Dynamic Centrifuge Test Results Research Articles

Centrifuge Modelling of Vertical and Horizontal Drains to Mitigate Earthquake-Induced Liquefaction

This paper reports the results of dynamic centrifuge tests carried out on sandy models alternatively equipped with vertical or horizontal drains. The main aim of the experimentation was to investigate the use of horizontal drains to mitigate the liquefaction susceptibility of sandy deposits and to validate their applicability as a remediation technique applicable in urban and industrial areas to protect existing buildings from liquefaction. The assessment and validation were carried out by comparing the seismic behavior of models treated with horizontal drains with that of the untreated model and models equipped with vertical drains.

A Study on the Interaction Behavior between an Earth-Rock Dam and a New-Typed Polymer Anti-Seepage Wall

Polymer anti-seepage wall has been gradually applied in earth-rock dam reinforcement projects as a new seepage control technique. However, due to all-pervasive properties of the new materials and root-like connection between the materials and soils, the interface characteristics between the polymer wall and the earth-rock dam, as well as the interaction behavior of both, are complex and still not clear, which obstruct studying coordination mechanism of dam and wall under earthquake. Therefore, the interface characteristics and interaction behavior of dam and wall were studied in the article. Firstly, the dynamic shear stress-displacement, shear stiffness and damping ratio of the interface between polymer and soil were investigated by ring shear test. In addition, the viscoelastic constitutive model of polymer materials were researched by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) test. Based on tests results, a finite element model of earth-rock dam with polymer wall was established, including a non-linear simulation interface element and viscoelastic polymer constitutive model. Next, the validity of the simulation model was verified based on dynamic centrifuge test results. Then, the interaction behavior and seismic response of the dam with polymer wall were explored by using the verified model. The research results provide a scientific basis for the development and application of new-typed polymer anti-seepage wall in reinforcement engineering.

Influence of the sloping ground conditions and the subsequent shaking events on the pile group response subjected to kinematic interactions for a liquefiable sloping ground

The soil-pile kinematic interaction under large nonlinearity, including soil liquefaction, represents a complex phenomenon that depends on many unforeseen factors. This paper presents the results of dynamic centrifuge tests carried out considering varying sloping inclination angles for a liquefiable ground subjected to four successive earthquake shakings having an increasing amplitude of acceleration. The results indicated the ground surface sloping inclinations to have a significant influence on the kinematic bending moment response of the piles. The significantly larger kinematic moments were generated on the downslope pile compared to the upslope pile highlighting the non-existence of shadowing effects during the lateral spreading for a liquefiable sloping ground. The kinematic moments generated during the first shaking, having predominant lateral spreading were substantially larger than the following three shakings, indicating the complex kinematic interaction to depend not only on the amplitude of base excitation; but mostly on the magnitude of lateral spreading. Moreover, the influences of the generated E.P.W.P on the pile response was studied and it was found that the piles may receive maximum kinematic moments around the occurrence of liquefaction to the time of initiation of dissipation phase of the generated E.P.W.P.

Effects of seismic input, fine crust and existing structure on liquefaction from centrifuge model tests

The results of dynamic centrifuge tests carried out to study the effects of seismic input, fine crust and existing structure on liquefaction triggering and manifestations are presented. The basic concept of the experimentation was to analyse the seismic behaviour of level ground, saturated, 14 m deep sandy deposits, homogeneous or stratified, subjected to increasing seismic excitations up to liquefaction, with or without a one degree of freedom structure on shallow foundations. The study was performed in the framework of the European project Horizon2020 “LIQUEFACT”.

Steady-state response of flexible combined pile-raft foundation under dynamic loading

The present study proposes a closed-form solution of flexible combined pile-raft foundation (CPRF) resting on an elastic medium under dynamic loading. Two components of the foundation system, i.e. pile and raft are idealized as beam and plate, respectively, resting on an elastic two-parameter Pasternak soil medium. The governing differential equations of these components under horizontal harmonic loading is formulated and the subsequent closed-form solutions of the same are obtained by using Fourier transformation technique. Two simultaneous analyses are performed for piles and raft and displacement compatibility is satisfied at the junction of the components. The proposed method is validated with dynamic centrifuge test results, available in the literature. In further parametric studies, the effect of loading frequency on the dynamic displacement response of CPRF is investigated. Also it is perceived that with an increase in raft flexibility by 60%, the horizontal load sharing proportion of raft reduces by 75%–65% for loose to dense sands, correspondingly. This study contributes significantly in understanding the steady-state response of CPRF under dynamic loading from an analytical perspective.

Improved performance-based seismic coefficient for gravity-type quay walls based on centrifuge test results

Verifying the seismic performance of port structures when the force balance limit is exceeded is important for the performance-based seismic design of gravity-type quay walls. Over the last three decades, performance verification methods have been developed that consider the effects of the design earthquake motion, geotechnical conditions, and structural details on the deformation of a quay wall to accurately predict earthquake-induced damage. In this study, representative performance verification methods (i.e., simplified dynamic analysis methods extending from the Newmark sliding block method and performance-based seismic coefficients developed in Japan) were quantitatively assessed with actual cases of earthquake-damaged quay walls and the results of dynamic centrifuge tests previously conducted under various conditions (i.e., different wall heights, earthquake motions and the thickness of subsoil). The dynamic centrifuge test results suggested directions for improving the performance-based seismic coefficients of the representative methods, while their field applicability and reliability were confirmed according to the actual earthquake records.

P-y Curves of 2x2 pile group in liquefiable soil under dynamic loadings

The seismic analysis of pile groups subjected to lateral and axial loads is often implemented separately. As a result, the calculated bending moment and deflection are found to be nonrealistic in nature, as compared with conditions where a combined analysis is carried out. In reality combined loadings are encountered in almost all situations and the occurrence of pure loadings (either lateral or vertical) is either nonexistent or scarce. In the present study, the numerical analysis of a 2 × 2 pile group under the action of combined loadings (lateral load, vertical load, and seismic ground motions) and embedded in a layered soil is carried out using the FLAC3D computer program. The liquefiable soil layer is modeled using the Mohr-Coulomb with Byrne constitutive model, while the non-liquefiable soil layers are modeled with the conventional Mohr-Coulomb constitutive model. The pile group is considered an elastic model. The proposed numerical model is validated with the existing dynamic centrifuge test results and good agreement between the results is observed. Finally the dynamic P-y (P denotes the lateral load applied at the pile cap and y is the lateral pile group deflection at the pile head) curves are generated for different combinations of vertical load, lateral load, and input seismic ground motions in liquefiable and non-liquefiable soil. It is observed that for a constant vertical load (V) having a magnitude equal to 0.50 times the ultimate pile load capacity (0.50Vult), the pile group deflection increases by 36% when the lateral load increases from 300 to 900 kN, while the increase is by 48.5% for V = Vult and for the same increase in the lateral load. Similarly 2001 Bhuj and 2011 Sikkim motions caused an amplification of deflection by 8.4 and 9 times, respectively. The influence of vertical loads increases the pile head displacement and should be considered for determining the dynamic P-y curves. The proposed dynamic P-y curves will be beneficial to geotechnical engineers for understanding the qualitative response of pile groups under combined loading conditions.

Influence of foundation type on seismic response of low-rise structures in liquefiable soil

The 2010–2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence (CES) caused extensive damage to low-rise structures in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, mainly due to liquefaction-induced effects including settlement and angular distortion. This paper will present the results of dynamic centrifuge tests comparing the effects of liquefaction on the seismic performance of isolated structures with different types of shallow foundations (strips or a raft), and the effect of being situated adjacent to a heavier neighbouring structure of the same foundation type (i.e. considering structure-soil-structure interaction, SSSI). Performance will be evaluated under a sequence of successive earthquakes from the 2010–2011 CES and 2011 Tohoku Earthquake, Japan, to permit study under ground motions and aftershocks generating full liquefaction either extensively or to only a limited depth below ground level. The results show firstly that lower intensity ground shaking occurs at the ground surface when liquefaction occurs and that this can be estimated as a function of the degree of liquefaction using a simple estimation method. When subjected to these ground motions, using strip foundations for isolated structures can result in a reduction in structural demand, especially when the soil is extensively liquefied. When a neighbouring structure with the same foundation type is present, the effects of SSSI within liquefied soil result in changes to natural period and damping such that raft-founded structures exhibited lower structural demands. In either case (isolated or adjacent), a reduction in structural demand is accompanied by an increase in post-earthquake permanent foundation deformation.

Stress transfer from rocking shallow foundations on soil-cement reinforced clay

Equivalent-static pushover analyses with a three-dimensional (3D), nonlinear, finite-difference model are used to investigate the static and seismic stresses imposed on soil-cement grid reinforcements in soft clay profiles by overlying structures supported by shallow footings. The goal is to evaluate the potential stress concentrations in the soil-cement grid during foundation rocking and the potential for large foundation settlements associated with the local crushing of the soil-cement. The numerical analyses are first validated using data from dynamic centrifuge experiments that included cases with and without large foundation settlements and localized crushing of the soil-cement grids. The experimental and numerical results indicate that the stresses imposed on the soil-cement grid by the overlying structures must account for foundation rocking during strong shaking and stress concentrations at the soil-cement grid intersections. The numerical analyses provide reasonable predictions of the structural rocking loads and the zone of the expected crushing or lack of crushing, but underestimate the accumulation of foundation settlements when the seismic demands repeatedly exceed the soil-cement strength. The simulated moment-rotation and uplift behavior of the footings under monotonic lateral loading are reasonably consistent with the dynamic centrifuge test results. Parametric analyses using the validated numerical model illustrate how the stress transfer varies with the area replacement ratio, the thickness of the top sand layer, the properties of the bearing sand layer, and the relative stiffness of the soil-cement and the surrounding soil. A design model for estimating the stresses imposed on a soil-cement grid by rocking foundations was developed and shown to provide a reasonable basis for assessing whether or not local damage to the soil-cement grid is expected.

Seismic Active Thrust on Rigid Retaining Wall Using Strain Dependent Dynamic Properties

An analytical model is proposed for the evaluation of seismic active thrust on retaining wall resting on sandy soil. Foundation and backfill soil is idealized as Kelvin-Voigt solid. The governing differential equation of vertically propagating shear wave is solved by maintaining the displacement continuity and stress compatibility at the interface between backfill and foundation soil. Nonlinear distribution of accelerations induced in the backfill soil is then used to compute the seismic inertia force. Total seismic active thrust is obtained by solving the force equilibrium equation of the triangular failure wedge. The present method computes the strain-dependent shear-wave velocity and damping ratio of sand from its modulus reduction and damping ratio curves using an iterative scheme. Amplification and deamplification of the input excitations in the foundation soil and backfill soil are compared with results of dynamic centrifuge tests reported in the literature. An increase in the magnitude of seismic active thrust is observed when the retaining wall is situated on sandy soil in place of the rigid stratum, and the percentage increase is 18% in comparison to the latest method available in the literature. The seismic active thrust values for long period input excitations are nearly 13 to 17% higher compared to short-period input excitations. The parametric study reveals that depth of backfill and foundation soil, impedance ratio, amplitude, and frequency of input motion dominate the response of the backfill soil under seismic condition. (C) 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Tunnel flexibility effect on the ground surface acceleration response

Flexibility of underground structures relative to the surrounding medium, referred to as the flexibility ratio, is an important factor that influences their dynamic interaction. This study investigates the flexibility effect of a box-shaped subway tunnel, resting directly on bedrock, on the ground surface acceleration response using a numerical model verified against dynamic centrifuge test results. A comparison of the ground surface acceleration response for tunnel models with different flexibility ratios revealed that the tunnels with different flexibility ratios influence the acceleration response at the ground surface in different ways. Tunnels with lower flexibility ratios have higher acceleration responses at short periods, whereas tunnels with higher flexibility ratios have higher acceleration responses at longer periods. The effect of the flexibility ratio on ground surface acceleration is more prominent in the high range of frequencies. Furthermore, as the flexibility ratio of the tunnel system increases, the acceleration response moves away from the free field response and shifts towards the longer periods. Therefore, the flexibility ratio of the underground tunnels influences the peak ground acceleration (PGA) at the ground surface, and may need to be considered in the seismic zonation of urban areas.

Experimental Assessment of the Stress–Strain Behaviour of Leighton Buzzard Sand for the Calibration of a Constitutive Model

A number of constitutive models are nowadays implemented in numerical codes which simulate the stress–strain behaviour of soil from very small to large strain. In this paper, the mechanical behaviour of Leighton Buzzard sand (grade E), used worldwide for physical modelling, has been thoroughly characterized by laboratory testing along several stress paths. Tests were aimed at calibrating a constitutive model, that allows considering stiffness nonlinearities in a wide range of strains, in the framework of isotropically hardening plasticity. As a validation, the results of dynamic centrifuge tests on a layer of the same sand were compared with finite element predictions.

Seismic analysis of laterally loaded pile under influence of vertical loading using finite element method

An efficient analytical approach using the finite element (FE) method, is proposed to calculate the bending moment and deflection response of a single pile under the combined influence of lateral and axial compressive loading during an earthquake, in both saturated and dry homogenous soil, and in a typical layered soil. Applying a pseudo-static method, seismic loads are calculated using the maximum horizontal acceleration (MHA) obtained from a seismic ground response analysis and a lateral load coefficient (a) for both liquefying and non-liquefying soils. It is observed that for a pile having l/d ratio 40 and embedded in dry dense sand, the normalized moment and displacement increase when the input motion becomes more severe, as expected. Further increasing of a from 0.1 to 0.3 leads to increase in the normalized moment and displacement from 0.033 to 0.042, and 0.009 to 0.035, respectively. The validity of the proposed FE based solution for estimating seismic response of pile is also assessed through dynamic centrifuge test results.

Seismic Behaviour of Retaining Structures, Design Issues and Requalification Techniques

The realistic estimation of seismic earth pressure is very crucial for the design of retaining structures in seismic-prone areas. Several researchers have developed analytical and numerical methods for the estimation of seismic earth pressure. Some experimental studies are also reported to clearly present the seismic behaviour of retaining structures. Pseudo-static and pseudo-dynamic methods are the ones which are popularly used for the calculation of seismic earth pressure. Pseudo-dynamic method is a modification of the conventional pseudo-static method by eliminating most of the limitations. Recently, the researchers have shown that the new dynamic method considering Rayleigh wave, which plays a major role in the calculation of seismic earth pressures to maintain compatible dynamic stress boundary conditions, is better than pseudo-dynamic method as validated through the available dynamic centrifuge test results. This state-of-the-art paper presents a critical review of the literature on the available procedures for the seismic analysis, design and requalification of retaining structures. The methods which are currently used in routine practice for the seismic design of retaining structures are also explained briefly. Indian and some other international design codes for the seismic design of retaining structures are explained. For new design and requalification of existing retaining structures in seismic-prone areas, a worked out example is provided with recommendations for techniques of requalification.

Axial load transfer in liquefiable soils for free-standing piles

The shaft friction capacity of a piled foundation is commonly linked to the effective stresses acting on the pile, and hence it is assumed that if the surrounding soil liquefies following an earthquake event, the shaft friction capacity of a pile drops to zero. In this paper an investigation into the axial load transfer during a liquefaction event based on dynamic centrifuge test results is presented. A free-standing pile group with the pile cap clear of the ground surface is considered, to clarify the mechanism of load transfer. The pile group was instrumented to measure axial loading at several locations along the pile length, and was embedded in a saturated soil profile where a dense permeable base layer was overlain by a layer of loose, liquefiable sand. The results show that shaft friction continues to be maintained during an earthquake in both loose and dense soil. In the case of loose soils, the apparent shaft friction capacity is proposed with reference to the shear taking place at the pile/soil interface, which causes a local reduction in the pore pressures.

비선형 수치해석을 통한 단자유도 얕은기초 구조물의 지진 응답특성 검증

Seismic response of single degree of freedom system supported by shallow foundation was analyzed by using nonlinear explicit finite difference element code. Numerical analysis results were verified with dynamic centrifuge test results of the same soil profile and structural dimensions with the numerical analysis model at a centrifugal acceleration of 20 g. Differences between the analysis and the test results induced by the boundary conditions of control points can be reduced by adding additional local damping to the natural born cyclic hysteretic damping of the soil strata. The analysis results show good agreement with the test results in terms of both time histories and response spectra. Thus, it can be concluded that the nonlinear explicit finite difference element code will be a useful technique for estimating seismic residual displacement, earthpressure etc. which are difficult to measure during laboratory tests and real earthquake.