Seismic response analysis of pile-supported wharf under three types of near-fault ground motion

Abstract

Near-fault pulse-like ground motions exhibit distinct properties, such as forward-directivity and fling-step effects. It is necessary to study the seismic response characteristics of the pile-supported wharf (PSW) under different near-fault ground motions. In this study, thirty near-fault ground motions were utilized as input motions, including forward-directivity, fling-step and non-pulse ground motions. A three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear finite element (FE) model was created to simulate the PSW structure. The seismic response (displacement, bending moment, and acceleration) of the PSW structure under 30 ground motions with peak ground acceleration (PGA), effective peak acceleration (EPA), improved effective peak acceleration (IEPA), peak ground velocity (PGV) and effective peak velocity (EPV) scaling were calculated and compared. The simulation results demonstrate that the PSW structure responds more significantly under two types of near-fault pulse-like ground motion. For near-fault pulse-like ground motions, PGV scaling is better for studying displacement/bending moment response of PSW structure than others. EPA scaling is suitable for studying the acceleration response of PSW structure.