Seismic behavior of an inverted T-shape flexible retaining wall via dynamic centrifuge tests

In the design procedure for a retaining wall, the pseudo-static method has been widely used and dynamic earth pressure is calculated by the Mononobe–Okabe method, which is an extension of Coulomb’s earth pressure theory computed by force equilibrium. However, there is no clear empirical basis for treating the seismic force as a static force, and recent experimental research has shown that the Mononobe–Okabe method is quite conservative, and there exists a discrepancy between the assumed conditions and real seismic behavior during an earthquake. Two dynamic centrifuge tests were designed and conducted to reexamine the Mononobe–Okabe method and to evaluate the seismic lateral earth pressure on an inverted T-shape flexible retaining wall with a dry medium sand backfill. Results from two sets of dynamic centrifuge experiments show that inertial force has a significant impact on the seismic behavior on the flexible retaining wall. The dynamic earth pressure at the time of maximum moment during the earthquake was not synchronized and almost zero. The relationship between the back-calculated dynamic earth pressure coefficient at the time of maximum dynamic wall moment and the peak ground acceleration obtained from the wall base peak ground acceleration indicates that the seismic earth pressure on flexible cantilever retaining walls can be neglected at accelerations below 0.4 g. These results suggest that a wall designed with a static factor of safety should be able to resist seismic loads up to 0.3–0.4 g.     

Mitigation of the seismic motion near the edge of cliff-type topographies

Concentration of damage of buildings near the edge of hard or dense cliff-type topographies has been observed during a number of recent earthquakes. These observations have been interpreted by numerical dynamic analyses that illustrate the amplification of accelerations near the edge of slopes. The paper studies the effect of mitigating these accelerations using anchors both experimentally and numerically. The main issue is that if the part of the slope in which topographic amplification occurs is connected to that in which the acceleration is less, then the accelerations have to become more uniform. The experimental study involves dynamic centrifuge tests at the Cambridge University facility both with and without anchors. The numerical procedure was verified by the seismic response of the centrifuge tests. It was then applied to the study of the effect of anchors of a typical field case, the Aegion slope, under two different input motions. In all cases anchors were found effective in mitigating the seismic motion near the edge.     

Shaking‐table tests of flat‐bottom circular silos containing grain‐like material

According to Eurocode 8, the seismic design of flat‐bottom circular silos containing grain‐like material is based on a rough estimate of the inertial force imposed on the structure by the ensiled content during an earthquake: 80% of the mass of the content multiplied by the peak ground acceleration. A recent analytical consideration of the horizontal shear force mobilised within the ensiled material during an earthquake proposed by some of the authors has resulted in a radically reduced estimate of this load suggesting that, in practice, the effective mass of the content is significantly less than that specified. This paper describes a series of laboratory tests that featured shaking table and a silo model, which were conducted in order to obtain some experimental data to verify the proposed theoretical formulations and to compare with the established code provisions. Several tests have been performed with different heights of ensiled material – about 0.5 mm diameter Ballotini glass – and different magnitudes of grain–wall friction. The results indicate that in all cases, the effective mass is indeed lower than the Eurocode specification, suggesting that the specification is overly conservative, and that the wall–grain friction coefficient strongly affects the overturning moment at the silo base. At peak ground accelerations up to around 0.35 g, the proposed analytical formulation provides an improved estimate of the inertial force imposed on such structures by their contents. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Centrifuge modeling of a dry sandy slope response to earthquake loading

This paper presents results of a series of centrifuge models of dry, sandy slopes excited by earthquakes and cyclic waves under 50g centrifugal acceleration to investigate the dynamic performance of slopes. Test results of four model slopes with different profiles stimulated by the adjusted El Centro earthquakes with various peak accelerations reveal the response amplification mechanism of the slope. By calculating the response spectra of recorded acceleration time histories, it was observed that the different frequency contents of the input event were amplified to different degrees. The model slope showed a completely different response under the cyclic wave with a constant frequency and amplitude in that the spectral amplification factor curves had no prominent peak values. These findings suggest that dynamic centrifuge tests excited with a real ground motion are able to better reflect the response characteristics of a slope rather than the tests with cyclic loading.     

双向地震作用下锯末混合土场地动力特性分析

在北京工业大学振动台台阵系统上开展了一系列锯末混合土地基自由场振动台模型试验,试验中模型箱采用装配式连续体刚性模型箱,试验中输入地震动时程采用El Centro地震动记录、Taft地震动记录和天津地震动记录,地震动输入方向分为水平单向和水平双向。文中,重点考察了双向地震动输入下锯末混合土模型场地的动力特性及其变化规律,主要指标包括模型场地地震动反应的峰值加速度及其动力放大系数、加速度时程及其傅氏谱。试验结果表明:随着输入地震动强度的增大,同一测点反应的峰值加速度总体上在增大,而其加速度动力放大系数总体上呈现减小的趋势,反应的频谱组成从较高频率向较低频率移动;双向地震作用下锯末混合土模型场地的动力变化规律与单向地震作用下较为一致。     

地震作用下柱承式筒仓仓壁侧压力试验研究

地震作用下贮料对筒仓产生的超压是造成筒仓损伤破坏的原因之一。为研究地震作用下贮料的地震响应特性及变化规律,对缩尺比例为1∶25的柱承式筒仓模型开展了单向和双向地震作用下的振动台试验,揭示了筒仓仓壁动态侧压力分布规律和超压系数,建立了仓壁动态侧压力的计算方法。研究表明:（1）地震时筒仓内贮料的运动滞后于仓壁,随着地震动持续滞后逐渐明显,且沿仓壁顶部至底部滞后不断减弱;（2）动态侧压力分布规律与测点布置位置、地震波的输入方式相关;（3）仓体顶部范围内超压系数试验值大于规范采用值,现行规范中采用的修正系数偏小;（4）仅依据单向地震激励,尚不足以真实反映地震作用下筒仓贮料的动力学特性,筒仓结构强度设计时不应忽略双向地震作用。研究成果可为柱承式筒仓的抗震设计提供参考和依据。     

柱承式立筒群仓结构模型振动台试验研究

为研究不同贮料状态下钢筋混凝土柱承式立筒群仓结构的动力特性及其在地震作用下的动力响应规律,对缩尺比例为1:25的3×3组合柱承式立筒群仓结构模型进行了振动台试验。试验结果表明:柱承式筒仓结构具有“上刚下柔”的特性,使其加速度响应和整体变形均沿高度呈折线型,折点在刚度突变的柱顶和仓壁连接部位;贮料状态对立筒群仓结构动力特性的影响较大,随着贮料质量的增加,群仓模型加速度响应、位移响应的弯折效应均更加明显,边仓和角仓的加速度响应均逐渐增大;贮料及其与仓体间相互作用对耗能的贡献随着台面加载等级的增加而逐渐加大。     

垂直向地震作用对节理岩体失稳破坏的影响

基于线弹性断裂力学理论分析了垂直向地震作用对节理岩体地震动力破坏的影响。在仅考虑峰值时,最不利的单向地震动加速度方向是水平倾向坡外,双向则依据破裂机制是拉剪或压剪,加速度分别是水平倾向坡外与向下或向上的组合。地震动的幅值、作用方向及双向地震动的组合都可使岩体的破坏机制发生转化,并且是突变的、不可逆的。较低峰值的双向地震动产生的应力强度因子可能大于较高峰值的单向地震动所产生的应力强度应子。在岩体节理分布特征和静态应力场一定的初始条件下,第一个导致岩体中产生破裂的地震动加速度幅值及其方向的组合唯一地决定了岩体不可逆破坏发展的方向、机制及最终的破坏特征,其复杂性远大于静力作用时的情况。对岩体地震动力破坏问题的认识应充分考虑垂直向地震动的重要影响。     

Accelerograph calibration and accelerogram correction

When measured earthquake accelerations are used as a basis for structural design, then acceleration errors of a few per cent are usually acceptable. However a number of tasks in structural design, and in earthquake engineering research, require measured accelerations with errors limited to a few parts per thousand. Such tasks include those which call for the calculation of angular accelerations, the comparison of acceleration spectra or the calculation of relative displacement Accurate accelerations may be obtained from existing accelerographs by applying the results of an accurate static calibration to an accelerogram, and then applying corrections for the effects of accelerometer resonance. This paper concentrates attention on the correction of static errors, including sensing direction errors and cross-axis interaction errors. For completeness there is a brief discussion of dynamic errors, which depend on accelerometer periods and dampings. It is concluded that earthquake accelerations may be obtained with errors of not much more than 0·001 g, the resolution of a typical accelerograph, at least for periods greater than 0·2 sec. When the accelerations have shorter periods, larger errors may arise due to the limited accuracy of the corrections for dynamic errors The static calibration of accelerographs, and the corresponding record correction procedures, are illustrated by application to the M.O.2 accelerograph.     

Experimental evaluation of a glass curtain wall of a tall building

The seismic demand parameters including the floor acceleration amplification (FAA) factors and the interstory drift ratios (IDRs) were acquired from the floor response in time history analysis of a tall building subjected to selected ground motions. The FAA factors determined in this way are larger than those given in most current code provisions, but the obtained IDRs are close to the values given in some code provisions. Imposing a series of in‐plane pre‐deformations to two glass curtain wall (CW) specimens mounted on a shaking table, the IDRs were reproduced and the FAA factors were satisfied through applications of computed floor spectra compatible motion time histories, whose peak accelerations corresponded to the FAA factors. The CW specimens performed well during the whole experimental program with almost no change in the fundamental frequencies. No visible damage was observed in the glass panels. The maximum stresses detected in each component of the CW system were smaller than the design strengths. The obtained component acceleration amplification factor approached 3.35, which is larger than the value given in the current code provisions. In conclusion, the performance of the studied CW system is seismically safe. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fragility analysis of low‐rise masonry in‐filled reinforced concrete buildings by a coefficient‐based spectral acceleration method

This study presents a seismic fragility analysis of low‐rise masonry in‐filled (MI) reinforced concrete (RC) buildings using a proposed coefficient‐based spectral acceleration method. The coefficient‐based method, without requiring any complicated finite element analysis, is a simplified procedure for assessing the spectral acceleration demand (or capacity) of buildings subjected to earthquakes. This paper begins with a calibration of the proposed coefficient‐based method for low‐rise MI RC buildings using published experimental results obtained from shaking table tests. Spectral acceleration‐based fragility curves for low‐rise MI RC buildings under various inter‐story drift limits are then constructed using the calibrated coefficient‐based method. A comparison of the experimental and estimated results indicates that the simplified coefficient‐based method can provide good approximations of the spectral accelerations at peak loads of low‐rise MI RC buildings, if a proper set of drift‐related factors and initial fundamental periods of structures are used. Moreover, the fragility curves constructed using the coefficient‐based method can provide a satisfactory vulnerability evaluation for low‐rise MI RC buildings under a given performance level. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Site assessment and evaluation of spatial earthquake ground motion of Kyeongju

The earthquake hazard has been evaluated for 10 km×10 km area around Kyeongju. The ground motion potentials were determined based on equivalent linear analysis by using the data obtained from in situ and laboratory tests. In situ tests include 16 boring investigations, 4 crosshole, 12 downhole, 26 spectral analysis of surface waves tests, and in the laboratory, resonant column tests were performed. The peak ground accelerations range between 0.141g and 0.299g on collapse level earthquake and between 0.050g and 0.120g on operation level earthquake, respectively, showing the high potential of amplification in the deep alluvial layer in Kyeongju area. Distribution maps of site amplification for the peak acceleration, amplification factors (F_a and F_v) and dominant site period of Kyeongju are constructed using geographic information system tools. The amplification factor based on the Korean seismic design guide underestimated the motion in short range and overestimated the motion in mid-period range in Kyeongju. The importance of site-specific analysis and the need for the improved site characterization method are introduced.     

大型地下洞室群地震水平加速度传播特征研究

考虑了高山峡谷基岩场地的深度衰减效应,假设地震危险性分析提供的水平峰值加速度的所在位置,选用攀枝花—会理地震波,通过基线校正和高频滤波作为实际地震动输入,利用FLAC3D软件对某水电站大型地下洞室群进行了地震水平加速度传播特性的研究。数值分析结果表明,厂房周围监测点水平加速度时程和输入地震水平加速度时程相似,但存在0.08～0.12s的滞后时差,输入地震动水平峰值加速度向上传播时具有放大效应,在洞室群附近放大两倍左右。所得结果对大型地下洞室群地震动传播特征问题研究具有一定的参考意义。     

地震诱发低角度黄土-泥岩滑坡动力响应及变形分析

基于室内试验获取黄土滑坡的静力和动力力学强度参数,建立低角度黄土滑坡破坏大型物理模拟试验模型,结合FLAC^3D有限差分软件,分析黄土滑坡的动力响应规律和宏观破坏特性,阐明在地震作用下黄土滑坡的失稳演化规律,揭示黄土滑坡滑体运动迁移路径。结果表明：低角度黄土-泥岩滑坡在地震荷载作用下地震波水平方向和垂直方向均出现明显的放大效应;在黄土层内部,随着斜坡高度增加,坡肩和斜坡后缘加速度放大效应较为明显,对比坡脚、坡腰和坡肩处剖面上加速度放大系数,下伏泥岩对地震波产生一定的放大效应。松弛拉张裂隙,土体强度降低,接触面和坡肩、斜坡后缘处的拉张裂缝形成弧形滑移面,上覆黄土层由内向外依次连带下滑,坡肩处土体的下滑力和地震力促使坡腰土体大面积长距离滑动,最大滑动涉及范围长达200 m左右,土体下滑至坡脚发生堆积并产生隆起。数值模拟结果和振动台试验结果在动力响应和宏观变形破坏特征均呈现较高的吻合度。     

Characteristics of ground motion at permafrost sites along the Qinghai-Tibet railway

Based on 14 typical drilling holes distributed in the permafrost areas along the Qinghai-Tibet railway, the distribution of wave velocities of soils in the permafrost regions were determined. Using results of dynamic triaxial tests, the results of dynamic triaxiality test and time histories of ground motion acceleration in this area, characteristics of ground motion response were analyzed for these permafrost sites for time histories of ground accelerations with three exceedance probabilities (63%, 10% and 2%). The influence of ground temperature on the seismic displacement, velocity, acceleration and response spectrum on the surface of permafrost were also studied.     

Experimental and analytical studies on the vibration serviceability of long-span prestressed concrete floor

An extensive experimental and theoretical research study was undertaken to study the vibration serviceability of a long-span prestressed concrete floor system to be used in the lounge of a major airport.Specifically,jumping impact tests were carried out to obtain the floor’s modal parameters,followed by an analysis of the distribution of peak accelerations.Running tests were also performed to capture the acceleration responses.The prestressed concrete floor was found to have a low fundamental natural frequency(≈8.86 Hz)corresponding to the average modal damping ratio of≈2.17%.A coefficients plate with simply-supported edges.The calculated analytical results(natural frequencies and root-mean-square acceleration)agree well with the experimental ones.The analytical approach is thus validated.     

考虑不同固定条件的核电设备多维地震响应振动台试验研究

在核电站中:核电设备通过不同的固定条件与结构相连,地震作用时设备与结构动力相互作用复杂,为分析核电设备多维地震响应并鉴定其抗震性能,进行了考虑不同固定条件的核电设备多维地震响应振动台试验研究。振动台试验进行了5次运行基准地震和1次安全停堆地震的动力时程激振,以及试验首末2次动力特性测试。试验结果表明:不同固定条件会影响核电设备多维地震响应的加速度峰值、反应谱特性和动力放大系数,与设备直接固定于振动台相比,将核电设备悬挂固定于剪力墙再与振动台连接的固定条件,改变了设备反应谱特性,且放大了响应的加速度峰值,具有显著的动力放大效应,使核电设备多维地震响应更为强烈。因此,对此类固定条件的核电设备,在产品设计及安装固定时要充分考虑动力放大效应,以提高设备的抗震韧性。抗震试验前后,核电设备功能运行正常,结构完整性好,抗震性能满足要求。     

核电厂进水口直立式翼墙结构地基三维地震响应分析

以某核电站海域工程进水口直立翼墙为背景,运用FLAC~(3D)有限差分程序对直立式翼墙结构在地震作用时的动力响应进行模拟,结合PL-Finn液化后大变形本构模型,研究翼墙结构在动力荷载作用下的动力响应规律。从结构的位移时程、结构变形、超孔压比、液化区域等方面定量评价翼墙护岸结构的安全性。分析结果表明:砂土液化后发生流动使结构出现规律性残余变形,且随地震强度增加而变大。由地震惯性力和砂土液化共同引起的水平和竖向变形,在SL1作用下翼墙结构顶部水平残余变形0.05 m,竖向残余变形为0.07 m。在SL2作用下翼墙结构顶部水平残余变形0.26 m,竖向残余变形为0.16 m;与基底输入地震动相比,在翼墙结构顶部水平和竖直加速度放大4～5倍,且越靠近翼墙顶部处加速度呈现出明显放大效应。     

饱和砂土地铁车站的振动台试验研究

地震作用下,饱和砂土地层地铁车站的动力反应特征是城市轨道工程抗震的关键问题。以太原地铁新近沉积粉细砂地层地铁工程为对象,通过模拟地震运动输入的饱和砂土地基地下结构的振动台模型试验,分析了不同峰值加速度地震作用下饱和砂土与地下结构相互作用的动力反应性状。研究了地震波作用的放大效应与频率特征,动孔压比增长发展过程和液化区域分布,以及动土压力的变化规律。表明加速度放大系数为1.5~2.0;0.1~0.25g峰值加速度地震作用下饱和砂土均产生动孔隙水压力累计发展;0.3g峰值加速度地震作用下饱和砂土产生液化,抑制了土与地下结构的振动放大效应,地表面大量冒水,结构模型出现了明显上浮,地下结构两侧产生震陷。     

Site amplification effects as an explanation for the intensity anomaly in the Hanyuan Town during the Wenchuan <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>w</Subscript> 7.9 earthquake

The Hanyuan Town is located approximately 200 km from the macro-epicenter of the great Wenchuan earthquake. However, it is within the only Intensity VIII zone, surrounded by a region of Intensity VI. The objective of this study was to investigate this high-intensity anomaly with respect to the site amplifications in the Hanyuan Town. The base inputs were derived from the records at a nearby strong-motion station because no records were available from the town. The characteristics of the subsurface formations and their dynamic properties at a typical site in the town were obtained by drilling, field tests and laboratory tests. Seismic response and parametric sensitivity analyses of the site were conducted using Shake 91, and the results were compared with the provisions for rare earthquakes from the Chinese Code for Seismic Design of Buildings (GBJ11-89). The results showed that the average peak acceleration at the site during the Wenchuan earthquake is similar to the code-specified value under rare earthquakes, that the corresponding spectral accelerations for periods between approximately 0.35 and 0.75 s are significantly stronger than those specified by the code and that the average amplification factor at the site is significantly higher than the mean value of the site class. These findings indicate that the high-intensity anomaly in the town was primarily caused by site amplification effects from the unique structure of the soil strata.