• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.83-99
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• 2014

This study is devoted to estimate higher-mode effects for multi-story structures with considering soil-structure interaction subjected to decomposed parts of near-fault ground motions. The soil beneath the super-structure is simulated based on the Cone model concept. Two-dimensional structural models of 5, 15, and 25-story shear buildings are idealized by using nonlinear stick models. The ratio of base shears for the soil-MDOF structure system to those obtained from the equivalent soil-SDOF structure system is selected as an estimator to quantify the higher-mode effects. The results demonstrate that the trend of higher-mode effects is regular for pulse component and has a descending variation with respect to the pulse period, whereas an erratic pattern is obtained for high-frequency component. Moreover, the effect of pulse component on higher modes is more significant than high-frequency part for very short-period pulses and as the pulse period increases this phenomenon becomes vice-versa. SSI mechanism increases the higher-mode effects for both pulse and high-frequency components and slenderizing the super-structure amplifies such effects. Furthermore, for low story ductility ranges, increasing nonlinearity level leads to intensify the higher-mode effects; however, for high story ductility, such effects mitigates.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.179-191
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• 2019

Based on the effective stress principle, a new formula for shear strength of unsaturated soil is derived under the general nonlinear Mohr-Coulomb (M-C) strength criterion to improve the classical strength criterion of unsaturated soil. Meanwhile, the simple irrigation model under steady seepage is adopted to obtain the distribution of the matrix suction or the degree of saturation (DOS) above the groundwater table in the slope. Then, combined with the improved strength criterion of unsaturated soil and the simple irrigation model under steady seepage, the limit equilibrium (LE) solutions for the unsaturated slope stability are established according to the global LE conditions of the entire sliding body with assumption of the stresses on the slip surface. Compared to the classical strength criterion of unsaturated soil, not only the cohesion soil but also the internal friction angle is affected by the matric suction or the DOS in the improved strength criterion. Moreover, the internal friction angle related to the matric suction has the nonlinear characteristics, particularly for a small of the matric suction. Thereafter, the feasibility of the present method is verified by comparison and analysis on some slope examples. Furthermore, stability charts are also drawn to quickly analyze the unsaturated slope stability.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.35-40
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• 2016

OBJECTIVES : The objective of this study is to analyze the nonlinear behavior of block pavements using multi-load level falling weight deflectometer (FWD) deflections. METHODS : Recently, block pavements are employed not only in sidewalks, but also in roadways. For the application of block pavements in roadways, the structural capacities of subbase and subgrade are important factors that support the carry traffic load. Multi-load level FWD testing was conducted on block pavements to analyze their nonlinear behavior. The deflection ratio due to the increase in load was analyzed to estimate the nonlinearity of block pavements. Finite element method with nonlinear soil model was applied to simulate the actual nonlinear behavior of the block pavement under different levels of load. RESULTS : The results of the FWD testing show that the center deflections in block pavements are approximately ten times greater than that in asphalt pavements. The deflection ratios of the block pavement due to the increase in the load range from 1.2 to 1.5, indicating that the deflection increased by 20~50%. The material coefficients of the nonlinear soil model were determined by comparing the measured deflections with the predicted deflections using the finite element method. CONCLUSIONS : In this study, the nonlinear behavior of block pavements was reviewed using multi-load level FWD testing. The deflection ratio proposed in this study can estimate the nonlinearity of block pavements. The use of nonlinear soil model in subbase and subgrade increases the accuracy of predicting deflections in finite element method.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.174-181
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• 2002

The paper presents an effective analytical method for SSI systems which can have separation or sliding at the soil-structure interface. The method is based on a hybrid approach which combines a linear SSI code KIESSI-2D in frequency domain with a commercial finite element package ANSYS to obtain nonlinear dynamic responses in time domain. The method is applied to a 2-D underground box structure which experiences separation and sliding at the soil-structure interface. Material nonlinearity of the concrete structure is also included in the analysis. Effects of the interface conditions are examined and some critical factors affecting the seismic performance of underground structures are identified.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.15-24
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• 2023

The behavior of buried pipes is directly influenced by the nonlinearity and complex characteristics of the surrounding soil. However, the simplified beam-spring model, which ignores the nonlinearity and complex behavior of soil, is commonly used in practice. In response, several studies have employed continuum analysis methods to account for the nonlinear and complex behavior of the soil. This paper presents various numerical continuum analysis techniques and verifies their comparison with full-scale tests. The study found that reaction force results close to the full-scale test could be obtained by applying contact surface characteristics that take into account the interaction between the ground and the buried pipe. In the case of sharing pipe and soil node method and ignoring the interaction between pipe and soil, excessive reaction force was derived, and the failure shapes were different. In addition, this study applied the dynamic explicit analysis method, ALE method, and CEL method. It was confirmed that the displacement-reaction relationship and failure shape are similar to those of the static analysis.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.209-219
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• 2022

Offshore platforms in seismically active areas must be designed to survive in the face of intense earthquakes without a global structural collapse. This paper scrutinizes the seismic performance of a newly designed and established jacket type offshore platform situated in the entrance of the Gulf of Suez region based on the API-RP2A normalized response spectra during seismic events. A nonlinear finite element model of a typical jacket type offshore platform is constructed taking into consideration the effect of structure-soil-interaction. Soil properties at the site were manipulated to generate the pile lateral soil properties in the form of load deflection curves, based on API-RP2A recommendations. Dynamic characteristics of the offshore platform, the response function, output power spectral density and transfer functions for different elements of the platform are discussed. The joints deflection and acceleration responses demands are presented. It is generally concluded that consideration of the interaction between structure, piles and soil leads to higher deflections and less stresses in platform elements due to soil elasticity, nonlinearity, and damping and leads to a more realistic platform design. The earthquake-based analysis for offshore platform structure is essential for the safe design and operation of offshore platforms.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.577-595
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• 2023

A dynamic triaxial discrete element numerical model of lightweight soil was established using the discrete element method to study the microscopic mechanism of expanded polystyrene (EPS) particles in the soil under cyclic loading. The microscopic parameters of the discrete element model of the lightweight soil were calibrated depending on the dynamic triaxial test hysteresis curves. Based on the calibration results, the effects of the EPS particles volume ratio and amplitude on the contact force, displacement field, and velocity field of the lightweight soil under different accumulated strains were studied. The results showed that the hysteresis curves of lightweight soil exhibit nonlinearity, hysteresis, and strain accumulation. The strain accumulated in remolded soil is mainly tensile strain, and that in lightweight soil is mainly compressive strain. As the volume ratio of EPS particles increased, the contact force first increased and then decreased, and the displacement and velocity of the particles increased accordingly. With an increase in amplitude, the dynamic stress of the particle system increased, and the accumulation rate of the dynamic strain of the samples also increased. At 5% compressive strain, the contact force of the particles changed significantly and the number of particles deflected in the direction of velocity also increased considerably. These results indicated that the cemented structure of the lightweight soil began to fail at a compressive strain of 5%. Thus, a compressive strain of 5% is more reasonable than the dynamic strength failure standard of lightweight soil.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.351-356
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• 1999

An elasto-plastic constitutive model was Proposed, in which the behavior at small-to-large strain level can be modeled. From a mathematical approach it was proved that the model includes the previous successful models. The experimental results of a series of resonant column tests, torsional shear tests and triaxial tests were verified and as a result the proposed model could predict small-to-large strain behavior more consistently and accurately than the hyperbolic model and the Ramberg-Osgood model for a weathered granitic soil.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.63-74
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• 2015

This study investigated the influence of probabilistic variability in stiffness and nonlinearity of soil on response of nuclear power plant (NPP) structure subjected to seismic loads considering the soil-structure interaction (SSI). Both deterministic and probabilistic methods have been employed to evaluate the dynamic responses of the structure. For the deterministic method, $SRP_{min}$ method given in USNRC SRP 3.7.2(2013) (envelope of responses using three shear modulus profiles of lower bound($G_{LB}$), best estimate($G_{BE}$) and upper bound($G_{UB}$)) and $SRP_{max}$ method (envelope of responses by more than three ground profiles within range of $G_{LB}{\leq}G{\leq}G_{UB}$) have been considered. The probabilistic method uses the Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) that can capture probabilistic feature of soil stiffness defined by the median and the standard deviation. These analysis results indicated that 1) number of samples shall be larger than 60 to apply the probabilistic approach in SSI analysis and 2) in-structure response spectra using equivalent linear soil profiles considering the nonlinear behavior of soil medium can be larger than those based on low-strain soil profiles.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.103-112
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• 1990

This study examines the characteristics of soil behavior which includes many uncertainties in seismic design, evaluates the dynamic soil properties and studies the soil-structure interaction to generalize the applicability and economy of the available sites. An example analysis is performed for soil-structure system response assuming a containment structure built on site which includes soil layers using both elastic halfspace analysis and FEM analysis against the seismic loads from the actual design. This exercise is performed as a part of the safety analysis and economic assessment of the nuclear power plant built on soils. It includes the preparation of computer program capable of incorporating large nonlinearity in the analysis, resonable evaluation procedures to determine input soil data. Nonlinear FEM analysis of Seed and Idriss model is found suitable for the accurate analysis of dynamic response of soils. Linear FEM analysis using dynamic soil properties at strain level obtained by one-dimensional seismic response, and elastic half-space analysis using dynamic soil properties at strain level under static loads are recommended to evaluate the dynamic soil properties.