Propagation Characteristics of Seismic Waves Taking Stratigraphic Composition into Consideration

Abstract

In this paper, soil-water coupled dynamic analyses are carried out to investigate the influence of stratigraphic composition on the propagation properties of the seismic waves. SYS Cam-clay model is used as the constitutive model which can describe the different state of clayey and sandy soils. Two cases are considered for the composition of ground: one is the sandy ground with diluvial sand, alluvial sand and reclaimed sand; the other one is the clayey layer at the ground surface. It is found that for the sandy ground even though there is certain amplification of the input acceleration wave during the dense sand layer the subsequent seismic waves through the loose sand layers are attenuated significantly due to the occurrence of the liquefaction. While for the clayey ground, even though there is no risk of liquefaction damages at the ground surface the acceleration amplitude is greatly amplified and there is a risk that the structure itself would fail in the strength.