Seismic Interaction of Adjacent Structures on Liquefiable Soils: Insight from Centrifuge and Numerical Modeling
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 8
Abstract
In urban environments, structures are often built in close proximity to each other. Seismic coupling and structure-soil-structure interaction (SSSI) are known to affect system accelerations, settlement, and tilt with consequential impact on structural damage. Yet, the extent and nature of these interactions are poorly understood, particularly on ground susceptible to liquefaction. In this paper, we use dynamic centrifuge and numerical modeling of isolated and neighboring, similar and dissimilar, shallow-founded structures on layered, level, saturated, and liquefiable soils to provide insight into (1) the mechanisms of SSSI; and (2) the relative influence of key parameters on system performance. Fully-coupled, nonlinear finite-element analyses of the centrifuge experiments indicated that in addition to a comprehensive calibration of the soil constitutive model parameters, use of higher-order elements and a sufficiently large domain size in three dimensions (3D) were critical ingredients to predicting the general trends in system response compared to centrifuge recordings. A limited numerical sensitivity analysis was performed subsequently. The results identified the key parameters affecting SSSI as spacing between the two foundations () in relation to their width () as well as the contact stress and geometry of the neighboring foundation-structure system. SSSI slightly decreased the permanent settlement of structures at the expense of a notable increase in their permanent tilt, particularly when . The foundation’s spectral accelerations were observed to amplify at shorter periods when near a taller and heavier building at , which was attributed to the added confinement. Increasing the uniform thickness of the critical liquefiable layer increased both adjacent structures’ permanent settlement, while not affecting their residual tilt or SSSI. Importantly, the impact of SSSI on foundation tilt and accelerations remained significant for building spacings exceeding . The results point to the importance of considering the impact of SSSI on structure’s key engineering demand parameters and the urgent need for improved guidelines when assessing and treating liquefaction in urban settings.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. The experimental and numerical data presented in this study are also made available to the public on the NSF Cyberinfrastructure DesignSafe at https://doi.org/10.17603/ds2-f11m-d683.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge support from the US National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. 1454431. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF. This work utilized the Summit supercomputer, which is supported by the National Science Foundation (awards ACI-1532235 and ACI-1532236), the University of Colorado Boulder, and Colorado State University.
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 8 • August 2021
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Jul 20, 2020
Accepted: Mar 5, 2021
Published online: May 27, 2021
Published in print: Aug 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Oct 27, 2021
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