Experimental and numerical studies on behavior of upgraded caisson-type quay wall under earthquake loading

Abstract

Upgrading the caisson-type quay wall could be conducted by strengthening the rubble mound beneath the front caisson toe. Subsequently, the rubble in front of the wall is removed to increase the front water depth. This study assessed the dynamic response of the upgraded quay wall under earthquake loading and compared it to the existing case using a centrifuge test and numerical study. The tests were performed in a dry condition under six consecutive input waves with increasing magnitude. The results indicated that the upgrade significantly reduced the displacements of the quay wall. The deformation trend of the caisson also changed from overturning to slipping. A numerical study of the upgraded case was conducted using the PLAXIS 2D program in the dry condition to validate the model. In addition, the simulation in water was performed to realize the difference between the models with and without water. The numerical results were in good agreement with the experimental model. The deformed mode of the quay wall in the dry condition did not differ from that in water. However, the horizontal displacement of the quay wall in water was higher than in the dry condition, whereas the vertical component was slightly lower.