SOIL MECHANICS II

SOIL DYNAMICS

Muhammad Usman Arshid

Department of Civil Engineering

University of Engineering Technology Taxila
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 Introduction
 Soil mechanics is the branch of civil engineering that deals with the
engineering properties and behavior of soil under stress

 Most of these studies have been devoted to the determination of soil

behavior under static load conditions, in a broader sense

 Dynamic loads are imposed on soils and geotechnical structures by

several sources, such as
0 earthquakes,
0 bomb blasts,
0 operation of machinery,
0 construction operations,
0 mining,
0 traffic,
0 wind,
0 and wave actions

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 Introduction
It is well known that the stress-strain properties
of a soil and its behavior depend upon several
factors and can be different in many ways under
dynamic loading conditions as compared to the
case of static loading.

Soil dynamics is the branch of soil mechanics

that deals with the behavior of soil under
dynamic load, including the analysis of the
stability of earth-supported and earth retaining
structures.

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 Why Study Soil Dynamics

During the last 50 years, several factors, such as

damage due to liquefaction of soil during
earthquakes, stringent safety requirements for
nuclear power plants, industrial advancements
(for example, design of foundations for power
generation equipment and other machinery),
design and construction of offshore structures,
and defense requirements, have resulted in a
rapid growth in the area of soil dynamics.

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Nature and Type of Dynamic Loading on Soils

0 The type of dynamic loading in soil or the

foundation of a structure depends on the nature of
the source producing it. Dynamic loads vary in
their magnitude, direction, or position with time.
More than one type of variation of forces may
coexist.
0 Periodic load is a special type of load that varies in
magnitude with time and repeats itself at regular
intervals, for example, operation of a reciprocating
or a rotary machine.
0 Non-periodic loads are those loads that do not
show any periodicity, for example, wind loading on
a building

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Nature and Type of Dynamic Loading on Soils
0 Deterministic loads are those loads that can be
specified as definite functions of time, irrespective
of whether the time variation is regular or
irregular, for example, the harmonic load imposed
by unbalanced rotating machinery.
0 Nondeterministic loads are those loads that can
not be described as definite functions of time
because of their inherent uncertainty in their
magnitude and form of variation with time, for
example, earthquake load.
0 Cyclic loads are those loads which exhibit a degree
of regularity both in its magnitude and frequency
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Nature and Type of Dynamic Loading on Soils
0 The operation of a reciprocating or a rotary
machine typically produces a dynamic load
pattern, as shown in Figure 1.1a. This dynamic
load is more or less sinusoidal in nature and may
be idealized, as shown in Figure 1.1b.

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Nature and Type of Dynamic Loading on Soils
0 The impact of a hammer on a foundation produces a
transient loading condition in soil, as shown in Figure
1.2a. The load typically increases with time up to a
maximum value at time t = t1 and drops to zero after
that. The case shown in Figure 1.2a is a single-pulse load.
A typical loading pattern (vertical acceleration) due to a
pile-driving operation is shown in Figure 1.2b.

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 Dynamic Loading Due to Earthquakes
0 Dynamic loading associated with an earthquake is
random in nature. A load that varies in a highly irregular
fashion with time is sometimes referred to as a random
load. Figure 1.3 shows the accelerogram of the E1 Centro,
California, earthquake of May 18, 1940

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 Dynamic Loading Due to Earthquakes
0 For consideration of land-based structures, earthquakes
are the important source of dynamic loading on soils.
This is due to the damage-causing potential of strong
motion earthquakes and the fact that they represent an
unpredictable and uncontrolled phenomenon in nature.
0 The ground motion due to an earthquake may lead to
permanent settlement and tilting of footings and, thus,
the structures supported by them.
0 Soils may liquify, leading to buildings sinking and lighter
structures such as septic tanks floating up. The damage
caused by an earthquake depends on the energy released
at its source

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 Dynamic Loading on Offshore Structure
0 For offshore structures, the dynamic load due to storm
waves generally represents the significant load. However,
in some situations the most severe loading conditions
may occur due to the combined action of storm waves
and earthquakes loading. In some cases the offshore
structure must be analyzed for the waves and earthquake
load acting independently of each other.

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 Importance of Soil Dynamics
The problems related to the dynamic loading of soils and
earth structures frequently encountered by a geotechnical
engineer include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Earthquake, ground vibration, and wave propagation
through soils
2.Dynamic stress, deformation, and strength properties of
soils
3. Dynamic earth pressure problem
4.Dynamic bearing capacity problems and design of
shallow foundations

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 Importance of Soil Dynamics
5. Problems related to soil liquefaction
6.Design of foundations for machinery and vibrating
equipment
7.Design of embedded foundations and piles under
dynamic loads
8. Stability of embankments under earthquake loading

In order to arrive at rational analyses and design procedures for these

problems, one must have an insight into the behavior of soil under both
static and dynamic loading conditions. For example, in designing a
foundation to resist dynamic loading imposed by the operation of
machinery or an external source, the engineer has to arrive at a special
solution dictated by the local soil conditions and environmental
factors.

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 Importance of Soil Dynamics
0 The foundation must be designed to satisfy the criteria for
static loading and, in addition, must be safe for resisting the
dynamic load. When designing for dynamic loading conditions,
the geotechnical engineer requires answers to questions such
as the following:

1. How should failure be defined and what should be the failure

criteria?
2. What is the relationship between applied loads and the
significant parameters used in defining the failure criteria?
3. How can the significant parameters be identified and
evaluated?
4. What will be an acceptable factor of safety, and will the factor
of safety as used for static design condition be enough to
ensure satisfactory performance or will some additional
conditions need to be satisfied?

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 Fundamentals of Vibration
Vibration: It is the time-dependent, repeated
motion of translational or rotational type.
Periodic Motion: it is the motion which repeats itself
periodically in equal time intervals.
Period (T): The time period in which the motion
repeats itself is called the period of motion or
simply period.
Cycle: The motion completed in the period is called
the cycle of motion.
Frequency (f): The number of cycles of motion in a
unit of time is known as frequency of vibration. It is
usually expressed in hertz. (i.e. cycle per second)
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 Fundamentals of Vibration
Free Vibration: Vibration of a system under the action of forces
inherent in the system itself and in the absence of externally
applied forces. The response of a system is called free vibration
when it is disturbed and then left free to vibrate about some
mean position..
Forced Vibration: Vibration of a system caused by an external force.
Vibrations that result from regular (rotating or pulsating machinery)
and irregular (chemical process plant) exciting agencies are also called
as forced vibrations.
Natural Frequency: The system under free vibrations, vibrates at
the frequency known as natural frequency. The natural frequency is
the characteristic of the system. A system may have more than one
natural frequency.
Damping: The resistance to motion which develops due to friction
and other causes is known as damping
Degree of Freedom: The number of independent coordinates
required to describe the solution of a vibrating system.

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 Fundamentals of Vibration
0 Degree of Freedom:
0 For example, the position of the mass m in Figure a can be described
by a single coordinate z, so it is a single degree of freedom system. In
Figure b, two coordinates (z1 and z2) are necessary to describe the
motion of the system; hence this system has two degree of freedom.
Similarly, in Figure c, two coordinates (z and θ) are necessary, and the
number of degrees of freedom is two. A rigid body has total six
degrees of freedom: three rotational and three translational..

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 Free Vibration of a Spring-Mass System
0 Figure 2.4 shows a foundation resting on a spring. Let the spring
represent the elastic properties of the soil. The load W represents the
weight of the foundation plus that which comes from the machinery
supported by the foundation. If the area of the foundation is equal to
A, the intensity of load transmitted to the subgrade can be given by

0 Due to the load W, a static deflection zs will develop. Bydefinition

where k = spring constant for the elastic support.

0 The coefficient of subgrade reaction ks can be givenby

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Common equations of a Spring-Mass System
The period T of this motion can therefore be given by

1.

2.

3.

4.
Table Shows values of fn for various values of zs

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 Types of Machine Foundations
The following 4 types of machine foundations are commonly
used..
1) Block Type: This type of machine foundation consist of a
pedestal resting on a footing Fig a: The foundation has a
large mass and a small natural frequency
2) Box Type: The foundation consist of a hollow concrete
block. Fig b: The mass of the foundation is less than that in
the block type and the natural frequency is increased
3) Wall Type: Wall type Foundation consist of a pair of walls
having a top slab. The machine rests on the top slab. Fig: C
4) Frame Type: This type of foundation consists of vertical
columns having a horizontal frame at their tops. The
machine is supported on the frame. Fig d.

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General Criteria for Design of Machine Foundations
A good machine foundation should satisfy the following criteria
1) Like ordinary foundations, it should be safe against shear failure caused
by the superimposed loads, and also the settlement should be within the
safe limit.
2) There should be no possibility of resonance. The natural frequency of the
foundation should be either greater than or smaller than the operating
frequency of the machine.
3) The amplitude under service conditions should be within the permissible
limits for the machine.
4) The combine center of gravity of the machine and the foundation should
be on the vertical line passing through the center of gravity of the base
plane.
5) Machine foundation should be taken to a level lower than the level of
foundation of the adjacent buildings and should be properly separated.
6) The vibrations induced should neither be annoying to the persons nor
detrimental to other structures. Richart developed a plot for vertical
vibration, which is generally taken as a guide for vibration limit of
frequency and amplitude.
7) The depth of ground water table should be at least ¼th of the width of
foundation below the base

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 Example 1

A mass is supported by a spring. The static deflection of

the spring due to the mass is 0.381mm. Find the natural
frequency vibration.
Solution:

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 Example 2
0 For a machine foundation, given weight of the
foundation = 45 kN and spring constant = 104 kN/m ,
Determine
0 a) natural frequency of vibration, and
0 b) period of oscillation
0 Solution:

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 Example 3
0 A machine foundation can be idealized as a mass-
spring system. This foundation can be subjected to a
force that can be given as Q (kN) = 35.6 sinwt .
0 Given f = 13.33 Hz
Weight of the machine + foundation = 178 kN
Spring constant = 70,000 kN/m
0 Determine the maximum and minimum force transmitted
to the subgrade.

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But

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 Liquefaction
• Liquefaction occurs where ground water is near
Quite possibly one of the most classic
examples of liquefaction from the 1964
Nigaata, Japan earthquake. While the
buildings themselves seemed to suffer no
structural damage, the ground beneath these
buildings liquefied and the structures simply
sank and rotated into the underlying soil.
the surface in soils composed of sands and silts.
The soil temporarily loses strength and behaves as
a viscous liquid. Structures can settle or tip in the
liquefied soil or be ripped apart as the ground
spreads laterally or flows. Flow failures can move
over kilometers at speeds of tens of kilometers per
hour. They usually develop in loose, saturated
sand on slopes greater than five percent. When
subsurface sand layers lose strength because of
liquefaction, lateral spreading can occur in
overlying sediments allowing them to move down
even the gentlest slopes. Soils may lose shear
strength allowing heavy structures to settle or tip
and lightweight, buried structures to rise
buoyantly. Cracking may result from movement
along faults, differential compaction of the soil, or
slides. Strong ground shaking has compacted
loose cohesionless materials and caused
differential ground settlements ranging from 5 cm
to more than a meter.
 • Sands and silts
– undergo temporary loss of
strength
– behave as viscous fluid
Original • Seismic waves cause void collapse
sediment resulting in densification
structure • Drainage of pore water cannot be
achieved rapidly enough
resulting in excessive pore
pressures
• End point is development of a
QUICK condition
Void – material behaves as heavy liquid
with virtually no shear strength
collapse