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Numerical simulation of ground flow caused by seismic liquefaction

Flow failure of sandy subsoil induced by seismic liquefaction is known to cause significant damage to structures. It is induced not only by the dynamic forces exerted by seismic acceleration but also by the static gravity force in consequence of the topography of the ground. The ground flow may sometimes continue after the end of the seismic loading and finally the ground is significantly deformed to cause a failure.This paper numerically predicts the magnitude of flow that could occur when soil liquefaction continues for a sufficiently long period. It is considered that liquefied soil behaves like a viscous liquid, and hence, ground flow is governed by the principle of minimum potential energy. In the calculation, liquefied sand is assumed to be a viscous liquid that deforms in undrained conditions with its volume remaining constant. To consider the non-linearity due to large displacement, the updated Lagrangian method is used to solve the equation of motion. The Newmark β method is employed to calculate the time history of the ground motion. Finally, a simulation using this calculation method shows that the proposed method gives reasonable results for the conditions indicated.     

Experimental evaluation of dynamic deformation characteristics of sheet pile retaining walls with fiber reinforced backfill

Fiber reinforced soil behaves as a composite material in which fibers of relatively high tensile strength are embedded in a matrix of soil. Shear stresses in the soil mobilize tensile resistance in the fibers, which in turn imparts greater strength to the soil. In this paper a study on the influence of synthetic fibrous materials in improving the dynamic response characteristics of fine sandy soil is reported. The project aims at converting fibrous carpet waste into a value-added product for soil reinforcement. A series of five shaking table tests using rigid box were carried out on Toyoura sand specimens reinforced with randomly distributed geotextile strips. The dynamic deformation characteristics of the reinforced sand are defined in terms of wall lateral deformation and rotation. The results clearly indicate the effectiveness of fiber reinforcement in improving dynamic properties of fine sand and deformation characteristics of fiber reinforced sheet pile retaining wall during shaking.     

Simple monitoring method for precaution of landslides watching tilting and water contents on slopes surface

A low-cost and simple monitoring method for early warning of landslides is proposed. To detect abnormal deformation of a slope, this method employs a tilt sensor in place of an extensometer on the slope surface. In order to examine the relevance of measuring rotation angle on a slope surface by tilt sensor, model tests were conducted, and rotation on the slope surface was observed together with slide displacement along the surface. The rotation data responded 30 min before failure in a model test, which could be useful as a signal for early warning. However, the behavior of rotation before failure varies from case to case, and thus, criteria to issue warning should be defined more carefully. For a model slope made of uniform loose sand, measurement of slide displacement along the slope surface is sensitive to failure at the toe, while the measurement of rotation on the slope surface is useful to detect the development of progressive failure upward along the slope. Wireless sensor units with microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) tilt sensor and volumetric water content sensor were also examined on a real slope in Kobe City, and a long-term monitoring was attempted. A simple but possible way to define the criteria of judgment to issue warning can be proposed based on combination of data obtained by the tilt sensors and volumetric water content sensors.     

地震液化条件下重力式码头的变形破坏机理

现场调查发现在神户地震期间重力式码头破坏时都发生了相当大的侧向位移，因此，阐明挡土墙有变形机理对于改善抗震设计具有十分重要的意义。为此，根据相似原理设计了重力式码头的地基模型，进行了一系列的振动台试验。试验结果表明：基底土的强度降低和局部液化是挡土墙变形破坏的主导因素。墙后动土压力的增加为挡土墙的运动提供了条件。在液化条件下重力式码头地基的运动以侧向位移为主。重力作用是地基侧向运动的主要影响因素。减少作用于挡土墙上的动土压力和充分填实基底下的砂土是增加重力式码头抗震稳定性的重要措施。     

Study on Liquefying Simulation Test of Retaining Structure Ground of Kobe Port

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Study on permanent ground displacement induced by seismic liquefaction

Permanent ground displacement as induced by seismic liquefaction was measured in the area which was recently hit by an earthquake. The measurement was carried out by comparing two aerophotographs of the area which were taken before and after the tremor. Using the measured data an empirical equation was derived which can calculate the magnitude of the displacement briefly. Furthermore, a finite-element technique was developed in order to predict the magnitude and the direction of the displacement in more precise manners.     

Assessment of liquefaction-inducing peak ground velocity and frequency of horizontal ground shaking at onset of phenomenon

It is recognized that soil improvement techniques are not economically feasible for mitigation of liquefaction-induced lifeline damages because of the large areas served. Instead, it is more practical to execute an emergency action immediately after an earthquake in order to prevent or minimize possible lifeline failures caused by the soil liquefaction. Essential element in the implementation of such a plan is the real-time identification of liquefied sites, which can be successfully achieved by analyzing surface strong motion records. In this paper, the thresholds of two ground motion parameters—the peak surface velocity and horizontal shaking frequency of the ground—that are associated with the soil liquefaction are assessed utilizing the theory of one-dimensional wave propagation in linearly elastic medium. Obtained simple expressions for both parameters are used to estimate their ranges and are examined against several case histories. Minimum level of peak ground velocity (PGV) is verified by experimental data from shaking-table test. Linear relationships between amplitude ground motion parameters at liquefied-soil sites are also developed. Results suggest that liquefaction is likely to take place when PGV exceeds 0.10 m/s and that the upper bound of horizontal ground vibration frequency after liquefaction occurrence is 1.3–2.3 Hz.     

Dynamic analysis of ground with rigorous use of strain dependency and its application to seismic microzonation of alluvial plane

Seismic microzonation is one of the most important measures to mitigate earthquake hazards in urban areas. Because the ground motion varies significantly with the subsurface geology, it is needed for microzonation to account as much as possible for the local soil conditions. Noteworthy is that nonlinear deformation properties of soil play essential roles in amplification of strong ground motion. It is desired furthermore to focus on the expected damage extent in addition to the calculated maximum acceleration and/or velocity. The present study first developed a computer code for one-dimensional response analysis of ground that reasonably takes into account nonlinear dynamic soil properties. Second, correlations between the calculated ground motion and damage extent were obtained by examining seismic damages during the past earthquakes. By combining these two issues, seismic microzonation was carried out, and detailed damage distribution was assessed. The product of this study covers not only the damage caused by ground shaking but also liquefaction problem and lifeline damage.     

Experimental Study of Dry Granular Flow and Impact Behavior Against a Rigid Retaining Wall

Shallow slope failure in mountainous regions is a common and emergent hazard in terms of its damage to important traffic routes and local communities. The impact of dry granular flows consisting of rock fragments and other particles resulting from shallow slope failures on retaining structures has yet to be systematically researched and is not covered by current design codes. As a preliminary study of the impact caused by dry granular flows, a series of dry granular impact experiments were carried out for one model of a retaining wall. It was indirectly verified that the total normal force exerted on a retaining wall consists of a drag force (F _d), a gravitational and frictional force (F _gf), and a passive earth force (F _p), and that the calculation of F _d can be based on the empirical formula defined in NF EN Eurocode 1990 (Eurocode structuraux. Base de calcul des structures, AFNOR La plaine Saint Denis, 2003). It was also indirectly verified that, for flow with Froude number from 6 to 11, the drag coefficient (C _d) can be estimated using the previously proposed empirical parameters.