Dynamic Response Of Underground Structures In Soils With Variable Mechanical Properties

Abstract

In this work, we develop a formulation based on the Boundary Element Method (BEM) for evaluating the dynamic response of underground structures excited by seismically-induced. steady-state, horizontally polarized shear (SH) waves. The surrounding geological medium 1s viewed as an elastic continuum exhibiting large randomness in its mechanical properties. Suitable Green's functions are proposed and subsequently used within the context the BEM formulation. More specifically, the methodology developed herein employs a series expansion for the proposed Green's functions. where the basis functions are orthogonal polynomials of a random argument. These functions are incorporated in a BEM formulation, which is then used for the solution of problems of engineering interest. The presented approach departs from earlier BEM derivations based on perturbations, which were only balid for small amounts of randomness in the elastic continuum.