A MULTI-SCALE SEISMIC RESPONSE OF TWO-DIMENSIONAL SEDIMENTARY VALLEYS DUE TO THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY

It is well-known that the response of a site to seismic excitation depends on the local topographical and geological conditions. The current building codes already take into account unidimensional site effects butignore complex site effects due to two-dimensional irregular configurations. The aim of this work is to contribute to the establishment of a simple predictive method to estimate site effects. The horizontal ground movements at the surface of sedimentary valleys subjected to SV waves with vertical incidence are calculated by using the HYBRID program, combining finite elements in the near field and boundary elements in the far field (FEM/BEM). A parametric study is conducted to examine the combined effects of topography and geology on the amplification of the response spectrum at various points across the valley. The influence of different parameters is considered, such as filling ratios (from empty to full valleys), impedanc

Recent advances in nature-inspired solutions for ground engineering (NiSE)

The ground is a natural grand system; it is composed of myriad constituents that aggregate to form several geologic and biogenic systems. These systems operate independently and interplay harmoniously via important networked structures over multiple spatial and temporal scales. This paper presents arguments and derivations couched by the authors, to first give a better understanding of these intertwined networked structures, and then to give an insight of why and how these can be imitated to develop a new generation of nature-symbiotic ground engineering techniques. The paper draws on numerous recent advances made by the authors, and others, in imitating forms (e.g., synthetic fibres that imitate plant roots), materials (e.g., living composite materials, or living soil that imitate fungi and microbes), generative processes (e.g., managed decomposition of construction rubble to mimic weathering of aragonites to calcites), and functions (e.g., recreating the self-healing, self-producing, and self-forming capacity of natural systems). Advances are reported in three categories of Materials, Models, and Methods (3Ms). A novel value-based appraisal tool is also presented, providing a means to vet the effectiveness of 3Ms as standalone units or in combinations

Recent Advances in Nature-Inspired Solutions for Ground Engineering (NiSE)

The ground is a natural grand system; it is composed of myriad constituents that aggregate to form several geologic and biogenic systems. These systems operate independently and interplay harmoniously via important networked structures over multiple spatial and temporal scales. This paper presents arguments and derivations couched by the authors, to first give a better understanding of these intertwined networked structures, and then to give an insight of why and how these can be imitated to develop a new generation of nature-symbiotic ground engineering techniques. The paper draws on numerous recent advances made by the authors, and others, in imitating forms (e.g. synthetic fibres that imitate plant roots), materials (e.g. living composite materials, or living soil that imitate fungi and microbes), generative processes (e.g. managed decomposition of construction rubble to mimic weathering of aragonites to calcites), and functions (e.g. recreating the self-healing, self-producing, and self-forming capacity of natural systems). Advances are reported in three categories of Materials, Models, and Methods (3Ms). A novel value-based appraisal tool is also presented, providing a means to vet the effectiveness of 3Ms as standalone units or in combinations