Analyses of Seismic Damage to Interfaces in Waste Containment Systems: A Review

Abstract

Interfaces are generally the weak links in most structural systems because they are locations of stress concentration and physicochemical/biological attack from both external and internal causes. For waste containment systems in seismically active zones, stress concentration and possible damage initiation at interfaces among different layers of materials depend on input seismic parameters, site characteristics, containment system design configuration, and both material and interface characteristics of components of the system. The approaches and quantitative methods that have been used to analyze the strength and stability of waste containment structural components and systems, including adaptations from earthdam design techniques, are discussed. Using U.S. regionalization data from