Many regions of the globe are subjected to earthquakes and consequently, geotechnical design must consider the implications of earthquake accelerations. Earthquakes can result in excess pore-water pressure generation, which reduces effective strength and can lead to failure of geotechnical structures. Dynamic shaking can cause collapse of certain types of soils and dynamic inertial forces may result in permanent deformation.
GeoStudio’s QUAKE/W can be integrated with the entire suite of models to allow for dynamic analysis of earth structures. Users can perform a transient Newmark type analysis to determine deformations due to inertial forces. If excess pore-water pressure is generated in a QUAKE/W analysis, dissipation of these pressures can be considered within a seepage (SEEP/W) or stress-deformation model (SIGMA/W). Regions in which there have been a loss of strength and collapse can be identified and permanent plastic deformations can be estimated. Structural supports such as tie-back anchors and sheet pile walls can be included in the dynamic analysis.
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The results of a QUAKE/W analysis can be used in SLOPE/W to conduct a Newmark analysis. This type of analysis provides an estimate of the permanent deformations resulting from the inertial forces associated with an earthquake.
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ProShake is software for one-dimensional ground response analyses, based on a completely different formulation than QUAKE/W and independently developed. A comparison study conducted for three different earthquake records demonstrated close agreement between the ProShake and QUAKE/W results, validating the QUAKE/W formulation and implementation.
The influence of earthquake accelerations on engineered systems is an important consideration for geotechincal design. QUAKE/W can be used to analyze the response of a sheet-pile wall with tie-back anchors to earthquake shaking. In particular, the results can be used to consider the force oscillation in the structural components.
The results from QUAKE/W may also be used in SIGMA/W to complete a ‘Dynamic Deformation’ type of analysis. This analysis provides insight on permanent deformations associated with earthquakes. In the image above, a Dynamic Deformation analysis was completed for a low dam on a clay foundation.
SLOPE/W
Stability analysis of soil and rock slopes.
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SEEP/W + SEEP3D
Finite element analysis of groundwater flow in saturated / unsaturated porous media.
SIGMA/W
Finite element stress and deformation analysis of earth and structural materials.
QUAKE/W
Finite element analysis of earthquake liquefaction and dynamic loading.