Seismic ground response analysis is one of the most important issues in geotechnical earthquake engineering. Conventional seismic site response and free field analysis of layered soils does not consider the effect of surcharge mass which may be present on the top layer. Surcharge mass may develop extra inertial force to the soil and, hence, significantly affect on the results of seismic ground response analysis. Methods of analysis of ground response may also be categorized into time domain and frequency domain concepts. Simplicity in developing analytical relations and accuracy in considering soil dynamic properties dependency to loading frequency are benefits of frequency domain analysis. In this part of the paper, seismic ground response is analyzed using transfer function method for soil layers considering surcharge mass on the top layer. Equation of motion, wave equation, is solved using amended boundary conditions which effectively take the impact of surcharge mass into account. A computer program is developed by MATLAB software based on the solution method developed for wave equation. Layered soils subjected to earthquake loading were numerically studied and solved especially by the computer program developed in this research. Results obtained were compared with those given by DEEP SOIL computer program. Such comparison showed the accuracy of the program developed in this study. Also in this part, the effects of geometrical and mechanical properties of soil layers and especially the impact of surcharge mass on transfer function are investigated using the current approach and the program developed. The efficiency and accuracy of the method developed here is shown through some worked examples and through comparison of the results obtained here with those given by other approaches. Discussions on the results obtained are presented throughout in this part.

Studies of earthquakes over the last 50 years and the examination of dynamic soil behavior reveal that soil behavior is highly nonlinear and hysteretic even at small strains. Nonlinear behavior of soils during a seismic event has a predominant role in current site response analysis approaches. Common approaches to ground response analysis include linear, equivalent linear and nonlinear methods. These methods of ground response analysis may also be categorized into time domain and frequency domain concepts. Simplicity in developing analytical relations and accuracy in considering soils' dynamic properties dependency to loading frequency are benefits of frequency domain analysis. On the other hand, nonlinear methods are complicated and time consuming mainly because of their step by step integrations in time intervals. In part Ι of this paper, governing equations for seismic response analysis of surcharged and layered soils were developed using fundamental of wave propagation theory based on transfer function and boundary conditions. In this part, nonlinear seismic ground response is analyzed using extended HFTD method. The extended HFTD method benefits Newton-Raphson procedure which applies regular iterations and follows soils' fundamental stress-strain curve until convergence is achieved. The nonlinear HFTD approach developed here are applied to some examples presented in this part of the paper. Case studies are carried in which effects of some influencing parameters on the response are investigated. Results show that the current approach is sufficiently accurate, efficient, and fast converging. Discussions on the results obtained are presented throughout this part of the paper.

For slope stability analysis, an alternative to the classical limit equilibrium method (LEM) of slices is the shear strength reduction method (SRM), which can be integrated into finite element analysis or finite difference analysis. Recently, probabilistic analysis of earth slopes has been very attractive because it is capable to take the soil uncertainty into account. However, the SRM is less commonly extended to probabilistic framework compared to a variety of probabilistic LEM analysis of earth slopes. To overcome some limitations that hinder the development of probabilistic SRM stability analysis, a new procedure based on recursive algorithm FORM with sensitivity analysis in the space of original variables is proposed. It can be used to deal with correlated non-normal variables subjected to implicit limit state surface. Using the proposed approach, a probabilistic finite element analysis of the stability of an existing earth dam is carried out in this paper.

Estimating seismic displacements has a great importance for foundations on or adjacent to slope surfaces. However, dynamic solution of the problem has received little attention by previous researchers. This paper presents a new analytical model to determine seismic displacements of the shallow foundations adjacent to slopes. For this purpose, a dynamic equilibrium equation is written for the foundation with failure wedge. Stiffness and damping at the sliding surface are considered variable and a simple method is proposed for its estimation. Finally, for different failure surfaces, the calculated dynamic displacement and the surfaces with maximum strain are selected as the critical failure surface. Analysis results are presented as curves for different slope angles and different foundation distances from edge of the slope and are then compared with the experimental studies and software results. The comparison shows that the proposed model is capable of estimating seismic displacement of the shallow foundations adjacent to slopes. Also, the results demonstrate that, with increased slope angle and decreased foundation distances from the slope edge, seismic displacement increases in a non-linear trend. With increasing the slope angle and failure wedge angle, maximum strain of failure wedge increases. In addition, effect of slope on foundation settlement could be neglected for the foundation distances over 3B to 5B.

The methods for estimating in-situ hydraulic conductivity ($k_{hp}$) and coefficient of consolidation ($c_{hp}$) in the horizontal direction from piezocone penetration and dissipation test results have been investigated using test results at two sites in Saga, Japan. At the two sites the laboratory values of hydraulic conductivity ($k_v$) and coefficient of consolidation ($c_v$) in the vertical direction are also available. Comparing $k_{hp}$ with $k_v$ and $c_{hp}$ with $k_v$ values, suitable methods for estimating $k_{hp}$ and $c_{hp}$ values are recommended. For the two sites, where $k_{hp}{\approx}k_v$ and $c_{hp}{\approx}2c_v$. It is suggested that the estimated values of $k_{hp}$ and $c_{hp}$ can be used in engineering design.

The uplift response of symmetrical square anchor plates has been evaluated in physical model tests and numerical simulations using Plaxis. The behavior of square anchor plates during uplift test was studied by experimental data and finite element analyses in loose sand. Validation of the analysis model was also carried out with 50 mm, 75 mm and 100 mm Length square plates in loose sand. Agreement between the uplift responses from the physical model tests and finite element modeling using PLAXIS 2D, based on 100 mm computed maximum displacements was excellent for square anchor plates. Numerical analysis using square anchor plates was conducted based on the hardening soil model (HSM). The research has shown that the finite element results are higher than the experimental findings in loose sand.

The fractures in coal are the main migration and output channels of coalbed methane, directly influencing the permeability of the coal seams. It is of great significance to study the effect of fracture distribution in coals on the permeability of coal seam. The development rules of endogenetic and exogenetic fractures are different among various coal lithotypes. There is also difference in the fracture density for the same lithotype with different thicknesses. Through the observation and description of the macroscopic fractures in coal and the origin of fractures in coal, the effect of the coal lithotype and its thickness on fracture development in coal was discussed. It was found through the study that the density of fractures in vitrain band was the maximum for the same coal rank and thickness, followed by clarain band. There were few fractures developed in the durain band. However, the changes of fracture density in three types of bands presented different declining trends for low, medium and high coal rank. There were no fractures developed in the fusain. There were three variation patterns for the fracture densities at the same coal rank and coal lithotype: linear decrease, nonlinear decrease, and first decrease then remaining unchanged. However, the overall trend was that the fracture density decreased with the increase of thickness of coal band for the same coal rank and coal lithotype.