SOIL-STRUCTURE

INTERACTION ANALYSIS
U N M ATCH ED
EX P ERT ISE
Building for tomorrow:
I N SSI flexible &
resilient design

40+
Y E ARS O F Employing technology to

EX P ERIENCE optimize outcomes

You’re Performance-based
seismic engineering

Grounded!
Our static and dynamic SSI analyses accurately
predict the behavior of structures and the ground
and buildings around them, enabling us to create
designs that are safer and more resilient against
seismic events and changes in the soil. With our
comprehensive suite of geotechnical and structural
services working together to manage risk and save
you time and money, we’ll support your project
from the ground up. Literally.

SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 WHY US?
Long-span Static SSI
expertise
Dynamic SSI

Here’s How

Firm-wide support

STRUCTURAL
ENGINEERING

VIBRATION
TRANSPORTATION &
MEASUREMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE Creative solutions for
MONITORING complex challenges

GEOTECHNICAL
RESILIENCE &
& SEISMIC
SUSTAINABILITY
SUSTAINABILITY
ENGINEERING

Salesforce Transit Center, San Francisco, California

PROTECTIVE
CONSTRUCTION
DESIGN
ENGINEERING
& SECURITY
Impact vibration analysis

High-performance
building design
3
TRUSTED PARTNER
When you work with us, we’ve got your back, every time.

ADVANCED ANALYSES FOR EXTREME EVENTS

Projects of every type and size, all over the world.

HOLISTIC DESIGN FOR MULTIPLE HAZARDS

Creative, integrated problem-solving yields constructable
designs for complex forms.

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS/DEEP BENCH OF EXPERTS

Our experienced engineers use cutting-edge tools to carve
out new ways of solving difficult problems.

INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION & COORDINATION

We work with all team members to ensure the best results for the project.

SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 WHY US?

Static SSI

Dynamic SSI

Here’s How

Excavations. Tunnels. Bridge and building foundations,

and more. We’ve performed soil-structure analyses for

every type of below-grade structure you can think of. In

fact, with 40+ years of experience, Thornton Tomasetti is

Salesforce Transit Center, San Francisco, California

a pioneer in the field. Our highly trained engineers and

sophisticated software – including our powerful in-house

FLEX family of programs – assure the most realistic

soil-deformation, foundation-design and below-grade

structural assessments available anywhere.

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SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 WHY US?

Static SSI

Dynamic SSI

Here’s How

STATIC SSI
Our expertise in geotechnical and structural engineering – along
with our advanced analytical capabilities – enables us to more
realistically predict the coupled behavior of structures and the
surrounding soil, providing our clients invaluable data for confidently
managing the risks associated with below-grade construction.

DYNAMIC SSI
Accurate prediction of the dynamic interaction between soil and
structure is crucial to the design of buildings and infrastructure
that can withstand ground motions. Our engineers have decades

Manhattan Bridge, New York, New York

of experience in performing this type of analysis.

SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION
EXPERTISE & EXPERIENCE
7
 Static SSI

CONF I DE NT I A L P R OJECT –
G R OU P P I L E A N A LYS IS

Our team evaluated the performance of a pile-supported raft foundation and

the complex behaviors of groups of piles, based on numerical simulations
and field load tests for a single pile. We used static SSI analysis to evaluate
differential settlement (uneven or unequal settling or sinking) in the raft
foundation. Our work gave the client a realistic solution for adjustment
of the piles to limit differential settlement in the raft foundation.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING, STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, SUSTAINABILITY

Displacement contour from soil-pile foundation model.

SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 Why Us?

S TAT I C S S I

Dynamic SSI

Here’s How

DIFFERENTIA L SETT L EMEN T ?

NO PROBLEM!

Our analysis considered

the complex interactions of
pile groups, enabling us to
recommend adjustments that
limited differential settlement
of the raft foundation. 9
 Static SSI

MI T S OU T H OF M A IN ( S O M A )
SI T ES 3 , 4 & 5 S LU R RY WA L L D ES IG N
Cambridge, Massachusetts
TREVIICOS

We performed geostructural design services for the construction of a top-

down slurry wall for a six-level underground parking garage that will serve as
a foundation for three multistory above-grade structures. We worked with the
design team to significantly reduce the number of necessary reinforcements,
saving time and reducing costs for our client. Based on our SSI analysis, our
team accurately predicted the performance of the earth-retention system
during construction.
EXCAVATION & STABILITY ANALYSIS, GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 Why Us?

S TAT I C S S I

Dynamic SSI

Here’s How

RISK REDUCTIO N TH ROU GH

SSI A NA LYSIS

The process we developed

using SSI analysis enabled us
to predict soil deformation and
reduce risk during construction
of the slurry wall. 11
 Static SSI

B OSTON CH I L D RE N ’S HO S P ITA L
HA L E FA M I LY C L IN ICA L B U IL D IN G E XCAVATIO N
Boston, Massachusetts
Suffolk Construction & J.F. White Construction

We provided engineering services to enable below-grade construction in one

of the most congested areas of Boston. Our work included the design of a
support-of-excavation system using a slurry wall for a 75-foot-deep excavation
and a 75-by-145-foot construction podium over the excavation site, all while
minimizing settling of the adjacent buildings’ footings. Our computer simulation
demonstrated exceptional agreement between wall movement measurements
from our numerical simulations and those from actual field monitoring.

EXCAVATION & STABILITY ANALYSIS, GEOSTRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 Why Us?

S TAT I C S S I

Dynamic SSI

Here’s How

Courtesy Suffolk Construction

SA FETY FIRST

To lessen the impact of the

excavation on the adjacent
hospitals and the underground
utility tunnel, we performed
scenario simulations for a
variety of bracing elevations. 13
 Static SSI

L I QU E F I ED NAT U RA L G AS ( L N G )
FAC I L I T Y EXPA N S IO N
Providence, Rhode Island
Kiewit Corporation

Our SSI analysis aided in the design of a pile-supported embankment to

mitigate the risk of flooding due to rising water levels. We evaluated the
global stability of a range of scenarios and engineering options, using
the shear strength reduction method, which measures the variance of soil
strata and the structural contribution of proposed piles more accurately
than traditional limited equilibrium methods. The piles not only support
the embankment over soft soil – they also help stabilize it.

STABILITY ANALYSIS, GEOSTRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING, RESILIENCE

SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 Why Us?

S TAT I C S S I

Dynamic SSI

Here’s How

Courtesy Peter Yihui Wu

FEDERA L STA MP OF A PPROVA L

Our work was reviewed and

approved by the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC),
which regulates the interstate
transmission of electricity,
natural gas and oil, 15
 Static SSI

U NBRAC E D E L L IP T ICA L
COF F ER DA M D ES IG N
Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA)

We designed a support-of-excavation system for the construction of a

15-million-gallon-per-day pump station 65 feet below-grade. Cofferdams are
typically either rectangular or circular. But the rectangular shape requires
multiple levels of bracing, while circular cofferdams have larger footprints. Our
elliptical design minimized the footprint and eliminated the need for a lateral
bracing system, simplifying construction, reducing costs and saving time.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING, GEOSTRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 Why Us?

S TAT I C S S I

Dynamic SSI

Here’s How

THINKING OUTSIDE
THE BOX CIRCLE

Our innovative design combined

the advantages of rectangular
and circular cofferdams into a
seldom-used elliptical shape. 17
 Dynamic SSI

TH R OGS NECK B RID G E

SEI S M I C R ET R O F IT
Bronx, New York
MTA Bridges and Tunnels

We performed a seismic retrofit of the bridge’s approach spans using lead core
seismic isolators per the latest New York City Department of Transportation
(NYCDOT) seismic guidelines and AASHTO, bringing the bridge up to current
seismic design code. Our SSI analysis determined the stiffness of the pile
foundations. The retrofit minimized the vulnerabilities of the piers, pier caps,
piles, pile caps, main girder bearing stiffener and other bridge components.

SEISMIC ANALYSIS & RETROFIT, GEOSTRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE

SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 Why Us?

Static SSI

DY N A M I C S S I

Here’s How

SEISMIC SAVINGS

The lead core seismic isolator

retrofit designed by our team is just
as effective as – and more budget-
friendly than – traditional methods
of column strengthening. 19
 Dynamic SSI

MANH AT TA N B R ID G E
SEI S M I C R ET R O F IT
New York, New York
New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT)

Our team assessed the seismic performance of the suspended and approach
spans of the Manhattan Bridge, following NYCDOT seismic design and AASHTO
guidelines. We incorporated dynamic SSI effects into our seismic analysis,
helping determine which portions of the bridge were in need of retrofitting.
Our thorough analysis of the bridge’s structural members enabled us to
design a retrofit that limited their seismic vulnerabilities.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING, SEISMIC RETROFIT, TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE

SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 Why Us?

Static SSI

DY N A M I C S S I

Here’s How

“ FUSES” CA N BLOW – SA F ELY

To ensure a cost-effective retrofit,

we designed some high-stress,
easy-to-replace elements as “fuse”
members that can safely fail during
a seismic event, protecting more
essential elements. 21
 Dynamic SSI

R OBE RT F. K E N N E DY B RID G E
New York, New York
New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT)

Based on project-specific design criteria and site-specific geotechnical

data and seismic input, Thornton Tomasetti, in a joint venture, evaluated the
vulnerabilities of the suspended span, along with several ramps and junction
structures, taking into account the foundation stiffness and damping obtained
through SSI analysis. Our study provided the client a detailed list of vulnerable
structural components, including truss, girder, piers, footings, foundations,
piles, and more, that should be retrofitted or strengthened.

GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION, SEISMIC RETROFIT, SITE RESPONSE ANALYSIS, VIBRATION MEASUREMENT

SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 Why Us?

Static SSI

DY N A M I C S S I

Here’s How

INSIGHT THRO UG H
INVESTIGATIO N

Our analysis revealed that, in

addition to multiple structural
elements, many nonstructural but
life-safety-related elements were
vulnerable to earthquake damage
and also required retrofitting. 23
 Dynamic SSI

SAL ES FOR C E T RA N S IT C E N T E R
San Francisco, California
Transbay Joint Powers Authority

Our structural engineering services for this transit terminal topped by a 5.4-
acre public park employed performance-based design to create a structure
that will survive maximum earthquake shaking without significant structural
damage or loss of function. Our design of the structure included dynamic SSI
analysis, performance-based design of the superstructure, and an extensive
finite-element and experimental program to evaluate its unique connections.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING, SEISMIC ANALYSIS

SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 Why Us?

Static SSI

DY N A M I C S S I

Here’s How

Courtesy Transbay Joint Powers Authority

A NA LYSIS INFO RMS D ES IGN

Our study of the complex seismic

interactions of the building and soil
layers, which varied in depth and
length, informed the performance-
based design of the structure to
withstand seismic effects. 25
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SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION ANALYSIS

 Why Us?

Static SSI

Fangyin Zhang Dynamic SSI

Associate Principal
FZhang@ThorntonTomasetti.com HERE’S HOW
+1.212.367.2821
NEW YORK

Fangyin has performed seismic research and

infrastructure retrofits for more than 20 years
and is experienced in dynamic SSI using the
full-direct, substructure and P-Y curve methods.

Meeok Kim John Mould

Associate Principal Principal
MKim@ThorntonTomasetti.com JMould@ThorntonTomasetti.com
+1.617.250.4181 +1.650.230.0334
BOSTON SANTA CLARA

Meeok focuses on excavation-support systems, John specializes in soil, rock and fluid-structure
foundations, below-grade walls and tunnels. interaction analysis for blast, impact and shock
She chairs the Deep Foundation Institute’s applications and has developed algorithms and
Slurry Wall and Seepage Control committee. software to evaluate these coupled problems.

Ali Ashrafi Liling Cao

Principal Senior Principal
AAshrafi@ThorntonTomasetti.com LCao@ThorntonTomasetti.com
+1.212.367.3087 +1.212.367.2995
NEW YORK NEW YORK

Ali has deep expertise in performance-based Liling heads our advanced analytics group,
design of complex structures and dynamic soil- focusing on nonlinear analysis of structural
structure interaction. He has taught earthquake interactions and performance under extreme
and wind engineering at Columbia University. loads, including earthquakes, wind and blast.

We want to hear from you!

Please contact us if you’d like to collaborate or learn more about our services.

27
Offices Worldwide

120 Broadway
New York, NY 10271-0016
T +1.917.661.0016

Fa n gyi n Zh a n g
A s so c i a te P ri n c i p a l
F Zh a n g @T h o r nto nTo m a s e t t i . c o m
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Th o rnto nTo m a s ett i .co m/G e o st ruc t u ra l

Throgs Neck Bridge

Bronx, New York

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