Numerical simulation of soil-structure interaction: A parametric study

Abstract

Soil Structure Interaction (SSI) is a complex phenomenon that may radically change the earthquake response of structural systems, as consequence of the variation of the natural frequency and the damping ratio. One of the most effective means for evaluating SSI is the use of physical models. In this study the physical model considered is formed by an oscillator founded on a group of piles embedded in a horizontally layered deposit of dry sand. The benchmark experimental campaign was carried out at the Bristol Laboratory for Advanced Dynamics Engineering (BLADE) at the University of Bristol (UK), financed by the Seismic Engineering Research Infrastructures for European Synergies (SERIES). An accurate parametric numerical study is performed and the results are discussed. The study investigates the effects of the dynamic properties of the oscillator on the period elongation and piles response. By means of advanced numerical analyses the outcomes of the present work provide insights into the quantitative evaluation of period elongation and the strength of inertial contribute to the bending moment at the pile head, when the system approaches resonance conditions.