Seismic Site Response Analysis Using Spreadsheets

A spreadsheet-based framework for quantifying local site response due to seismic excitation is presented in this paper. The main focus here is on equivalent-linear one-dimensional analysis, similar to the computer program SHAKE or its derivative kin, which by far is the most commonly used approach for performing ground response evaluation. Such analysis involves the computation of the response of a semi-infinite horizontally layered deposit overlying a uniform half-space subjected to vertically propagating shear waves. The bulk of the analysis is actually carried out in the frequency domain, which involves operations with complex-algebraic parameters. Widely available spreadsheet software is typically equipped with sophisticated features, such as programmability and handling of complex-valued data (even Fourier analysis), rendering these productivity tools fully tenable for seismic site response analysis. Since frequency domain analysis is valid primarily for linear systems, an iterative procedure is typically employed to approximate the nonlinear behavior of soil/rock materials. The benefits of performing seismic site response calculations with spreadsheets can be quite substantial, considering their rigorous functionality, dependability, and customizability, in addition to their robustness, user-friendliness, and cost-effectiveness. While the thrust of this paper is directed at the equivalent-linear one-dimensional approach, most of the spreadsheet techniques presented here can also be applied and extended to nonlinear analyses, even in two or more dimensions

Trapdoor experiments on the centrifuge--a study of arching in geomaterials and similitude in geotechnical models

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil Engineering, 1991.by Geraldo R. Iglesia.Ph.D