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Vertical vibration tests to study the effect of foundation geometry and embedment on the non-linear response of block foundations

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Abstract

The nonlinear behavior of the block foundation soil oscillator system for surface and embedded foundations can significantly impact the foundation’s response, and understanding these effects is crucial for designing stable and resilient structures. Therefore, the present study specifically and explicitly aims to determine the effect of geometrical parameters on nonlinear frequency amplitude responses of surface and embedded block foundations under rotating machine-induced vertical vibrations by experimental and theoretical investigations. To accomplish these objectives, block vibration tests under vertical dynamic loading were performed in the field on three different foundations of aspect ratio (L/B) = 1, 1.25, and 1.5. The frequency-amplitude responses are measured for different excitation forces (W.e = 0.221, 0.868, 1.450, and 1.944 Nm) under two static loads (Ws) of 6.6 kN and 8.6 kN. Another aspect of the present study is estimating dynamic foundation-soil stiffness and damping with the frequency-dependent and independent impedance characteristics using various theories. A comparison has been made between the observed and theoretical results to understand the efficacy of the various approaches in predicting the nonlinear response of the block foundations. In addition, the effect of the eccentric moment, aspect ratio, static load, and depth of embedment on the frequency amplitude response of the soil-foundation system was also determined. Comparing the theoretical and experimental response curves, a variation of about 5 to 25% in the resonant frequency is observed for the parameters considered, whereas an overestimation of damping value is observed from the different theories. Therefore, in conclusion, the frequency-dependent theories are more applicable than elastic half-space theories for predicting the response of block foundations subjected to higher dynamic forces where the nonlinearity of the soil is predominant. Also, analyzing the measured and predicted responses and investigating the influence of these parameters, the study provides practical insights that can be applied to optimize the design of block foundations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India

    Kavita Tandon

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, HBTU, Kanpur, 208002, U.P., India

    Kavita Tandon

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India

    Rohit Ralli, Bappaditya Manna & G. V. Ramana

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  1. Kavita Tandon
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Correspondence to Bappaditya Manna.

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Tandon, K., Ralli, R., Manna, B. et al. Vertical vibration tests to study the effect of foundation geometry and embedment on the non-linear response of block foundations. Arab J Geosci 16, 663 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-023-11773-8

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