3D Complete Nonlinear Methods for Soil–Building Interaction Based on an Input Wavefield

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) complete nonlinear methods for examining soil–building interaction based on an input seismic wavefield were developed. A seismic wavefield means seismic waves propagating in a 3D medium. Vertical ground motions and the material nonlinearity of the superstructure and the piles were incorporated into earlier methods. Consequently, employing a three-component input wavefield including surface waves, the methods are able to treat nonlinear behavior of the superstructure and the piles in the cases of soils with nonlinear and liquefaction behavior. The feasibility of the methods was demonstrated using a midrise RC building in the lakebed zone of Mexico City and a midrise RC building and a wood building in the reclaimed zone of Tokyo Bay. The response of a midrise RC building of Tokyo was displayed. The methods provide reasonable nonlinear building performance. Building responses became excessively large following extremely large increases in the amplitudes of surface waves in liquefied soils, thereby successfully indicating that Japanese RC building damage concentrates in the first story.