Site response analysis of an urban area: A multi-dimensional and non-linear approach. Issue 109 (June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Falcone, Gaetano; Boldini, Daniela; Amorosi, Angelo
• Is Part Of: Soil dynamics and earthquake engineering. Issue 109(2018)
• Page Start: 33
• Page End: 45
• Publication Date: 2018-06
• Subjects: Seismic site response -- Numerical simulation -- Site effects -- Finite Element method -- Non-linear analysis -- Multi-dimensional approaches; Soil dynamics -- Periodicals; Earthquake engineering -- Periodicals; Sols -- Dynamique -- Périodiques; Génie parasismique -- Périodiques; 624.176205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.soildyn.2018.02.026
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0267-7261

Abstract

Abstract: This paper critically examines the numerical predictions of the seismic site response of both ideal and real cases as obtained by means of mono- and multi-dimensional Finite Element (FE) approaches. Ideal case-studies are first considered, aiming at validating the adopted numerical approach against existing analytical or simple numerical solutions. Then a three dimensional model of the Bovino urban area, located in southern Italy, was generated taking into account the real site conditions. Numerical analyses were thus carried out adopting a non-linear elasto-plastic soil constitutive model implemented in a commercial FE code. The following issues were investigated in detail: geometrical schemes, horizontal direction of the input motion, calibration of the constitutive model and non-linear soil response. Most of the obtained numerical results, presented in terms of amplification factors, indicate that larger amplifications occur when the more realistic multi-dimensional schemes are adopted as compared to the mono-dimensional ones. Highlights: Seismic site response analyses of the whole of urban area is a challenging task. It should be tackled adopting multi-dimensional numerical approaches. The higher is the dimensionality, the larger are the amplification factors in the valley and hill areas. Non-linearity and plasticity can play a major role in the results. Parasitic horizontal component is generated along the direction perpendicular to that of the input.