Modal analysis for kinematic response of flexible cantilever retaining wall

Abstract

Seismic response of flexible cantilever wall retaining a semi-infinite viscoelastic soil under plane strain condition is investigated in this study. A novel modal analysis is derived based on the assumption of vanishing vertical displacements of the soil-wall system. The horizontal displacements of the soil-wall system are expressed by a series of modes in terms of the separate variable method. The boundary value problem is solved by considering the soil-wall interaction. Good agreement of the proposed solution results with those by the available methods confirms its accuracy. Closed-form solutions are derived for the following: (i) the displacement and stress field of the soil-wall system; (ii) the stiffness in the mth mode and dynamic Winkler modulus of the soil; (iii) translational and rotational response factors of the wall; (iv) the displacement amplification factor at the wall top. Kinematic response of the soil-wall system is evaluated in order to assess dynamic behavior of the wall.

Analytical study on dynamic response of cantilever flexible retaining wall

“…Based on the same assumption, Theodorakopoulos et al [13] and Lanzoni et al [14] presented the analytical solutions of dynamic response of cantilevered rigid wall and flexible wall in two-dimensional saturated site under earthquake. Based on the assumption of ignoring vertical displacement, Liu et al [15,16] obtained the analytical solution of dynamic response of flexible retaining wall under horizontal earthquake by semi-analytical method. Brandenberg et al [17] gave the dynamic response analysis of rigid wall in non-uniform fill under earthquake.…”