Lesson 3.

EQUIVALENT LINEAR
1-DIMENSIONAL SEISMIC SITE
RESPONSE ANALYSIS

4-1

Uses of Equivalent Linear

1-D Site Response Analysis

Courtesy FHWA 4-2

1
 Equivalent Linear 1-D SSRA
Most common SSRA used in engineering
practice
Soil profile is modeled as horizontally layered,
equivalent-linear material
Initial state characterized by Gmax, small strain
shear modulus, and , mass density
Nonlinearity characterized by strain-
dependant modulus (modulus reduction)
and damping.
4-3

Equivalent Linear Input

Input includes soil properties, input EQ motions
Properties include total unit weight (or mass
density), small-strain shear modulus, and
modulus reduction and damping curves
Input motion usually specified at hypothetical
rock outcrop

4-4

2
 Equivalent Linear 1-D Analysis

Reflection /
refraction at
each layer
boundary
depends upon
impedance
ratio:
(VS)i / (VS)i+1

4-5

Equivalent Linear Modulus and

Damping Factor (n)
Modulus and damping are based upon
representative shear strain, rep
rep = n max
n is a function of magnitude
n = (Mw – 1) / 10 eq. 5-2
Process is iterative
Automatically done by computer program

4-6

3
 Frequency Domain Analysis
Most common 1-D methodology
• Employs Fourier analysis, superposition

Input time history must have “quiet zone”

(trailing zeros) at the end of the record
• Needed to let motion die out by end of record

Discussed in Section 5.3 of FHWA GEC-3.

4-7

Data Required for Analysis

Soil profile
Layer thickness
Total unit weight
Shear modulus, GMAX , or shear wave velocity, VS
Modulus degradation and damping curves
Effective strain factor, n
Bedrock “half space” modulus and unit weight
Acceleration time history
Accompanied by “quiet period” at the end

4-8

4
 Analysis Input Considerations
Specify input motion as bedrock outcrop motion
Select appropriate modulus reduction and
damping curves from program library
Typically input VS and  rather than Gmax
Vs from direct measurement or correlation with
penetration resistance, index properties (Chap 4)
n = (Mw – 1) / 10
Typical layer thickness = 5 to 10 ft (1.5 to 3 m)
Use “cut-off frequency” = 25 Hz

4-9

Modulus Reduction and Damping

Curves
Usually built-in to programs
• Specified based upon soil type, index properties

Use overburden pressure-dependent curves

for depths > 100 ft
• May not be built-in to older programs

4-10

5
Strain-Dependent Stiffness and Damping

Historically independent of overburden pressure

Seed and Idriss: gravel and sand = f(Dr) or f(eo)
Vucetic and Dobry: cohesive soil = f(PI, OCR)
Now have confining pressure dependence
EPRI (1993), Hashash and Park (2001), Darendeli
(2001)
Essential for deeper soil deposits “Built in” to most
site response computer programs

4-11

Modulus as f(m’) for Sand

4-12

6
 Damping as f(m’) for Sand

4-13

Correlations for Modulus Reduction and

Damping Curves

Typically correlated with soil index properties

Correlation parameters include:
• Soil type and consistency
• Void ratio or relative density (for
cohesionless soils)
• Void ratio, plasticity, and OCR for
cohesive soils

4-14

7
Modulus Reduction and Damping

Vucetic and
Dobry (1991)
4-15

Impact of Pressure Dependence

Deep basin (Mississippi Embayment) site
response (Hashash and Park, 2002)

4-16

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 Analysis Output

Response spectra
Ground surface or at depth
User specifies damping
Acceleration time history
Shear stress time history
Strain compatible properties (final modulus and
damping ratio)

4-17

Treasure Island Case History

4-18

9
Recorded Motions

4-19

1-D Back Analyses

4-20

10
 1-D SSRA Recommended Sites
AASHTO special study sites
> 25 ft high plasticity clay (PI > 75)
> 120 ft soft to medium stiff clay
> 10 ft peat or highly organic clay
Liquefiable soils and quick and highly sensitive
clay

Sites not conforming to the AASHTO model

Impedance contrast at shallow depth (< 150 ft)
Deep soil basins (> 500 ft)

4-21

Shallow Bedrock Site Response

Impedance Ratio at 115 ft ( = 0.57)

4-22

11
 Deep Soil Basin Sites

Impedance Ratio at 2000 ft ( = 0.57)

4-23

Popular Software Programs

STRATA (Kottke and Rathje 2009)
– Open source freeware, simple to use
ProShake (EduPro 2017)
– Library of soil models (modulus reduction and
damping curves), simple to use
Shake2000 (Ordonez 2017)
– Library of soil models, time histories, ground
motion prediction equations
– Linked to Newmark analysis program
– Complex to use
7-24

12
SOFTWARE DEMONSTRATION

7-25

NEHRP Spectra

13
 Lesson 3.4

Any Questions?

4-27

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