A coupling model of FE–BE–IE–IBE for non-linear layered soil–structure interactions

A coupling model of Finite Elements (FEs), Boundary Elements (BEs), Infinite Elements (IEs) and Infinite Boundary Elements (IBEs) is presented for analysis of soil–structure interaction (SSI). The radiation effects of the infinite layered soil are taken into account by FE–IE coupling, while the underlying bed rock half-space is discretized into BE–IBE coupling whereby the non-horizontal bed rock surface can be accounted for. Displacement compatabilities are satisfied for all types of aforementioned elements. The equivalent linear approach is employed for approximation of nonlinearity of the near field soil. This model has some advantages over the current SSI program in considering the bed rock half-space and non-vertical wave incidence from the far field. Examples of verification demonstrate the applicability and accuracy of the method when compared with the FLUSH program. Finally, the effects of the relative modulus ratio E_r/E_s of rock and soil and the incident angles of non-vertical waves on the responses of the structure and the soil are examined. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic soil–structure interaction of coupled shear walls by boundary element method

For a class of civil engineering structures, that can be accurately represented by ‘coupled shear walls’ (CSWs), a discrete model for the analysis of the dynamic interaction with the underlying soil is proposed. The CSWs, with one or more rows of openings, rest on a rigid foundation embedded in the elastic or viscoelastic half-space. A hierarchical finite element model based on an equivalent continuum approach is adopted for the structure. A frequency-domain boundary element method is used to represent the half-space. Finally, the set of equations governing the response of the coupled soil-structure system to harmonic lateral loads acting on the structure is also given. The frequency deviation effect with respect to the fixed-base structure and the effects of radiation and material damping in the soil are presented for different characteristics of the structure and different soil properties.     

Dynamic analysis of large 3-D underground structures by the bem

An up to date literature survey on the dynamics of underground structures is presented briefly. The dynamic response of large three-dimensional underground structures to external or internal dynamic forces or to seismic waves is numerically determined by the frequency domain boundary element method. This method is used to model both the structure and the soil medium, which are assumed to behave as linear elastic or viscoelastic bodies. The full-space dynamic fundamental solution is employed in the formulation and this requires a free soil surface discretization, confined to a finite portion around the area of interest, in addition to soil—structure interface and free structural surface discretizations. The dynamic disturbances can have a harmonic or a transient time variation. The transient case is treated with the aid of numerical Laplace transforms with respect to time. Various numerical examples involving lined cavities and long lined tunnels buried in the full- or the half-space subjected to harmonic or transient external forces or seismic waves are presented to illustrate the method and demonstrate its advantages.     

Seismic analysis of base-isolated liquid storage tanks using the BE–FE–BE coupling technique

A three-dimensional soil–structure–liquid interaction problem is numerically simulated in order to analyze the dynamic behavior of a base-isolated liquid storage tank subjected to seismic ground motion. A dynamic analysis of a liquid storage tank is carried out using a hybrid formulation, which combines the finite shell elements for structures and the boundary elements for liquid and soil. The system is composed of three parts: the liquid–structure interaction part, the soil–foundation interaction part, and the base-isolation part. In the liquid–structure interaction part, the tank structure is modeled using the finite elements and the liquid is modeled using the internal boundary elements, which satisfy the free surface boundary condition. In the soil–foundation interaction part, the foundation is modeled using the finite elements and the half-space soil media are modeled using the external boundary elements, which satisfy the radiation condition in the infinite domain. Finally, above two parts are connected with the base-isolation system to solve the system's behavior. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy of the developed method, and an earthquake response analysis is carried out to demonstrate the applicability of the developed technique. The properties of a real LNG tank located in the west coast of Korea are used. The effects of the ground and the base-isolation system on the behavior of the tank are analyzed.     

Interaction of an axisymmetric body with obliquely incident seismic waves by global local finite elements

Asymmetric steady-state structure-media interaction due to obliquely incident body waves is investigated via a version of the global local finite element method. In the present version, a local region that houses an axisymmetric structure is modelled by conventional finite elements, while the behaviour in the remaining portion of the homogeneous semi-infinite medium is presented by the spherical harmonics that are the eigensolutions of the entire space problem. The solution scheme involves (1) full displacement and traction continuity along the boundary between the local and the exterior regions and (2) satisfaction of the traction-free requirement on the surface of the half-space beyond the discretized region by virtue of a sequence of integral constraints of the non-zero weighted surface tractions of the spherical harmonics. The numerical results presented are for a perfectly bonded rigid circular foundation resting on the surface of the half-space and subjected to obliquely incident body waves. Dependence of the displacement response of the footing upon incident angles and dimensionless wave numbers is thoroughly studied.     

Scattering of SV waves by a canyon in a fluid-saturated, poroelastic layered half-space, modeled using the indirect boundary element method

The scattering of SV waves by a canyon in a fluid-saturated, poroelastic layered half-space is modeled using the indirect boundary element method in the frequency domain. The free-field responses are calculated to determine the displacements and stresses at the surface of the canyon, and fictitious distributed loads are then applied at the surface of the canyon in the free field to calculate the Green's functions for displacements and stresses. The amplitudes of the fictitious distributed loads are determined from the boundary conditions, and the displacements arising from the waves in the free field and from the fictitious distributed loads are summed to obtain the solution. The effects of fluid saturation, boundary conditions, porosity, and soil layers on the surface displacement amplitudes and phase shifts are discussed, and some useful conclusions are obtained. It is shown that the surface displacement amplitudes due to saturation and boundary conditions, different porosities, or the presence of a soil layer can be very dissimilar, and large phase shifts can be observed. The resulting wavelengths for an undrained saturated poroelastic medium are slightly longer than those for a drained saturated poroelastic medium; and are longer for a drained saturated poroelastic medium than those for a dry poroelastic medium. As porosity increases, the wavelengths become longer; and a layered half-space produces longer wavelengths than a homogeneous half-space.     

Free‐vibration analysis of a three‐dimensional soil–structure system

A procedure which involves a non‐linear eigenvalue problem and is based on the substructure method is proposed for the free‐vibration analysis of a soil–structure system. In this procedure, the structure is modelled by the standard finite element method, while the unbounded soil is modelled by the scaled boundary finite element method. The fundamental frequency, and the corresponding radiation damping ratio as well as the modal shape are obtained by using inverse iteration. The free vibration of a dam–foundation system, a hemispherical cavity and a hemispherical deposit are analysed in detail. The numerical results are compared with available results and are also verified by the Fourier transform of the impulsive response calculated in the time domain by the three‐dimensional soil–structure–wave interaction analysis procedure proposed in our previous paper. The fundamental frequency obtained by the present procedure is very close to that obtained by Touhei and Ohmachi, but the damping ratio and the imaginary part of modal shape are significantly different due to the different definition of damping ratio. This study shows that although the classical mode‐superposition method is not applicable to a soil–structure system due to the frequency dependence of the radiation damping, it is still of interest in earthquake engineering to evaluate the fundamental frequency and the corresponding radiation damping ratio of the soil–structure system. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seismic analysis of lock–soil–fluid systems by hybrid BEM–FEM

A study of soil–structure–fluid interaction (SSFI) of a lock system subjected to harmonic seismic excitation is presented. The water contained lock is embedded in layered soils supported by a half-space bedrock. The ground excitation is prescribed at the soil–bedrock interface. The response is numerically obtained through a hybrid boundary element (BEM) finite element method (FEM) formulation. The semi-infinite soil and the fluid are modeled by the BEM and the lock is modeled by the FEM. The equilibrium equation for the lock system is obtained by enforcing compatibility and equilibrium conditions at the fluid–structure, soil–structure and soil–layer interfaces under conditions of plane strain. To the authors’ knowledge this is the first study of a lock system that considers the effects of dynamic soil–fluid–structure interaction through a BEM–FEM methodology. A numerical example and parametric studies are presented to examine the effects of the presence of water, lock stiffness, and lock embedment on the response.     

Non-linear dynamic earth dam–foundation interaction using a BE–FE method

A general, rigorous, coupled Boundary Element–Finite Element (BE–FE) formulation is presented for non-linear seismic soil–structure interaction in two dimensions. The BE–FE method is applied to investigate the inelastic response of earth dams to transient SV waves. The dam body, consisting of heterogeneous materials modelled with a simple non-linear hysteretic model, is discretized with finite elements, whereas the elastic half-space is discretized with boundary elements. The study focuses on the combined effects of the material non-linearity and foundation flexibility. The results show the significant effect of the foundation flexibility in reducing the response through radiation of energy. For excitations with peak ground accelerations from 0·2gto 0·6g, the crest acceleration amplification ranges from 2·5 to 1·4 and seems to be comparable with field observations and results from other studies. Deamplification increasing with strain is reported at the lower part of the dam. The method is computationally powerful and can be used for efficient non-linear analysis of complex soil–structure systems. The efficiency of the BE–FE method allows further improvements with incorporation of a more advanced constitutive model and consideration of the generation and dissipation of pore-water pressures during the earthquake. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A plane strain soil-structure interaction model

A plane strain model for dynamic soil-structure interaction problems under harmonic state is presented. The boundary element method is used to study the response of a homogeneous isotropic linear elastic soil. The far field displacement at the free surface is approximated by an outgoing Rayleigh wave. The finite element method is used to describe the response of the building, of the foundation and possibly of a finite part of the inhomogeneous non-linear soil. Two coupling procedures are described. The model is applied to a problem previously studied in the antiplane case. Incident P, SV and Rayleigh waves are considered. The results show an amplification and an attenuation of the structure motion with frequency when incident Rayleigh waves and P, SV body waves are respectively considered.     

Seismic response of base-isolated liquid storage tanks considering fluid–structure–soil interaction in time domain

The seismic response analysis of a base-isolated liquid storage tank on a half-space was examined using a coupling method that combines the finite elements and boundary elements. The coupled dynamic system that considers the base isolation system and soil–structure interaction effect is formulated in time domain to evaluate accurately the seismic response of a liquid storage tank. Finite elements for a structure and boundary elements for liquid are coupled using equilibrium and compatibility conditions. The base isolation system is modeled using the biaxial hysteretic element. The homogeneous half-space is idealized using the simple spring-dashpot model with frequency-independent coefficients. Some numerical examples are presented to demonstrate accuracy and applicability of the developed method.Consequently, a general numerical algorithm that can analyze the dynamic response of base-isolated liquid storage tanks on homogeneous half-space is developed in three-dimensional coordinates and dynamic response analysis is performed in time domain.     

A fundamental dual‐zone continuum theory for dynamic soil–structure interaction

A continuum theory for an improved characterization of dynamic soil–structure interaction in the framework of three‐dimensional elastodynamics is presented. Effective in demonstrating the importance of integrating free‐field and near‐field effects under general soil and foundation conditions, a compact two‐zone delineation of the soil medium is proposed as a quintessential mechanics perspective for this class of problems. Sufficient to deliver a practical resolution of some perennial analytical and experimental conflicts, a fundamental formulation commensurate to a gradated unification of the homogenization approach and any sole free‐field inhomogeneous representation is developed and implemented computationally. Specialized to the problem of a rigid circular footing on sand, a nominal set of dynamic contact stress distributions and related impedance functions by the dual‐zone theory is included for theoretical and engineering evaluation. Through its comparison with benchmark analytical solutions and relevant physical measurements, the usage of the underlying conceptual platform as an advanced yet practical foundation for general dynamic soil–structure interaction is illustrated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Two-dimensional effective stress analysis of liquefaction of irregular ground including soil–structure interaction

An effective stress method is presented for analysis of seismic response and liquefaction of irregular ground including soil–structure interaction, based on an implicit–explicit finite element method. A pore water pressure is computed with iteration from the total stress considering an undrained condition. The simulated pore water pressure is in reasonably good agreement with the experimental data. The proposed method of analysis is compared with other well-known methods for a one-dimensional model, which is in good agreement. The present effective stress method is also applied to liquefaction problems involving a two-dimensional soil–structure model. The structure is modelled by not only a rigid model but also as a multi-degree-of-freedom system with bi-linear springs. The numerical results are considered to be significant from the viewpoint of earthquake engineering.     

Analysis of ground vibrations due to underground trains by 2.5D finite/infinite element approach

The 2.5D finite/infinite element approach is adopted to study wave propagation problems caused by underground moving trains. The irregularities of the near field, including the tunnel structure and parts of the soil, are modeled by the finite elements, and the wave propagation properties of the far field extending to infinity are modeled by the infinite elements. One particular feature of the 2.5D approach is that it enables the computation of the three-dimensional response of the half-space, taking into account the load-moving effect, using only a two-dimensional profile. Although the 2.5D finite/infinite element approach shows a great advantage in studying the wave propagation caused by moving trains, attention should be given to the calculation aspects, such as the rules for mesh establishment, in order to avoid producing inaccurate or erroneous results. In this paper, some essential points for consideration in analysis are highlighted, along with techniques to enhance the speed of the calculations. All these observations should prove useful in making the 2.5D finite/infinite element approach an effective one.     

Soil–pile–structure interaction under SH wave excitation

A continuum model for the interaction analysis of a fully coupled soil–pile–structure system under seismic excitation is presented in this paper. Only horizontal shaking induced by harmonic SH waves is considered so that the soil–pile–structure system is under anti‐plane deformation. The soil mass, pile and superstructure were all considered as elastic with hysteretic damping, while geometrically both pile and structures were simplified as a beam model. Buildings of various heights in Hong Kong designed to resist wind load were analysed using the present model. It was discovered that the acceleration of the piled‐structures at ground level can, in general, be larger than that of a free‐field shaking of the soil site, depending on the excitation frequency. For typical piled‐structures in Hong Kong, the amplification factor of shaking at the ground level does not show simple trends with the number of storeys of the superstructure, the thickness and the stiffness of soil, and the stiffness of the superstructure if number of storeys is fixed. The effect of pile stiffness on the amplification factor of shaking is, however, insignificant. Thus, simply increasing the pile size or the superstructure stiffness does not necessarily improve the seismic resistance of the soil–pile–structure system; on the contrary, it may lead to excessive amplification of shaking for the whole system. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

2-D transient soil–surface foundation interaction and wave propagation by time domain BEM

This paper shows an effective implementation of the half-plane Green function for surface strip impulses (Lamb's problem), which was previously developed in a closed form by the authors, into the time-domain boundary element method for the analysis of related initial boundary value problems. The time-stepping algorithm utilizing Heaviside step function makes the solution process free from the Rayleigh wave front singularity. Illustrative analyses performed include that: First, the response due to an impulsive uniform strip loading is dealt with in order to check the accuracy of the present solution and to interpret the associated wave motion in the medium. Second, a rigid massless strip surface foundation is analysed when subjected to various impulsive loadings in vertical, horizontal and rotational directions to observe which wave is most concerned with the respective foundation motion. The field response is also of interest with respect to distance attenuation. Third, the dynamic cross-interaction between active and passive foundations through soil is investigated when multiple strip foundations are placed separately on a half-space with a certain distance.     

Soil–structure interaction in resonant railway bridges

This paper explores dynamic soil–bridge interaction in high speed railway lines. The analysis was conducted using a general and fully three-dimensional multi-body finite element–boundary element model formulated in the time domain to predict vibrations caused by trains passing over the bridge. The vehicle was modelled as a multi-body system, the track and the bridge were modelled using finite elements and the soil was considered as a half-space by the boundary element method. The dynamic response of bridges to vehicle passage is usually studied using moving force and moving mass models. However, the multi-body system allows to consider the quasi-static and dynamic excitation mechanisms. Soil–structure interaction was taken into account by coupling finite elements and boundary elements. The paper presents the results obtained for a simply supported short span bridge in a resonant regime under different soil stiffness conditions.     

Input and system identification of the Hualien soil–structure interaction system using earthquake response data

This paper presents an input and system identification technique for a soil–structure interaction system using earthquake response data. Identification is carried out on the Hualien large‐scale seismic test structure, which was built in Taiwan for international joint research. The identified quantities are the input ground acceleration as well as the shear wave velocities of the near‐field soil regions and Young's moduli of the shell sections of the structure. The earthquake response analysis on the soil–structure interaction system is carried out using the finite element method incorporating the infinite element formulation for the unbounded layered soil medium and the substructured wave input technique. The criterion function for the parameter estimation is constructed using the frequency response amplitude ratios of the earthquake responses measured at several points of the structure, so that the information on the input motion may be excluded. The constrained steepest descent method is employed to obtain the revised parameters. The simulated earthquake responses using the identified parameters and input ground motion show excellent agreement with the measured responses. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic 3-D soil–railway track interaction by BEM–FEM

A study on the dynamic response of a railway track is presented via a 3-D formulation based on the frequency domain Boundary Element Method (BEM) and the Finite Element Method (FEM). The railway track consists of a group of surface, massive, rigid footings resting on a viscoelastic half-space and connected by an overlaying rail structure. The BEM, employing the full-space fundamental solutions and quadrilateral elements, is used for the simulation of the elastic half-space while the FEM is used to model the rigid footings and the rail superstructure. The loading function consists of a set of externally applied, harmonic or transient loads. Frequency as well as transient, by way of FFT, results are presented for various modes of vibration. Various numerical studies assess the through-the-soil interaction of the adjacent footings, the influence of soil damping, the effect of the overlaying structure on the frequency content of the system, and the effective simulation of an infinitely long railway track by a truncated one.     

Bridge–embankment interaction under transverse ground excitation

Seismic performance and dynamic response of bridge–embankments during strong or moderate ground excitations are investigated through finite element (FE) modelling and detailed dynamic analysis. Previous research studies have established that bridge–embankments exhibit increasingly flexible performance under high‐shear deformation levels and that soil displacements at bridge abutment supports may be significant particularly in the transverse direction. The 2D equation of motion is solved for the embankment, in order to evaluate the dynamic characteristics and to describe explicitly the seismic performance and dynamic response under transverse excitations accounting for soil nonlinearities, soil–structure interaction and imposed boundary conditions (BCs). Using the proposed model, equivalent elastic analysis was performed so as to evaluate the dynamic response of approach embankments while accounting for soil–structure interaction. The analytical procedures were applied in the case of a well‐documented bridge with monolithic supports (Painter Street Overcrossing, PSO) which had been instrumented and embankment participation was identified from its response records after the 1971 San Fernando earthquake. The dynamic characteristics and dynamic response of the PSO embankments were evaluated for alternative BCs accounting for soil–structure interaction. Explicit expressions for the evaluation of the critical embankment length L_c are provided in order to quantify soil contribution to the overall bridge system under strong intensity ground excitations. The dynamic response of the entire bridge system (deck–abutments–embankments) was also evaluated through simplified models that considered soil–structure interaction. Results obtained from this analysis are correlated with those of detailed 3D FE models and field data with good agreement. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.