Assessment of predictions of the response of the Hualien containment model during forced vibration tests

Blind predictions for the response of the 1/4-scale reinforced concrete Hualien (Taiwan) containment model during forced vibration tests are compared with the observed data. The predictions obtained by the CLASSI approach reflect the experimental conditions prior to and after backfill of the soil surrounding the embedded foundation. The experimental data show a strong and unexpected coupling between the response in the NS and EW directions which is not present in the results for the axisymmetric theoretical models. Also, significant differences can be seen between the experimental responses in the two orthogonal horizontal directions which minimize cross-axis coupling. Although these differences are not accounted for in the theoretical models, the discrepancies between predictions and observations are within the uncertainty of the structural and geotechnical data. The obtained differences between predictions and observations give an excellent measure of the prediction error that can be expected in this type of analysis from uncertainty in the data. A detailed assessment of the initial structural and geotechnical data based on extensive comparisons with the results of previous identification studies is also presented. Finally, comparisons between the observed response and calculations based on revised models for the structure and the soil show that current methods of analysis can account accurately for the observed response.     

Isolation of soil-structure interaction effects by full-scale forced vibration tests

Forced vibration tests designed to isolate the effects of soil-structure interaction are described and the results obtained for the nine-storey reinforced concrete Millikan Library Building are analysed. It is shown that it is possible to determine experimentally the fixed-base natural frequencies and modal damping ratios of the superstructure. These values may be significantly different from the resonant frequencies and damping ratios of the complete structure-foundation-soil system. It is also shown that forced vibration tests can be used to obtain estimates of the foundation impedance functions. In the case of the Millikan Library it is found that during forced vibration tests the rigid-body motion associated with translation and rocking of the base accounts for more than 30 per cent of the total response on the roof and that the deformation of the superstructure at the fundamental frequencies of the system is almost entirely due to the inertial forces generated by translation and rocking of the base.     

Soil-structure interaction analysis of the Hualien containment model

This paper presents results from forced vibration tests, microtremor observations and earthquake response analysis of a nuclear reactor containment model constructed on stiff soil in Hualien, Taiwan. The dynamic behavior of the soil-structure system is simulated successfully with two numerical models: a sway-rocking model, whose soil parameters are evaluated on the basis of the continuum formulation method, and a finite element model, using the program SASSI with the flexible volume substructuring approach. The dependences of the soil parameters of both models on the amplitudes of the different dynamic excitations are investigated in detail. An original numerical simulation of microtremor is performed. Comparison with results of a previous study involving a rigid tower on a soft soil site in Chiba, Japan is offered.     

Determination of soil impedance functions from vibration-test response of a circular foundation

The paper presents the results of the determination from vibration tests of impedance functions for a concrete basemat of a one-quarter scale model of a nuclear power-plant containment building. The tests were designed to excite all rigid-body modes of the foundation. In addition to the impedance functions for all the rigid-body degrees of freedom, natural frequencies and damping for the fundamental modes were estimated. Comparison of the test-determined modal characteristics with corresponding analytical ones based on the Lysmer analog shows that though the latter gives natural-frequency estimates of the right order of magnitude, it does not give acceptable estimates of the damping coefficient. Analytical impedance functions based on a model of a rigid-plate on an elastic half-space were found to have the sam trend as the test-determined ones at lower frequencies, but not at higher frequencies. The utility of test data for verification of analysis is discussed.     

Identification of structural and soil properties from vibration tests of the Hualien containment model

Measurements of the response of the ¼‐scale reinforced concrete Hualien (Taiwan) containment model obtained during forced vibration tests are used to identify some of the characteristics of the superstructure and the soil. In particular, attempts are made to determine the fixed‐base modal frequencies, modal damping ratios, modal masses and participation factors associated with translation and rocking of the base. The shell superstructure appears to be softer than could have been predicted on the basis of the given geometry and of test data for the properties of concrete. Estimates of the shear‐wave velocity and damping ratio in the top layer of soil are obtained by matching the observed and theoretical system frequency and peak amplitude of the response at the top of the structure. The resulting models for the superstructure and the soil lead to theoretical results for the displacement and rotations at the base and top of the structure which closely match the observed response. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Soil–structure interaction effects observed in the in situ forced vibration and pushover tests of school buildings in Taiwan and their modeling considering the foundation flexibility

In the conventional structural seismic analysis, the rigid base model is usually adopted without considering the flexibility of the ground, leading to inaccurate estimation of the vibration characteristics and the seismic response of the structure. In 2007, several in situ tests were conducted by the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE) on the school buildings in the Guanmiao Elementary School in Tainan, Taiwan. For the study of soil–structure interaction (SSI) effects, the forced vibration test (FVT) was performed, and the deformation of the foundation system was measured during the pushover test. In this paper, the results of these in situ tests are presented and discussed, and the finite element models of the school buildings were generated for the simulation of the FVT and for the pushover analysis in order to investigate the difference between the rigid base model and the flexible base model. Results show that the mechanical properties of the structure and the foundation could be demonstrated in these in situ tests. Additionally, the introduction of the flexibility of the foundation has a considerable influence on the results of structural analysis. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modal analysis of circular flexible foundations under vertical vibration

A methodology using modal analysis is presented to evaluate dynamic displacements of a circular flexible foundation on soil media subjected to vertical vibration. The interaction effects between the foundation and the underlying soil are represented using modal soil impedance functions determined by an efficient procedure developed. The displacements of the foundation can then be easily solved by modal superposition. Comparing with existing solutions, the presented method is found to provide accurate results with less computational effort using only a few vibration modes. In addition, parametric studies for modal responses of the flexible foundation indicate that the response of the foundation are significantly influenced by relative stiffness between the foundation and the soil medium, load distributions, vibration frequency range, and the foundation mass. Besides, justification for flexible foundations to be considered as rigid are investigated.     

土-箱形基石础-框架结构相互作用的顶部小幅激振试验研究

设计并完成了野外大比例(1:2)土-箱形基础-框架结构相互作用系统顶部小幅激振试验.通过改变上部结构质量和基础侧限埋深,激振试验得到了同一基础不同上部结构质量与同一上部结构不同基础侧限埋深等5种工况下相互作用对系统自振频率及箱形基础阻抗函数的影响.由试验结果分析可知,当上部结构质量增加时,上部结构与土体间的相对刚度降低,相互作用对系统自振频率的影响减弱;同时由于上部结构和基础间惯性相互作用的影响,基础阻抗函数随上部结构质量的增加而增加.随着基础侧限埋深的减小,基础刚度降低,相互作用体现得更加明显.与理论结果相比,无侧限埋深基础的平动和转动基础阻抗值和理论值吻合较好.由于基础侧边回填土剪切模量小于基础底部土体剪切模量,所以同理论值相比试验得到的基础侧限埋深对基础阻抗影响系数相对较小.     

土-箱形基础-框架结构相互作用的顶部小幅激振试验研究

设计并完成了野外大比例(1∶2)土-箱形基础-框架结构相互作用系统顶部小幅激振试验。通过改变上部结构质量和基础侧限埋深,激振试验得到了同一基础不同上部结构质量与同一上部结构不同基础侧限埋深等5种工况下相互作用对系统自振频率及箱形基础阻抗函数的影响。由试验结果分析可知,当上部结构质量增加时,上部结构与土体间的相对刚度降低,相互作用对系统自振频率的影响减弱;同时由于上部结构和基础间惯性相互作用的影响,基础阻抗函数随上部结构质量的增加而增加。随着基础侧限埋深的减小,基础刚度降低,相互作用体现得更加明显。与理论结果相比,无侧限埋深基础的平动和转动基础阻抗值和理论值吻合较好。由于基础侧边回填土剪切模量小于基础底部土体剪切模量,所以同理论值相比试验得到的基础侧限埋深对基础阻抗影响系数相对较小。     

Full-scale experimental modal analysis of an arch dam: The first experience in Iran

Forced vibration field tests and finite-element studies were conducted on the Shahid Rajaee concrete arch dam in Northern Iran to determine the dynamic properties of the dam–reservoir–foundation system. The first forced vibration tests on the dam were performed with two different types of exciter units, with a limited maximum force, bolted on the dam crest for alternative in-phase and out-of-phase sequencing. Because of an insufficient number of recording sensors, two arrangements of sensors were used to cover sufficient points on the dam crest and one gallery during tests. Two kinds of vibration tests, on–off and frequency sweeping, were carried out on the dam. The primary natural frequencies of the coupled system for both symmetric and anti-symmetric vibration modes were approximated during on–off tests in two types of sequencing of exciters, in phase and out-of-phase, with a maximum frequency of 14 Hz. The principal forced vibration tests were performed at precise resonant frequencies based on the results of the on–off tests in which sweeping around the approximated frequencies at 0.1 Hz increments was performed. Baseline correction and suitable bandpass filtering were applied to the test records and then signal processing was carried out to compute the auto power, cross power and coherence spectra. Nine middle modes of vibration of the coupled system and corresponding damping ratios were estimated. The empirical results are compared against the results from calibrated finite-element modeling of the system using former ambient vibration tests, considering the dam–reservoir–foundation interaction effects. Good agreement is obtained between experimental and numerical results for eight middle modes of the dam–reservoir–foundation system.     

Effect of a forced harmonic vibration pile to its adjacent pile in layered elastic soil with double-shear model

A new model named double-shear model based on Pasternak foundation and Timoshenko beam theory is developed to evaluate the effect of a forced harmonic vibration pile to its adjacent pile in multilayered soil medium. The double-shear model takes into account the shear deformation and the rotational inertia of piles as well as the shear deformation of soil. The piles are simulated as Timoshenko beams, which are embedded in a layered Pasternak foundation. The differential equation of transverse vibration for a pile is solved by the initial parameter method. The dynamic interaction factors for the layered soil medium are obtained by the transfer matrix method. The formulation and the implementation have been verified by means of several examples. The individual shear effects of soil and piles on the interaction factors are evaluated through a parametric study. Compared to Winkler model with Euler beam, the present model gives much better results for the dynamic interaction of piles embedded in stiff soil with small slenderness ratios. Finally, the effect of a forced long pile to a short pile embedded in multilayered soil medium is studied in detail.     

Simulation of soil–foundation–structure interaction of Hualien large-scale seismic test using dynamic centrifuge test

Understanding the soil–structure interaction (SSI) mechanism is crucial in the seismic design of nuclear power plant (NPP) containment systems. Although the numerical analysis method is generally used in seismic design, there is a need for experimental verification for the reliable estimation of SSI behavior. In this study a dynamic centrifuge test was performed to simulate the SSI behavior of a Hualien large-scale seismic test (LSST) during the Chi-Chi earthquake. To simulate the soil profile and dynamic soil properties of the Hualien site, a series of resonant column (RC) tests was performed to determine the model soil preparation conditions, such as the compaction density and the ratio of soil–gravel contents. The variations in the shear wave velocity (V_S) profiles of the sand, gravel, and backfill layers in the model were estimated using the RC test results. During the centrifuge test, the V_S profiles of the model were evaluated using in-flight bender element tests and compared with the in-situ V_S profile at Hualien. The containment building model was modeled using aluminum and the proper scaling laws. A series of dynamic centrifuge tests was performed with a 1/50 scale model using the base motion recorded during the Chi-Chi-earthquake. In the soil layer and foundation level, the centrifuge test results were similar to the LSST data in both the time and frequency domains, but there were differences in the structure owing to the complex structural response as well as the material damping difference between the concrete in the prototype and aluminum in the model. In addition, as the input base motion amplitude was increased to a maximum value of 0.4g (prototype scale), the responses of the soil and containment model were measured. This study shows the potential of utilizing dynamic centrifuge tests as an experimental modeling tool for site specific SSI analyses of soil–foundation–NPP containment system.     

Identification of the Hualien soil-structure interaction system

This article demonstrates how system identification techniques can be successfully applied to a soil-structure interaction system in conjunction with the results of the forced vibration tests on the Hualien large-scale seismic test structure which was recently built in Taiwan for an international joint research. The parameters identified are the shear moduli of several near-field soil regions as well as Young's moduli of the shell sections of the structure. The soil-structure interaction system is represented by the finite element method combined with infinite element formulation for the unbounded layered soil medium. Preliminary investigations are carried out on the results of the static stress analysis for the soil medium and the results of the in-situ tests to divide the soil-structure system into several regions with homogeneous properties and to determine the lower and upper bounds of the parameters for the purpose of identification. Then two sets of parameters are identified for two principal directions based on the forced vibration test data by minimizing the estimation error using the constrained steepest descent method. The simulated responses for the forced vibration tests using the identified parameters show excellent agreement with the test data. The present estimated parameters are also found to be well compared with the average value of those by other researchers in the joint project.     

A numerical model for the dynamic analysis of inclined pile groups

The paper presents a numerical model for the dynamic analysis of pile groups with inclined piles in horizontally layered soil deposits. Piles are modelled with Euler–Bernoulli beams, while the soil is supposed to be constituted by independent infinite viscoelastic horizontal layers. The pile–soil–pile interaction as well as the hysteretic and geometric damping is taken into account by means of two‐dimensional elastodynamic Green's functions. Piles cap is considered by introducing a rigid constraint; the condensation of the problem permits a consistent derivation of both the dynamic impedance matrix of the soil–foundation system and the foundation input motion. These quantities are those used to perform inertial soil–structure interaction analyses in the framework of the substructure approach. Furthermore, the model allows evaluating the kinematic stress resultants in piles resulting from waves propagating in the soil deposit, taking into account the pile–soil–pile interactions. The model validation is carried out by performing accuracy analyses and comparing results in terms of dynamic impedance functions, kinematic response parameters and pile stress resultants, with those furnished by 3D refined finite element models. To this purpose, classical elastodynamic solutions are adopted to define the soil–pile interaction problem. The model results in low computational demands without significant loss of precision, compared with more rigorous approaches or refined finite element models. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic analysis of flexible cantilever wall retaining elastic soil by a modified Vlasov–Leontiev model

Dynamic response of a flexible cantilever wall retaining elastic soil to harmonic transverse seismic excitations is determined with the aid of a modified Vlasov–Leontiev foundation model and on the assumption of vanishing vertical displacement of the soil medium. The soil–wall interaction is taken into consideration in the presented model. The governing equations and boundary conditions of the two unknown coupled functions in the model are derived in terms of Hamilton׳s principle. Solutions of the two unknown functions are obtained on the basis of an iterative algorithm. The present method is verified by comparing its results with those of the existing analytical solution. Moreover, a mechanical model is proposed to evaluate the presented method physically. A parametric study is performed to investigate the effects of the soil–wall system properties and the excitations on the dynamic response of the wall.     

结构-地基动力相互作用体系振动台模型试验研究

本文设计实现了结构－地基动力相互作用体系的振动台试验,通过试验研究了动力相互作用体系的地震动反应的主要规律,由于动力相互作用的影响,软土地基中相互作用体系的频率远小于刚性地基上不考虑结构－地基相互作用的结构频率,而阻尼比例则远大于结构材料阻尼比,软上地基对地震动走滤波和隔震作用,由于上部结构的振动反馈,基底地震动与自由场地震动不相同,上部结构柱顶加速度反应主要由基础转动引起的摆动分量组成,平均分量次之,而弹性变形分量很小,桩身应变幅值呈桩顶大,桩尖小的倒三角形分布,桩上接触压力幅值呈桩顶小,桩尖大的三角形分布,试验表明,结构－地基动力相互作用对体系地震反应的影响是很是显著的,本试验为验证理论与计算分析的研究成果,改进或提出合理的计算模型和分析方法,提出了丰富的试验数据,为进一步研究奠定的基础。     

桩基础在无限层地基中的轴向地震反应分析

本文对无限层弹性地基中单桩基础通过特性分析建立了合理的软科学模型，按分层弹性地基土模型对桩进行动力分析，给出了桩基础轴向自振特性及在竖向地震载荷与动力载荷作用了强迫反应的解析解，文中的解析公式为无限层弹性地基中的单桩基础轴向地震反应分析提供了一种新的解析方法。     

分层土-基础-高层框架结构相互作用体系振动台模型试验研究

本文设计实现了分层土－基础－高层框架结构相互作用体系的振动台模型试验，再现了地震动激励下上部结构和基础的震害现象和砂质粉土的液化现象。通过试验，研究了相互作用体系地震动反应的主要规律：由于动力相互作用的影响，软土地基中相互作用体系的频率小于不考虑结构－地基相互作用的结构频率，而阻尼比则大于结构材料阻尼比；体系的振型曲线与刚性地基上结构的振型曲线明显不同，基础处存在平动和转动。土层传递振动的放大或减振作用与土层性质、激励大小等因素有关，砂土层一般起放大作用，砂质粉土层一般起减振隔振作用；由于土体的隔震作用，上部结构接受的振动能量较小，各层反应均较小。上部结构顶层加速度反应组成取决于基础转动刚度、平动刚度和上部结构刚度的相对大小。     

Embedded foundation in layered soil under dynamic excitations

The critical step in the substructure approach for the soil–structure interaction (SSI) problem is to determine the impedance functions (dynamic-stiffness coefficients) of the foundations. In the present study, a computational tool is developed to determine the impedance functions of foundation in layered soil medium. Cone frustums are used to model the foundation soil system. Cone frustums are developed based on wave propagation principles and force-equilibrium approach. The model is validated for its ability to represent the embedded foundation in layered medium by comparing the results with the rigorous analysis results. Various degrees of freedom, such as, horizontal, vertical and rocking are considered for this study.     

Effective ambient vibration testing for validating numerical models of concrete dams

Ambient vibration tests were conducted on a 56 metre high concrete gravity dam to measure its modal properties for validating a finite element model of the dam–reservoir–foundation system. Excitation was provided by wind, by reservoir water cascading down the spillweir, and by the force of water released through outlet-pipes. Vibrations of the dam were measured using accelerometers, and 3-hour data records were acquired from each location. Data were processed by testing for stationarity and rejecting non-stationary portions before Fourier analysis. Power spectra with low variance were generated from which natural frequencies of the dam were identified clearly and modal damping factors estimated. Modal analysis of the frequency response spectra yielded mode shapes for the six lowest lateral modes of vibration of the dam. The finite element model for the dam was analysed using EACD-3D, and the computed mode shapes and natural frequencies compared well with the measured results. The study demonstrates that ambient vibration testing can offer a viable alternative to forced vibration testing when only the modal properties of a dam are required. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.