Seismic Performance of a Block-Type Quay Wall with Liquefiable Backfill: Comparison Between Centrifuge Test, Design Code, and High-Fidelity Numerical Modeling

Abstract

AbstractBlock-type quay walls are susceptible to seismic damage due to their lack of shear connection between blocks, especially when constructed in liquefiable soil. This study investigates the seismic performance of a block-type quay wall constructed with liquefiable backfill by combining model test, design code-based evaluation, and numerical simulation. A dynamic centrifuge test is conducted to obtain the basic physical seismic response. Results showed that under strong earthquake motion, the quay wall may undergo large lateral deformation and damage due to the liquefaction of the backfill. The same quay wall is then evaluated based on seismic design codes for port structures from the USA, China and Permanent International Association of Navigation Congresses (PIANC), which are shown to be inadequate in predicting the seismic damage. In parallel, high-fidelity numerical modeling utilizing a unified plasticity model for large post-liquefaction shear deformation of sand is performed for detailed seismic response analysis of the quay wall. The numerical analysis can provide a good simulation of the seismic behavior of the block-type quay wall, especially in reflecting the relative displacement between blocks and the liquefaction of the backfill accurately. These comparisons highlight the important role of numerical modeling with high-fidelity constitutive models in the seismic design and analysis of the quay walls with liquefiable backfill.KeywordsBlock-type quay wallLiquefactionCentrifuge testDesign code-based evaluationNumerical modeling