, the seismic motion may be made by using artificial, recorded and simulated accelerograms. In sophisticated and appropriated structure design/retrofitting approaches the design spectra and/or the ground motion acceleration time-histories are derived by previous freefield (FF) site response analyses. The latter approach definitely represents an important step forward [Capilleri et al, 2003, 2005; Ferraro et al, 2016, 2018; Grasso and Maugeri, 2014; Castelli et al, 2018a,b], taking into account the specific conditions of subsoil and its fundamental filtering effects in terms of PHA and predominant frequency. Dynamic response at the foundation level of a structure deviates from the FF site response, because of kinematic and inertial interaction [Gazetas, 1991; Massimino et al, 2015; Abate et al, 2017a, b; Karatzetzou et al, 2017] and in different cases dynamic soil-structure interaction (DSSI) could be detri-

Objectives

Results

Conclusion