Numerical Simulation of Building Response on Liquefiable Sand
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 8
Abstract
The effective design of earthquake-resistant structures and liquefaction mitigation techniques requires an improved understanding of the development and consequences of liquefaction. In this paper, the results from centrifuge experiments of structures with shallow foundations on liquefiable sand were used to evaluate the predictive capabilities of a state-of-the-practice numerical tool. Fully-coupled numerical simulations with the UBCSAND model implemented in FLAC-2D captured building settlements measured in these experiments reasonably well for one scaled input motion, mostly within factors of 0.7 and 1.8. The soil model captured the overall contribution of deviatoric displacement mechanisms and localized volumetric strains during partially drained cyclic loading. The primary limitation of the model became evident for slower rates of earthquake energy buildup, when the extent of soil softening and building displacement was overestimated by up to a factor of 4. The observations from recent case histories, the results of the experiments, and the insights gained from the numerical analyses are combined to provide guidance on the evaluation of building response on liquefiable sand and the performance of liquefaction remediation strategies.
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Acknowledgments
This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. CMMI-0530714. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF. The authors would like to thank Dr. Peter Byrne, Emeritus Professor of the University of British Columbia, who provided great insights regarding the use of the UBCSAND model.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 8 • August 2013
Pages: 1235 - 1249
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 23, 2010
Accepted: Oct 8, 2012
Published online: Oct 10, 2012
Published in print: Aug 1, 2013
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