• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.85-94
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• 2018

The paper focuses on the seismic responses of a hyperbolic cooling tower resting on soil foundation represented by the three-parameter Vlasov elastic soil model. The three-parameter soil model eliminates the necessity of field testing to determine soil parameters such as reaction modulus and shear parameter. These parameters are calculated using an iterative procedure depending on the soil surface vertical deformation profile in the model. The soil and tower system are modeled in SAP2000 structural analysis program using a computing tool coded in MATLAB. The tool provides a two-way data transfer between SAP2000 and MATLAB with the help of Open Application Programming Interface (OAPI) feature of SAP2000. The response spectrum analyses of the tower system with circular V-shaped supporting columns and annular raft foundation on elastic soil are conducted thanks to the coded tool. The shell and column forces and displacements are presented for different soil conditions and fixed raft base condition to investigate the effects of soil-structure interaction. Numerical results indicate that the flexibility of soil foundation leads to an increase in displacements but a decrease in shell membrane and column forces. Therefore, it can be stated that the consideration of soil-structure interaction in the seismic response analysis of the cooling tower system provides an economical design process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2002.03a
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• pp.101-110
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• 2002

This article summarises the traditional method of soil-structure interaction based on the modulus of subgrade reaction and shows its weakness. In order to avoid these weakness, a new soil-structure interaction model is proposed. This model considers the soil as a set of connected springs which enables interaction between springs. Its use is as simple as the traditional model but allows to define the soil properties independently from the structural properties and the loading conditions. Thus, the definition of the modulus of subgrade reaction is unnecessary as each component is defined by its own modulii (Young's modulus and shear modulus). The non-linear soil behaviour for the shear stress versus distortion is also incorporated in the model. This feature allows to pinpoint the arching effect in the ground and shows how the stresses concentrate on stiff materials. Based on these principles, three dimensional program has been developed in order to solve the difficult problem of soil improvement by inclusions (stiff or soft). Also the possibility to take into account a flexible mat and/or a subgrade layer has been implemented. Equations used in the model are developed and a parametric study of the necessary data used in the program is presented. In particular, the Westergaard modulus notion and the arching effect are analysed.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.437-447
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• 2023

Inclined piles are commonly used in civil engineering constructions where significant lateral resistance is required. Many researchers proved their positive performance on the seismic behavior of the supported structure and the piles themselves. However, most of these numerical studies were done within the framework of linear elastic or elastoplastic soil behavior, neglecting therefore the soil non-linearity at low and moderate soil strains which is questionable and could be misleading in dynamic analysis. The main objective of this study is to examine the influence of the pile inclination on the seismic performance of the soil-pile-structure system when both the linear elastic and the nonlinear soil models are employed. Based on the comparative responses, the adequacy of the soil's linear elastic behavior will be therefore evaluated. The analysis is conducted by generating a three-dimensional finite difference model, where a full interaction between the soil, structure, and inclined piles is considered. The numerical survey proved that the pile inclination can have a significant impact on the internal forces generated by seismic activity, specifically on the bending moment and shear forces. The main disadvantages of using inclined piles in this system are the bending forces at the head and pile-to-head connection. It is crucial to account for soil nonlinearity to accurately assess the seismic response of the soil-pile-structure system.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.305-318
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• 2014

The study deals with the physical modeling of a typical building frame resting on pile foundation and embedded in cohesive soil mass using complete three-dimensional finite element analysis. Two different pile groups comprising four piles ($2{\times}2$) and nine piles ($3{\times}3$) are considered. Further, three different pile diameters along with the various pile spacings are considered. The elements of the superstructure frame and those of the pile foundation are descretized using twenty-node isoparametric continuum elements. The interface between the pile and pile and soil is idealized using sixteen-node isoparametric surface elements. The current study is an improved version of finite element modeling for the soil elements compared to the one reported in the literature (Chore and Ingle 2008). The soil elements are discretized using eight-, nine- and twelve-node continuum elements. Both the elements of superstructure and substructure (i.e., foundation) including soil are assumed to remain in the elastic state at all the time. The interaction analysis is carried out using sub-structure approach in the parametric study. The total stress analysis is carried out considering the immediate behaviour of the soil. The effect of various parameters of the pile foundation such as spacing in a group and number piles in a group, along with pile diameter, is evaluated on the response of superstructure. The response includes the displacement at the top of the frame and bending moment in columns. The soil-structure interaction effect is found to increase displacement in the range of 58 -152% and increase the absolute maximum positive and negative moments in the column in the range of 14-15% and 26-28%, respectively. The effect of the soil- structure interaction is observed to be significant for the configuration of the pile groups and the soil considered in the present study.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2020

This study presents an investigation of the dynamic interactions between a surface structure lying on two different soil deposits and a square-shaped buried structure embedded in the soil. To this end, a large number of numerical models are generated by using a well-known Finite Element Method software, i.e., OpenSEES. The interaction phenomenon is assumed to be affected by six different parameters. In the parametric study, these parameters are assumed to have various values in accordance with the engineering practices. A total of 1620 possible combinations of the parameter values are addressed in this study. 30 different numerical models are also generated as the 'free-field cases' to set a reference. The surface structure drift and acceleration amplifications are used as a measure to evaluate the dynamic interactions. The response (i.e., drifts and accelerations) amplifications are calculated as the ratio of the maximum surface structure response in any 'case' to the maximum surface structure response in corresponding free-field case. Variation of the response amplifications with any of the investigated parameters is addressed in this paper. The results obtained from the numerical analyses clearly reveal that the presence of a buried structure in the vicinity of a surface structure can cause both amplification and de-amplification of the surface structure responses, depending on the case parameters.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.353-363
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• 2017

The present study considers a multi-span continuous bridge, isolated by lead rubber bearing (LRB). Dynamic soilstructure interaction (SSI) is modelled with the help of a simplified, sway-rocking model for different types of soil. It is well understood from the literature that SSI influences the structural responses and the isolator performance. However, the abovementioned effect of SSI also depends on the earthquake ground motion properties. It is very important to understand how the interaction between soil and structure varies with the earthquake ground motion characteristics but, as far as the knowledge of the authors go, no study has been carried out to investigate this effect. Therefore, the objectives of the present study are to investigate the influence of earthquake ground motion characteristics on: (a) the responses of a multi span bridge (isolated and non-isolated), (b) the performance of the isolator and, most importantly, (c) the soil-structure interaction. Statistical analyses are conducted by considering 14 earthquakes which are selected in such a way that they can be categorized into three frequency content groups according to their peak ground acceleration to peak ground velocity (PGA/PGV) ratio. Lumped mass model of the bridge is developed and time history analyses are carried out by solving the governing equations of motion in the state space form. The performance of the isolator is studied by comparing the responses of the bridge with those of the corresponding uncontrolled bridge (i.e., non-isolated bridge). On studying the effect of earthquake motions, it is observed that the earthquake ground motion characteristics affect the interaction between soil and structure in such a way that the responses decrease with increase in frequency content of the earthquake for all the types of soil considered. The reverse phenomenon is observed in case of the isolator performance where the control efficiencies increase with frequency content of earthquake.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.857-865
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• 2023

This study aimed to develop a seismic retrofit technique using a steel frame which can be easily transported and assembled on site. This enables the retrofit steel frame to be easily attached to an existing structure minimizing the unwanted gap between the structure and the steel frame assembly. A one-story one-bay RC frame was tested with and without seismic retrofit using the proposed steel frame to verify the seismic retrofit effect of the proposed system, and an analysis model was developed in Opensees for seismic performance evaluation of a case study soft first-story model structure retrofitted with the developed steel frame assembly. Seismic performance of the model structure was also evaluated considering soil structure interaction effect. The experimental study confirmed that the proposed seismic retrofit system can be applied effectively to improve the seismic performance of framed structures. Time history analysis results of the model structure showed that the proposed steel frame assembly was effective in increasing the seismic load resisting capacity of the soft first-story structure. However more steel frame assemblies were required to satisfy the given performance limit state of the model structure located on weak soil due to the negative soil-structure interaction effect.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.88 no.3
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• pp.273-285
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• 2023

This study examines how the interaction between soil and a wind turbine's supporting system affects the optimal design. The supporting system resting on an elastic soil foundation consists of a steel conical tower and a concrete circular raft foundation, and it is subjected to wind loads. The material cost of the supporting system is aimed to be minimized employing various metaheuristic optimization algorithms including teaching-learning based optimization (TLBO). To include the influence of the soil in the optimization process, modified Vlasov and Gazetas elastic soil models are integrated into the optimization algorithms using the application programing interface (API) feature of the structural analysis program providing two-way data flow. As far as the optimal designs are considered, the best minimum cost design is achieved for the TLBO algorithm, and the modified Vlasov model makes the design economical compared with the simple Gazetas and infinitely rigid soil models. Especially, the optimum design dimensions of the raft foundation extremely reduce when the Vlasov realistic soil reactions are included in the optimum analysis. Additionally, as the designated design wind speed is decreased, the beneficial impact of soil interaction on the optimum material cost diminishes.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.397-411
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• 2009

The effect of soil-structure interaction on a simple single storeyed and two bay space frame resting on a pile group embedded in the cohesive soil (clay) with flexible cap is examined in this paper. For this purpose, a more rational approach is resorted to using the three dimensional finite element analysis with realistic assumptions. The members of the superstructure and substructure are descretized using 20 node isoparametric continuum elements while the interface between the soil and pile is modeled using 16 node isoparametric interface elements. Owing to viability in terms of computational resources and memory requirement, the approach of uncoupled analysis is generally preferred to coupled analysis of the system. However, an interactive analysis of the system is presented in this paper where the building frame and pile foundation are considered as a single compatible unit. This study is focused on the interaction between the pile cap and underlying soil. In the parametric study conducted using the coupled analysis, the effect of pile spacing in a pile group and configuration of the pile group is evaluated on the response of superstructure. The responses of the superstructure considered include the displacement at top of the frame and moments in the superstructure columns. The effect of soil-structure interaction is found to be quite significant for the type of foundation used in the study. The percentage variation in the values of displacement obtained using the coupled and uncoupled analysis is found in the range of 4-17 and that for the moment in the range of 3-10. A reasonable agreement is observed in the results obtained using either approach.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.25-35
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• 2018

Geocentrifuge tests are performed to investigate the structure-soil-structure interaction of shallow foundations that have various sizes. The soil specimen is prepared by using the air-pluviation, and the dynamic responses of the foundation are monitored with separation distances between the two foundations and the embedment. During the centrifugal test, the measured ground acceleration shows a tendency to increase with the increase of the input seismic amplitude, and maximum acceleration is measured at the surface due to the ground amplification. As the separation distance between the two foundations decreases, the ratio of the response spectral acceleration (RRS) increases and the period at the peak RRS decreases due to the structure-soil-structure interaction (SSSI). The RRS of the two foundations tends to decrease when the foundations are buried in the ground at the same separation distance.