| Abstract: | Making use of a previously reported, simple, approximate method of analysis, a critical evaluation is made of the dynamic pressures and forces induced by horizontal ground shaking on a pair of infinitely long, parallel walls retaining a uniform viscoelastic solid. The walls are presumed to be rigid but elastically constrained against rotation at their base. The effects of both harmonic and earthquake-induced excitations are examined. The accuracy of the method is assessed by comparing its predictions for the special case of fixed-based walls with those obtained by an exact method, and comprehensive numerical data are presented which elucidate the underlying response mechanisms, and the effects and relative importance of the parameters involved. The parameters examined include the characteristics of the ground motion, the ratio of the distance between walls to the height of the contained material, and the flexibility of the rotational wall constraints. In addition to valuable insights into the responses of the systems investigated, the results presented provide a convenient framework for the analysis of more complex systems as well. |
