Evaluation of Shear Modulus and Damping in Dynamic Centrifuge Tests
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 131, Issue 12
Abstract
Correct evaluation of shear modulus and damping characteristics in soils under dynamic loading is key to both the fundamental understanding of soil behavior and the practical application of soil modeling programs. Dynamic centrifuge tests can contribute significant information about soil behavior, but great care must be taken over the signal processing techniques involved, and the test conditions are different from the laboratory experiments that form the database of existing knowledge. This paper outlines several factors that require careful consideration when deriving stiffness and damping parameters from centrifuge data. Shear modulus and damping degradation curves for a dry sand, saturated sand, soft clay and a model waste are then evaluated to explore some of the factors that are introduced during centrifuge tests. Stiffness is seen to be a more reliable parameter than damping ratio. Damping during centrifuge tests for certain materials appeared to differ from the expected values.
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Acknowledgments
Centrifuge tests were carried out with the excellent assistance of technical staff at the Schofied Center, Cambridge, which is acknowledged with thanks.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 131 • Issue 12 • December 2005
Pages: 1488 - 1497
Copyright
© 2005 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 1, 2004
Accepted: May 6, 2005
Published online: Dec 1, 2005
Published in print: Dec 2005
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