Influence of foundation contact pressure on response spectrum-based design

Abstract

The supports and seismic actions for structural design are usually mathematical derivatives of the data collected from soil profiles with free-field conditions. This study is based on the premise that the pressure exerted by the structure onto the soil can change resonant properties of soil and thus redirect structural design. The research was conducted on a set of 10 real soil profiles, and involves 21 case studies and the use of two methods for correction of shear wave velocity profiles in order to include contact pressure. Analytically obtained results are compared with the corresponding results obtained by means of a centrifuge experiment.