Special Topic: Seismic Soil Structure Interaction

The objective of this course is to provide graduate students and practicing engineers with the fundamental concepts and theory of seismic soilstructure interaction (SSI), with special focus on the analytical and numerical tools currently available to model such problems in earthquake engineering practice. Although the course touches upon all aspects of the theory and the modeling for seismic problems, emphasis will be on the basic concepts, including elements of vibration theory, wave propagation in the ground and wave interaction with foundations and structures, and the interaction of small and large-scale foundations and buildings erected on compliant soil. Both linear and non-linear aspects of modeling will be covered. Topics: 1. Inertial interaction (system behaviour, impedance functions) 2. Kinematic interaction (slab averaging, embedment effects, piles foundations, use of transfer functions) 3. Applications (force-based methods, displacement based methods, response history analysis) Embedded structures (retaining walls, tunnels and culverts)