Multiscale Modeling of Fault Rupture–Soil–Foundation Interaction
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 148, Issue 12
Abstract
A multiscale approach that couples the finite-element method (FEM) and the discrete-element method (DEM) is used to model and analyze the earthquake fault rupture–soil–foundation interaction (FR–SFI) problem. The approach obtains the soil constitutive responses from the DEM solutions of representative volume elements (RVEs) embedded at the FEM integration points, effectively bypassing the phenomenological hypotheses in conventional FEM simulations. The fault rupture surfaces and shear localization patterns under normal and reverse faults with or without foundation atop were adequately captured using the multiscale approach and verified with available centrifuge experimental and numerical results. An examination of the stress-strain responses and the microstructural evolutions of local RVEs revealed that the RVEs located in or immediately outside the shear bands behaved distinctly and might change their stress states from initially at rest to active under normal fault or passive under reverse fault. The micromechanics study also sheds light on the capability of heavy foundations to protect the superstructure due to rupture surface diversion under reverse fault and their possible detriment under normal fault.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, and code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The study was financially supported by the Key R&D Program of Zhejiang (No. 2022C03180), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 52078456, 51809229, and 52020105003) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China (No. 2021FZZX001-14).
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 148 • Issue 12 • December 2022
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© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Dec 8, 2021
Accepted: Jun 24, 2022
Published online: Sep 21, 2022
Published in print: Dec 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Feb 21, 2023
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