A Centrifuge-Modeled Rigid Structure to Investigate Dynamic Soil-Structure Interaction

A centrifuge-modeled rigid structure (CMRS) has been developed to study fundamental aspects of dynamic soil-structure interaction. It has been configured to simulate a gravity retaining wall and consists of a central core and multiple load-sensing panels called F-MAP transducers (force-magnitude, angle, and position) that can directly measure interaction forces between the wall and the surrounding soils (backfill, foundation, and toe). Dimensions and inertial properties of the CMRS can be varied to conduct parametric studies. The F-MAP transducers incorporate load-sensing reaction supports. Calibration coefficients for each of these reaction supports have been determined from 1-g static loading tests. Measured bending moments on the reaction supports are used to estimate the magnitude, angle, and position of the interaction forces. Verification tests have included the static normal gravity loading and the dynamic normal and high-gravity loading of each assembled F-MAP transducer, and the dynamic normal and high-gravity loading of the CMRS in a geotechnical centrifuge without sand. Acceleration measurements on the F-MAP transducers and the CMRS during the dynamic tests are used in conjunction with the interaction force measurements from the F-MAP transducers in a D'Alembert-type dynamic equilibrium analysis to demonstrate the combined accuracy and precision of the F-MAP measurements.