Dynamic Behavior of Simple Soil-Structure Systems
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Abstract
The experiment involves constructing a "soil" column that supports one or more single degree of freedom (SDOF) structures.?The soil is modeled using several layers of foam rubber or soft rubber sheets. Reinforcement is added to make the rubber deform as a shear beam when subjected to horizontal motion at the table base. A mounting plate is provided for attaching structures to the top of the soil mass. Each structure is a lightweight column supporting a mass. Accelerometers will be attached to the shake table base, the top of the soil column, and each structural mass. The experimental setup will allow for convenient, hands-on adjustment of the site and superstructure natural periods by changes of the soil layer thicknesses and column heights of the superstructures. Students will be able to design experiments to explore the interrelated roles of input frequency content, site properties, and structural period. The setup will be used to demonstrate the undesirable effects of having the structural and site periods match. Other combinations of soil and structural components that are particularly effective for demonstration purposes will be identified. To the extent possible, lost-cost, readily available materials will be utilized.