Micro- and macro-observations of liquefaction of saturated sand around buried structures in centrifuge shaking table tests

A novel experimental method was designed to study the micro-behavior of saturated sand around a buried structure in centrifuge shaking table tests under strong simulated earthquake loading, in addition to the traditional macro-measurements. One free field test was first carried out as a reference, followed by one test with a deep buried structure and one with a shallowly buried structure. During the tests with the buried structure, high quality pictures of moving sand around the structure were recorded by a newly developed image acquisition system. By analyzing the interesting pictures at reasonable intervals using an image analysis software, the evolutions of microstructural features were obtained such as the orientations of the long axes of particles, the orientations of contact normals between particles and the average contact number of the interesting group of particles. The results showed that the evolutions of the micro-features were consistent with those of the macro-measurements such as excess pore pressures and accelerations, which help illuminate the mechanism of sand liquefaction.     

Property estimation of free-field sand in 1-g shaking table tests

Experimental data taken from free-field soil in 1-g shaking table tests are valuable for seismic studies on soil-structure interaction. But the available data from medium-to large-scale shaking table tests were not abundant enough to cover a large variety of types and conditions of the soil. In the study, 1-g shaking table tests of a 3-m-height sand column were conducted to provide seismic experimental data about sand. The sand was directly collected in-situ, with the largest grain diameter bein...     

Identification of dynamic soil properties through shaking table tests on a large saturated sand specimen in a laminar shear box

Many laminar shear boxes have recently been developed into sliding-frame containers that can reproduce 1D ground-response boundary conditions. The measured responses of such large specimens can be utilized to back-calculate soil properties. This study investigates how the boundary effect in large specimens affects the identified soil properties through shaking table tests on a soil-filled large laminar box conducted at the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering in Taiwan. The tested soil-box system is unique because only 80% of the container is filled with soil. This system can be regarded as a two-layer system: an empty top and soil-filled bottom. The dynamic properties of this two-layer system are identified through various approaches, including theoretical solutions of wave propagation, free vibration, and nonparametric stress–strain analyzes. Therefore, the coupling effect of the box and soil can be evaluated. Results show that, compared with the two-layer system considering the influence of the box, the conventional approach with a single-layer system slightly underestimates shear wave velocity but obtains the same damping ratio of the soil layer. In addition, the identified modulus reduction and damping curves in the two-layer system are consistent with those obtained in a laboratory test on a small specimen. Furthermore, based on detailed acceleration measurements along different depths of soil, a piecewise profile of shear wave velocity is built. The identified shear wave velocity increases with depth, which is not uniform and differs from the constant velocity typically assumed for the specimen.     

液化场地土-地铁车站结构大型振动台模型试验研究

本文对浅埋于可液化南京细砂地基中的地铁车站结构进行了大型振动台试验研究,对部分试验结果进行了整理,分析了模型地基的加速度和振动孔隙水压力的反应规律。试验结果表明:在整个试验过程中,模型地基浅层土和地铁车站侧向附近地基土最容易发生液化;其次,随着振动台台面输入地震动峰值加速度的增大,离车站结构较远的侧向地基土和底层地基土再发生液化,而车站结构正下方的模型地基土最不容易液化。同时,在模型地基土发生液化后,地铁车站结构发生了明显的整体上浮现象。     

Experimental study of vertical and batter pile groups in saturated sand using a centrifuge shaking table

To study the dynamic response of vertical and batter pile groups in saturated sand, dynamic tests of these pile groups in saturated sand were carried out using the ZJU400 geotechnical centrifuge at Zhejiang University. The following results were obtained.(1) As the motion intensity increased, the peak acceleration in soil layers at different depths significantly decreased, indicating that the soil stiffness was significantly reduced.(2) During the motion process, the instantaneous bending moment...     

Evaluation of reliquefaction resistance using shaking table tests

Cases of modern and prehistoric liquefaction illustrate that sand deposits can be liquefied again (or “reliquefied”) by a subsequent earthquake after initially liquefying during seismic shaking. In order to test the validity of two postulates regarding reliquefaction mechanisms and to examine the role of gradational characteristics on reliquefaction resistance, 1 g shaking table tests were performed using five sands with differing gradation characteristics. The test results demonstrate that the number of cycles required to reliquefy each sand decreased significantly following the 1st liquefaction event as a result of destroying the “aged” sand fabric developed prior to the 1st shaking event via secondary compression of the initially loose sands. Reliquefaction resistance correlated reasonably well with a proxy for c_v (∝D₁₀²D_r^2.8), illustrating that both the permeability and compressibility of the sand play significant roles in the post-liquefaction fabric (and hence reliquefaction resistance) formed by a sand. While the initial decrease in reliquefaction resistance supports both the Oda et al. [8] and the Olson et al. [5] reliquefaction postulates, only the Olson et al. [5] postulate reasonably explains the subsequent, large increase in reliquefaction resistance observed during the 3rd through 5th shaking events. These tests suggest that the coefficient of consolidation, c_v=k_v/γ_wm_v (or proxy values such as D₁₀²D_r^2.8 or D₁₀/C_U) may be a useful tool for evaluating reliquefaction potential in forward and inverse (i.e., paleoliquefaction) analysis.     

Evolution of the shear wave velocity during shaking modeled in centrifuge shaking table tests

Two in-flight shear wave velocity measurement systems were developed to perform the subsurface exploration of shear wave velocity in a centrifuge model. The bender elements test and the pre-shaking test used in the study provided reliable and consistent shear wave velocity profiles along the model depth before and after shaking in the centrifuge shaking table tests. In addition, the use of the bender elements measurement system particularly developed here allowed continuous examination of the evolution of shear wave velocity not only during and after the shaking periods in the small shaking events but also during the dissipation period of excess pore water pressure after liquefaction in the large shaking events. The test results showed that the shear wave velocity at different values of excess pore water pressure ratio varied as the effective mean stress to the power of 0.27, to a first approximation. Consequently, a relationship between the shear wave velocity evolution ratio and the excess pore water pressure ratio is proposed to evaluate the changes in shear wave velocity due to excess pore water generation and dissipation during shaking events. This relation will assist engineers in determining the shear stiffness reduction ratio at various r_u levels when a sand deposit is subjected to different levels of earthquake shaking.     

两个控制装置的模拟地震振动台试验研究

本文作者设计制造了一种高效被动阻尼控制（HEDC）装置和一种半主动控制装置－主动变刚度,阻尼（AVS．D）控制装置,并对其控制机理和控制效果进行了模拟地震振动台试验研究,试验结果表明,HEDC控制效果是令人满意的,而AVS．D控制则可以获得更好的效果,尽管它仅需很少的能量输入,试验结果表明,在AVS．D控制中,装置的电磁阀处于开启状态工作的时间较长,即在大部分时间里AVS．D控制系统是通过阻尼而不足刚度来控制受控结构,这在一定程度上降低了控制时滞的影响。     

振动台试验中地震动选择及输入顺序研究

振动台试验是研究和评价结构抗震性能的主要方法之一。在振动台试验中,按相似理论设计的缩尺模型,通过一系列特定顺序地震动的输入,激励起模型结构的动力反应,来研究和评价结构的抗震性能。对于进入非线性的模型结构来说,振动台试验是个不可逆过程。因此如何选择地震动,以及如何确定地震动的输入顺序,对振动台试验成功与否,显得尤为重要。本文提出以主要周期点处地震动反应谱的包络值与设计反应谱相差不超过20%的方法选择地震动;按主要周期点处多向地震动反应谱的加权求和值大小确定地震动输入顺序;最后将该方法应用到八层可再生混凝土框架模型振动台试验中。试验结果表明,按本文方法所选的地震动可以合理地评价结构的抗震行为,地震动输入顺序可以逐步激励起结构的动力反应。     

Boundary effects of a laminar container in centrifuge shaking table tests

Two dynamic centrifuge model tests were performed to simulate dry or saturated sand deposits subjected to 1 Hz base shaking. This experimental study investigated the boundary effects of a laminar container on the seismic response acquired from accelerometers and from pore pressure transducers, both of which were embedded in the sand bed at various depths and distances from the end walls. Under the tested configurations and the employed input motion used in the study, the test results revealed minimal boundary effects on the seismic responses. The measured maximum amplitude, main frequencies, phase lags of acceleration, and the profiles of the calculated RMS acceleration amplification factor were not affected by the boundaries if the instruments were positioned at a distance of more than one-twentieth of the model length from the end walls and were not positioned on the ground surface. No obvious discrepancies were observed in the time histories of excess pore water pressure, measured at a distance of one-fourth of the model length from the end walls. These results infer that variations in the seismic response at the end walls were minimal; hence the laminar container used in the study may be used effectively to simulate 1D shear wave propagation in centrifuge shaking table tests. However, for other testing configurations, a similar study should be undertaken for evaluating the boundary effect of the laminar container on the seismic responses.     

基于震动台试验的数字强震动仪一致性研究

中国数字强震动台网作为"十五"重大项目中国数字地震观测网络的重要组成部分之一,是迄今为止我国投资最多、规模最大的强震动观测台网。由于台网采用了多种数字强震动仪,不同型号数字强震动仪的一致性程度直接影响到台网的观测质量。通过对台网所用5种数字强震动仪的振动台试验和结果分析,表明这5种数字强震动仪的一致性良好,能够满足中国数字强震动台网建设要求。     

Mass rig system for shaking table tests of slender columns

A new mass rig system is proposed to minimize the deficiencies in current shaking table testing setups. This is accomplished by placing the inertial mass on a convex path designed to impose P‐Delta demands on slender cantilever columns. The design and performance of the mass rig system, and the principles used in deriving the equations of motion and their analytical validation against results obtained from shaking table tests, are presented. Formulation of the governing equations of motion was based on Lagrangian mechanics and solved using an implicit linear acceleration method with an adaptive time step formulation. Friction developed in the sliding system was also incorporated in the equations of motion. Experimental results validated the accuracy in the derivation and solution of the equations of motion. Validated by analytical and experimental results, P‐Delta effects were found to increase the displacement demands on slender columns in the low‐frequency range of acceleration input, while in the high‐frequency range P‐Delta effects led to no increase and in some cases even a reduction in displacement demands. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

大型振动台试验花岗岩相似材料配比研究

为开展秦岭翠华山等大型花岗岩地震山崩的动力响应机制研究,研发配制用于振动台物理模型试验的花岗岩相似材料是该研究工作的基础。选取铁矿粉、石英砂、重晶石粉为骨料,石膏为调节材料,松香酒精溶液为黏结剂的相似材料配比方案,设计考虑4因素5水平的正交试验,并对试验结果进行极差分析及多元线性回归拟合,获得各因素对花岗岩相似材料物理力学性质的影响结果和相似材料配比经验方程。结果表明：花岗岩相似材料的密度随铁粉与重晶石粉占骨料比的增加而增大;随着黏结剂浓度的增加,花岗岩相似材料的抗压强度、弹性模量及黏聚力均显著增大;随着石膏含量的增加,密度、抗压强度及内摩擦角均减小。该试验得到的相似材料配比经验方程可以较好地为花岗岩相似材料或其他相似材料的配制提供参考。     

饱和粉土液化特性的大型振动台模型试验研究

京沪高速铁路徐沪段路基的粉土粘粒含量少于1.5%、粉粒含量约为80%,在强烈地震作用下存在着液化可能性.为充分研究这一饱和粉土地层的液化特性,本文作者利用大型地震模拟振动台,进行了模拟自由场地饱和粉土的地震液化模型试验,试验结果再现了自然地震触发的粉土液化的各种宏观震害现象,揭示了饱和粉土的地震液化规律和特征。试验结果为京沪高速铁路徐沪段路基的抗震设计提供了参考依据。     

复合隔震摩擦承压比的振动台试验研究

对复合隔震结构的重要参数之一摩擦承压比进行了振动台试验研究,分析试验结果表明摩擦承压比对复合隔震结构的减震效果影响很大,并且存在合理取值范围.合理的摩擦承压比取值可以使复合隔震结构的地震反应比橡胶支座隔震结构小.因此复合隔震结构具有显著的优越性.     

Analysis of saturated dense sand-structure system and comparison with results from shaking table test

An effective stress method is presented for the analysis of liquefaction of ground including soil-structure interaction, based on an explicit-implicit finite element method. A simple constitutive model is developed to be incorporated in the effective stress method. The constitutive model consists of the Ramberg-Osgood model extended to two-dimensional problems and a new dilatancy model. The effectiveness of the constitutive model is examined with results of a simple shear test. Besides, the effective stress method is verified by comparing its numerical results with results of a shaking table test. It is found that the present method can simulate well the response of a saturated dense sand-structure system. The difference of the response computed by the effective stress method and the total stress method is discussed. It is found that the total stress method can simulate the response of the saturated sand within an accumulating excess pore water pressure of less than 70 per cent of the initial overburden stress.     

Mathematical modeling and full-scale shaking table tests for multi-curve buckling restrained braces

Buckling restrained braces(BRBs)have been widely applied in seismic mitigation since they were introduced in the 1970s.However,traditional BRBs have several disadvantages caused by using a steel tube to envelope the mortar to prevent the core plate from buckling,such as;complex interfaces between the materials used,uncertain precision,and time consumption during the manufacturing processes.In this study,a new device called the multi-curve buckling restrained brace (MC-BRB) is proposed to overcome these d...     

Bidirectional shaking table tests of a low-cost friction sliding system with flat-inclined surfaces

A novel low-cost friction sliding system for bidirectional excitation is developed to improve the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers. The sliding system is a spherical prototype developed by combining a central flat surface with an inclined spherical segment, characterized by stable oscillation and a large reduction in response accelerations on the flat surface. The inclined part provides a restoring force that limits the residual displacements of the system. Conventional steel and concrete are employed to construct a flat-inclined spherical surface atop an RC pier. The seismic forces are dissipated through the frictions generated during the sliding movements; hence, the seismic resilience of bridges can be ensured with a low-cost design solution. The proposed system is fabricated utilizing a mold created by a three-dimensional printer, which facilitates the use of conventional concrete to construct spherical shapes. The concrete surface is lubricated with a resin material to prevent abrasion from multiple input ground motions. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the system, bidirectional shaking table tests are conducted in the longitudinal and transverse directions of a scaled bridge model. The effect of the inclination angle and the flat surface size is investigated. The results demonstrate a large decrease in response acceleration when the system exhibits circular sliding displacement. Furthermore, the inclination angle that generates the smallest residual displacement is identified experimentally.     

Large-scale shaking table model tests on seismically induced failure of Concrete-Faced Rockfill Dams

An increasing number of high Concrete-Faced Rockfill Dams (CFRDs) have been and are being built in highly seismic hazardous regions. Because there are few examples, the failure mechanisms for each damaged CFRD still remain unclear, which prevents a rational evaluation of aseismic performance of a CFRD. In this paper, a series of large-scale shaking table tests are conducted to determine the dynamic failure modes of CFRDs, especially the failure mechanism of the face slab. A type of model slab material is developed according to similitude rules. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is used and improved to track the motion of each grain and subsequently measure the entire velocity field of the deforming cross-sections of dam models. The failure processes of the dams, the failure mechanisms of the slab fractures and the slab dislocations are discussed based on the experimental results. The experiments indicate that large deformations of the uppermost part of the dam caused the face slab to curve upward and crack. Another important fracture morphology of the face slab is the dislocation of its joint. The change in the granular fabric caused the granular slope to slide down and thrust outward, eventually dragging the upper half of the face slab down against its lower half; this motion is accompanied by the formation of a joint dislocation. Therefore, the stability and anti-deformation ability of both the downstream slope and the crest region of the upstream slope should be improved to withstand earthquake. The results of the shaking table model tests are consistent with the numerical simulation, and both results support the prototype dam׳s seismically induced failure characteristics.     

Seismic performance of earth-core and concrete-faced rock-fill dams by large-scale shaking table tests

Two of China's highest earth-core rock-fill dams (ECRDs) and concrete-faced rock-fill dams (CFRDs) were simulated by large-scale earthquake simulation shaking table tests in this work. A series of staged tests were performed, including white noise, different types of earthquake excitations with different magnitudes etc. The seismic performance of the ECRD and CFRD models were analyzed and investigated. The test results indicated that reservoir impoundment influenced the structure and seismic characteristics of the ECRD model much more than the CFRD model. The average fundamental frequency of the CFRD decreased less than the ECRD model when subjected to strong excitation. The acceleration amplification factors decreased as the input peak acceleration increased. The maximum acceleration occurred at the top of the ECRD model, while it occurred at 0.6–0.9 dam height of the CFRD model. Seismic residual deformations of the two models were very small. When subjected to strong earthquake excitation, the residual deformation of the CFRD model was smaller than that of the ECRD model. The dominant failure pattern of the two models was shallow sliding at the height of 3/4 on the downstream slope. The above analysis indicated that seismic performance of CFRD was superior to ECRD.