| Abstract: | A global energy analysis is presented of three static unloading–reloading foundation lateral loading cycles, calculated using the nonlinear finite element (FE) program DYNAFLOW. This simulates seismic action on an offshore pier foundation in the Rion-Antirion Bridge in Greece, located in deep-sea water (65 m). A cyclic horizontal force is applied at a height of 30 m to a rigid raft 78 m in width placed on the surface of an idealized 2-layer soil profile consisting of a 3.5 m man-made gravel layer over soft deep natural clay, with elastic vertical steel inclusions reinforcing the soil. Results of the two-dimensional FE run are used for the energy analysis. It is verified that for the three cycles, the sum of energies associated with the external forces and moments, mostly dissipated through hysteresis loops, is about equal to the sum of the total internal energies dissipated or stored in the system. For the smaller loops almost all energy is dissipated in the soil, while for the largest loop about half of the energy is dissipated by horizontal sliding at the raft-soil interface. Global damping ratios obtained from the areas of the horizontal and rocking moment hysteresis loops are about double of those computed from the corresponding static backbone curves using the Masing criterion. |
