GEOTECHNICAL EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING

2011 - 2012

Fabrice EMERIAULT
DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE AT …

For ENSE3 students:

Dokeos on ENSE3 intranet:

ENSE3 A3 HOE Génie parasismique

For Master MEMS/MEEES students:

FTP site:

ftp://geo.hmg.inpg.fr/pub/emeriault/O2_GP/

2
EVALUATION BASED ON …

For ENSE3 students:

1 hour written exam with documents

1 project/BE (12h) by groups of 2 with a written
report.

For Master MEMS/MEEES students:

1 hour written exam with documents

3
GENERAL OUTLINE

Introduction

Elements of engineering seismology

Cyclic and dynamic behaviour of soils

Liquefaction of soils

Seismic behaviour of retaining walls

Seismic slope stability and design of earth dams

Seismic behaviour of foundations

Seismic behaviour of buried structures

INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION

Analyse the impact of earthquakes on
geotechnical structures:

Natural slopes

Anthropic slopes (dams and embankments)

Foundations

Retaining structures

Determine the mechanisms involved in the

behaviour of these structures

Propose design methods to reduce the

vulnerability of these structures
 Slope stability

Kobé, 1995 Salvador, 2001

Failure of dams and embankments

San Fernando dam, 1971

 Loss of bearing capacity of foundations

Caracas, 1967 Izmit, 1999

Large settlements and lateral spreading

Kobé, 1995
Retaining structures

Taiwan, 1999
 Buried structures (gaz, water, sewer pipes)

Northridge, 1994

Seattle, 1949
ELEMENTS OF ENGINEERING
SEISMOLOGY
ELEMENTS OF ENGINEERING SEISMOLOGY

Introduction

Earthquakes: origins and mechanics

Main elements of characterisation

Seismic wave propagation

Strong motion analysis: response spectra

Seismic hazard analysis

Design spectra
INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING SEISMOLOGY

Methodology:

Estimation of the regional seismic hazard: What are
the seismic events that can impact the site ?

Estimation of the local seismic hazard: What is the
possible behaviour of the site ?

What is the behaviour of structures under the possible

seismic loading ?

Political decisions: What the community can or wants

to do to reduce the risk ?

What codes and regulations ?
EARTHQUAKES Strong link with plates tectonics
Plates tectonics
Plates tectonics and associated seismicity :

Possible classification of earthquakes depending on the depth of the source and the
type of contact between plates:

- Shallow earthquakes:
- a few 10 km
- 90 % of earthquakes and 75 % of the total released energy
- any type of contact between plates

- Intermediate earthquakes:
- up to 100 km
- convergent plates

- Deep earthquakes:
- a few 100 km
- strong attenuation
at ground surface
- convergent plates
Divergent plates: Ridges

Pingvelli fault (Island) – atlantic ridge

Convergent plates :
Subduction of a plate under an overiding plate
Between 2 oceanic plates or oceanic and continental plates
Convergent plates :
Surrection of continental plates

example:
australia-india and eurasia plates
Transform faults (strike slip):

A way to cope with differences of displacement rates or to opposite movements of

plates

Example: San Andrea fault

Ridges
Case of intra-plates earthquakes :

Even though the majority of earthquakes occur at a contact between

plates, there are some intra – plates earthquakes.

Continental intra-plates earthquakes are extremely difficult to explain,

forecast and locate.

Unfortunately, they can be extremely violent

 EARTHQUAKES: THE BASIC MECHANICS
Différents mécanismes de failles actives:

Faille normale Faille inverse

(traction) (compression)

Different types of faults

 EARTHQUAKES: FAULT CYCLE

- Stress build-up due to slow relative movement of

plates (elastic energy is stored)
- Rupture occurs when the stress exceeds the soil/rock
strength (strain energy is released)
- Rapid relative displacement stops when all the
stored energy is released

Each fault has its own cycle depending on :

- its mechanism (normal, reverse, transform)
- the rate of stress increase
- the nature and characteristics of rocks
- its geometry (length, area,…) .
MAIN ELEMENTS OF CHARACTERISATION:
MAGNITUDE
Intensity: 1st characterisation of earthquakes based on the observed effects on
populations, buildings and landscape
- non-instrumental
- Mercalli scale (USA), MSK (Europe)
- from I to XII

Magnitude: Logarithimic quantity representative of the total energy

released by the source in the form of elastic waves

Different definitions:

- Local magnitude (Richter 1935)

ML = log Amax

with Amax the maximum amplitude of motion recorded on a

seismometer located 100 km from the epicenter
-Surface wave Magnitude (Rayleigh waves)

Ms = log A +1.66 log ∆ +2

with A the maximum displacement of ground
∆ distance to the epicenter

- Body wave Magnitude (deep-focus earthquakes, P waves)

- Duration Magnitude

- Moment Magnitude (Kanamori)

Only definition of magnitude

that avoids « saturation »

Mw = 1/1.5 log M0 -10.7

With M0 the seismic moment

M0 = µ A D

µ= shear stiffness of rock

A = rupture area
D = average amount of slip
Séismes et rupture en surface Séisme de Chi-Chi, 1999

Kramer, Geotechnical
Earthquake Engineering, 1997
 Displacement
Number of Length of along rupture Duration of Released
Magnitude EQ / year rupture area area EQ energy
9 800KM 8m 250 s E x 40 000 000
8 1 250KM 5m 85 s E x 1 200 000
7 18 50KM 1m 15 s E x 35 000
6 125 10KM 20 cm 3s E x 1000
5 1500 3KM 5 cm 1s E x 33
4 5000 1KM 2 cm 0,3 s E
 NOMBRE ANNUEL DE SEISMES > Mw
RECURRENCE LAW (période 1650-1999)
Source : GEO-TER (1999)
DONNEES DE SISMICITE (ARC)
MARTINIQUE - SEISMES H>15 km
MARTINIQUE - SOURCES SUPERFICIELLES (H<16 km)
MARTINIQUE (80 km)
Return period 1E+3

ude supérieure à Mw
Mw Shallow Deep
Sources sources
Subduction 1E+2

M≥4 5 years 4 months

10

Nombre annuel de séismes de magnitu

M≥5 ? (50-75) 5 years

1
M≥6 - 25 years

M≥7 - 150 years 0.1

0.01

1E-3

2 4 6 8
Magnitude Mw
SEISMIC WAVE PROPAGATION

Different types of seismic waves

Wave progation from the source

Attenuation

Interface: reflection / refraction

 Body waves:

P waves

Direction of propagation
Propagate from the source in the rock/soil mass
Similar to sound waves (compression / expansion)
Can be reflected and refracted

Speed: from 4 to 6 km/s

Period: approximately 1 s
Wave length: from 4 to 6 km
S waves

Direction of propagation
Propagate from the source in the rock/soil mass
Shear movement perpendicular to the direction of propagation
Can be reflected and refracted

Speed: generally 60 % of that of P waves

Period: approximately 1 s
Wave length: from 4 to 6 km
 λ + 2µ µ
Theoretically: Vp = Vs =
ρ ρ

λ = K − 2 G Vp > Vs
With  then:
 3
µ = G

For an infinite isotropic linear elastic solid

Example: E = 10 GPa
ν = 0.3
ρ = 2000 kg/m3

Vp = 2.74 kms-1
Vs = 1.37 kms-1
The closer the Poisson’s ratio ν is to 0,5 (incompressible solid),
the greater the difference between Vp and Vs
 Surface waves :

Generated by body waves reaching the ground surface

Speed: approximately 1 to 2 km/s

Period: approx. 20 s
Wave length: from 20 to 40 km
Rayleigh waves

Direction of propagation

Similar to a wave at the surface of a liquid (sea)

Retrograde elliptical movement of soil particules
Love waves

Sens de propagation
Shear wave (as the S – waves)
Oscillation in a horizontal plane
Decreasing amplitude with depth
 Wave propagation from the source:

Origins of wave modifications:

- distance travelled
- soil/rock characteristics
- interfaces
- topography
 Geometrical attenuation Atténuation géométrique

Source : Archuleta et al., 1997

 Nature des couches
Modification de sols
by rock/soil traversés
mass
Reflection / refraction at interface:

- observed at interfaces between layers of soil / rock

of different types or mechanical characteristics
- similar to Snell-Descartes law (optics)
- possibility of creation of new types of waves

α2

β2
Solid 2
Solid 1
β1
α1 α1
V p1 Vs1 = V p2
V
= = s2 Incident
sin α1 sin β1 sin α 2 sin β2 wave
 Vs1 = Vs 2 Solid 1
sin α1 sin α 2
h
α α
1 1
Example:
Solid 2 (rock): G2 = 10GPa Solid 2
ρ2 = 2500 kg/m3
Vs2 = 2000 ms-1 α α
Incident 2 2
Solid 1 (soil): G1 = 200 MPa wave
ρ1 = 2000 kg/m3
Vs1 = 316 ms-1

α2 = 30° α1 = 4.5°

The direction of propagation moves progressively towards the vertical

 STRONG MOTION ANALYSIS: RESPONSE
SPECTRA
Earthquake loading vs time :

Seismic signal: complex and « random »

Superposition of waves:
- of different types
- with different frequencies
- with a large range of amplitudes

Movements recorded in 3 directions:

-N-S
-E-W
- vertical
 Acceleration (in m s-2 or in g)

Peak Acceleration characterizes

high frequency components of the
signal (> 3Hz)

Velocity (in m s-1)

Peak Velocity characterizes

intermediate frequency
components of the signal
(between 0.3 and 3Hz)

Sismogram (in m)

Peak Displacement characterizes

low frequency components of the
signal (< 0.3 Hz)
Spectral analysis of the earthquake:

- Using Fourier transform: too complex for practical use

- Response spectrum: useful to identify the impact on structures

for a given site and and a given earthquake, it is an indicator of amplification

(resonance) or de-amplification of the parameters (displacement, velocity and
acceleration) measured at ground surface.

the response of a specific structure is then obtained with this spectrum by

introducing its natural frequency and its damping coefficient.
Response spectrum:

Equation of motion of a simple oscillator subjected to the base acceleration a(t)

m&x& + cx& + kx = − m a ( t ) x(t)

&x& + 2ζωx& + ω2 x = −a ( t ) k
m
k c
ω=
m natural frequency
c a(t)
ζ=
2 km damping coefficient

For a given signal a(t), the response x(t) and its derivatives x’(t) and x’’(t) can
be computed as a function of ω for given values of ζ
The variation of the maximum value of the acceleration can be represented as
a function of ω and ζ .
3 case of simple oscilators

Measured accelerogram

5 % damping: concrete structure

T = 1/10 number of storeys

Acceleration spectrum Cases of 3, 5 and 10 storey

concrete buildings
51
Response spectra can be determined for:
- Acceleration (Sa)
- Relative velocity (Sv)
- Relative displacement (Sd)

Approximately:
- Sv = ω Sd
- Sa = ω2 Sd
Response spectra of Sa, Sv and Sd can
be plotted on a unique chart:

53
ELEMENTS OF ENGINEERING SEISMOLOGY

Introduction

Earthquakes: origins and mechanics

Main elements of characterisation

Seismic wave propagation

Strong motion analysis: response spectra

Seismic hazard analysis

Design spectra
 SEISMIC HAZARD ANALYSIS

Objectives:

- estimate at a global (regional) scale, the main characteristics of the

seismic hazard.

identify the source (fault)

model the source (magnitude, return period)
model the propagation (attenuation)

- estimate at a local scale, the possibility of these characteristics to be

modified by site conditions
 REGIONAL SEISMIC HAZARD ANALYSIS

Based on:
- historical records (macro-seismicity)
- nowadays mainly monitoring (micro-seismicity) using networks of
seismometer

Historical records Sismalp

Guadeloupe - Martinique

56

Monitoring
Guadeloupe - Martinique
 NOMBRE ANNUEL DE SEISMES > Mw
Determination of the recurrence (période 1650-1999)
Source : GEO-TER (1999)
law for a given source of
DONNEES DE SISMICITE (ARC)
earthquake
MARTINIQUE - SEISMES H>15 km
MARTINIQUE - SOURCES SUPERFICIELLES (H<16 km)
MARTINIQUE (80 km)
Return period 1E+3

ude supérieure à Mw
Mw Shallow Deep
Sources sources
Subduction 1E+2

M≥4 5 years 4 months

10

Nombre annuel de séismes de magnitu

M≥5 ? (50-75) 5 years

1
M≥6 - 25 years

M≥7 - 150 years 0.1

0.01

1E-3

2 4 6 8
Magnitude Mw
Use of these data in a probabilistic or deterministic evaluation of the
regional seismic hazard
- depend on the type of structure that will be further considered
- « normal » structures (housing) or presenting a « high » level
of risk (nuclear power plants)
- always calculated for a certain return period

Result of the probabilistic approach (1985) Included in the national regulations

(political decision) 1991
 Décret n° 2010-1255 du 22 octobre 2010 portant délimitation des zones de sismicité du territoire français

Further modifications:
- due to the increasing knowledge (resulting from observation of
micro-seismicity)
- implementation in new codes (for example Eurocode 8)

Décret n° 2010-1255 du 22 octobre 2010 portant délimitation

des zones de sismicité du territoire français
LOCAL SEISMIC HAZARD ANALYSIS

Loose sediments Before the earthquake

Fault
Site effect -
amplification

Landslide Rock fall

Liquefaction

Surface rupture

After the earthquake

Focus 60
Displacement of the fault at ground surface observed if M > 5.5 and if the
depth of the focus < 5 km
MAGNITUDE LENGTH OF DISPLACEMENT
RUPTURE
5.0 3 - 4 km --
6.0 10 - 15 km ~ 20 cm
7.0 40 - 50 km 1 -2 m
8.0 200 - 300 km 4-6m
9.0 800 - 1000 km 15 - 20 m

Taiwan, 1999 (3 m de haut) Izmit, 1999 (décrochement 3.7 m )

Effect of topography

Hill: amplification of waves

Concave
topography

Rock mass

Lambesc earthquake (11 June 1909)

Alluvial soils over rock:

Waves are trapped in the alluvial soil (due to the

reflection/refraction laws)
Amplification of the waves

Alluvial
deposits
Rock mass

Mexico, 1985
 Sa (g)

0.75g

x 7.7
SCT

Rocher

0.15g
x5
0.035g

T (s)

MEXICO :1985
Accelerogram recorded on the rock

Same phenomenon observed in Grenoble

Accelerogram recorded in the valley

66

Lebrun, 1995.
 Liquefaction:

67

Loss of bearing capacity due to liquefaction http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLZFlnND0hA

Other effects:

- Rockfalls
- Tsunamis
- Failure of underground cavities or mines

68
DESIGN SPECTRA
Normalized response spectra

-Normalized by aN (depends on the regional seismic hazard and the class of

building)

-Idealized shape (linear part, plateau and hyperbolic decrease)

- Depend on the type of soil and the thickness of the layer

- Given for a specific value of damping (5%)

French code PS92

Design spectra (PS92) R(T) = aN RD(T) ρ τ

- include the type of site (soil and thickness)

- horizontal and vertical acceleration spectra
- ρ = (5/ζ)0.4 with ζ damping in %
- τ topographic coefficient

Horizontal spectra Vertical spectra

Case of Guadeloupe
and Martinique

Different spectra for:

- near surface earthquake

- deep earthquake

71

Fort de France
 Fault

Amplification of waves by the

topography

Specific case of Fort de France: local seismic hazard analysis

Local hazards induced by EQ
Zone of homogeneous response
Horizontal response spectra (5 % damping)
END OF SESSION 1