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Numerical assessment of the seismic response of an earth embankment on liquefiable soils

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Abstract

This study presents a numerical assessment of the seismic behaviour of an earth embankment founded on liquefiable foundation soils during earthquake loading. Analysis was carried out using an effective stress-based, fully coupled, finite element method. The behaviour of the sandy soil is described by means of a cyclic elastoplastic constitutive model which was developed within the framework of the Armstrong–Frederick type non-linear kinematic hardening concept. The numerical method and the analysis procedure are briefly outlined and as an example, the seismic response of an earth embankment on a saturated sand foundation is assessed. Based on the numerical results, the distinctive patterns of seismic response of the embankment are discussed. Special emphasis is given to the computed results of excess pore water pressures, co-seismic and post-seismic deformations, and accelerations during the seismic excitation. It has been found that the numerical model can capture fundamental liquefaction aspects of the embankment foundation system and produce preliminary results for its seismic assessment.

Résumé

L’étude présente la caractérisation numérique du comportement d’un barrage en terre fondé sur des sols liquéfiables et soumis à une sollicitation sismique. L’analyse a été réalisée en utilisant une méthode de calcul en éléments finis, avec une approche en contraintes effectives et une analyse couplée. Le comportement du sol sableux est décrit par un modèle rhéologique élasto-plastique développé à partir d’un concept d’écrouissage positif non linéaire de type Armstrong–Frederik. La méthode numérique et la procédure d’analyse sont brièvement présentées et, à titre d’exemple, la réponse sismique d’un barrage en terre sur un sol sableux saturé est évaluée. Sur la base des résultats numériques, les différents schémas de réponse sismique du barrage sont discutés. Un accent particulier est mis sur le calcul des sur-pressions interstitielles, des déformations co-sismiques et post-sismiques et sur les accélérations enregistrées durant la sollicitation sismique. Il a été montré que la simulation numérique est en mesure de mettre en évidence les aspects fondamentaux du processus de liquéfaction du système barrage-fondation et de produire des résultats préliminaires pour l’évaluation du comportement sismique de l’ouvrage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geotechnical Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China

    Yu Huang

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Gifu University, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan

    Atsushi Yashima & Kazuhide Sawada

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan

    Feng Zhang

Authors
  1. Yu Huang
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  2. Atsushi Yashima
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  3. Kazuhide Sawada
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  4. Feng Zhang
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Correspondence to Yu Huang.

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Huang, Y., Yashima, A., Sawada, K. et al. Numerical assessment of the seismic response of an earth embankment on liquefiable soils. Bull Eng Geol Environ 67, 31–39 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-007-0097-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-007-0097-y

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