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Effect of soil layering on the ground response parameters: a parametric study

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Abstract

Soil layering has a pivotal role on the behavior and propagation of seismic waves, hence the ground response during seismic loading. Parametric study to estimate the effect of soil layering on ground response parameters is of prime importance considering the engineering significance of structure founded in seismic zone; nonetheless, it is yet to be well understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of soil layering and soil properties on the ground response parameters. One-dimensional linear ground response analysis was conducted with variation in soil layer parameters including impedance ratio (α z ), layer thickness (d r ), and damping ratio (D). The acceleration time history of the Bhuj Earthquake (M w  = 7.7), India, was used in the analysis. The results obtained from the analysis were presented as variation of ground response parameters such as spectral acceleration (SA), amplification ratio (M) with the soil layer parameters. Results showed higher values of SA at lower D and then decreased with increase in D, that in fact depict the resistance offered to the particle oscillation at comparatively higher values of D. Similarly, variation in SA and M was very less or negligible when the α z was varied from 1 to 3 and the d r equal to 0.2, while for d r greater than 0.2 the variation increased with α z and d r . The outcome from the parametric study presented in this paper clearly demonstrates the significance of α z , D, and d r of the soil layers on the ground response parameters.

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Abbreviations

A :

Displacement amplitude

α z :

Wave impedance ratio

c b :

Coefficient of reflection at the layer boundary

[C]:

Damping matrix

D :

Damping ratio of the soil

D rock :

Damping ratio of bed rock

d 1 :

Thickness of layer 1

d 2 :

Thickness of layer 2

d r :

Thickness ratio

f :

Frequency

f n :

Natural frequency

g :

Acceleration due to gravity

ρ 1 :

Mass density of layer 1

ρ 2 :

Mass density of layer 2

{I}:

Unit vector

[K]:

Stiffness matrix

M :

Amplification ratio

M w :

Earthquake moment magnitude

[M]:

Mass matrix

SA:

Spectral acceleration

T :

Time period

σ a :

Stress amplitude

{\( \ddot{u}_{g} \)}:

Acceleration at the base of the soil

{\( \ddot{u} \)}:

Vector of relative acceleration

{\( \dot{u} \)}:

Vector of relative velocity

{u}:

Vector of relative displacement

v s1 :

Shear wave velocity of layer 1

v s2 :

Shear wave velocity of layer 2

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Acknowledgments

The author greatly acknowledges the help of Dr. Deepankar Choudhury, Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India, and Dr. Shahid Azam, Associate Professor, University of Regina, Canada, for their support and guidance during the study and preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada

    M. E. Raghunandan

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  1. M. E. Raghunandan
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Correspondence to M. E. Raghunandan.

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Raghunandan, M.E. Effect of soil layering on the ground response parameters: a parametric study. Nat Hazards 63, 1115–1128 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-012-0208-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-012-0208-3

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