Seismic Site Characterization and Dynamic Analysis of Pile-Supported Wharf Structure

Abstract

India being a large subcontinent is prone to traumatic earthquakes causing remarkable destruction to property, life and hindering the development of urban areas. Since past few years, the issue of earthquakes has been mentioned by many researchers and agencies. Hence, dynamic site characterization is considered as a primary step in any seismic zonation process. In this research paper, an effort has been made to dynamic site characterization of the city of Vishakhapatnam (India) along with dynamic analysis of a pile-supported wharf structure located in the study area. Dynamic site characterization and response studies that are a subset of micro zoning process provide us with most important outcomes for the hazard estimation process of a particular region. Site characterization has been carried out for the city of Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (India), using geotechnical, geological and seismotectonic data. Further, a pile-supported wharf structure is considered in Vishakhapatnam port to study the dynamic behavior and performance analysis of the structure under local site conditions. Wharfs are the structures that are constructed parallel to the shore for mooring of ships. Any damage due to an earthquake to wharfs and berths may lead to inefficiency in port operations. Seismic performance analysis of pile-supported wharf is the most neglected and unaddressed part in codal provisions of many of the countries. Seismic vulnerability analysis also provides a framework to assess the both the performance of the system and economic issues on a whole.