To create an innovative three-dimensional (3D) numerical code for wave propagation in linear and nonlinear earth media, for analysing earthquake and man-made vibratory ground motions in the presence of significant site effects, including foundation interaction domains.
– To demonstrate the practical use and reliability of the numerical code through validation with data from local seismic arrays.
– To identify new practical classifications of site-dependent ground motion hazard by th einnovative application of artificial intelligence techniques.
– To formulate improved criteria for taking site effects into account, and to incorporate them into preliminary, simplified guidelines for practical applications.
The objectives will be attained by a combination of analytical tools and software, experimental observations in
the field, and laboratory tests, salient among which are:
– an original hybrid finite element- spectral appoximation algorithm that constitutes the basis for the 3D
numerical code;
– large-scale (approx. 5mx5mx2m) cyclic soil-foundation interaction tests with saturated sand at near-failure
conditions to be carried out at the ELSA reaction wall facility of JRC (Joint Research Center) Ispra. Theoretical
simulations on simplified models using existing codes will be performed; – use of strong and weak motion recordings from local seismometer arrays, including one from Kefallonia Island
(Greece), one from Japan (Ohba Ohashi bridge) and the Nya Ullevi Arena in Gothenburg (Sweden);
– use of pattern recognition methods developed in artificial intelligence to identify the most relevant site
conditions that control the level of risk, and to provide the basis of guidelines for practical applications.
The main deliverables of this project will be the software for the 3D numerical code for wave propagation and
for the automatic classification of the level of risk at each location of the study area, an experimental database
with the results of the soil-foundation interaction tests, and synthetic guidelines for evaluation of site effects.
