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Three-dimensional numerical simulation for clarifying the seismic response characteristics of an underground structure considering the influences of dynamic interaction with the surrounding liquefied soil is still a huge challenge. Using the proposed generic loosely coupled nonlinear effective stress method for site response of liquefiable soil, the authors developed an effective stress seismic response analysis of the underground subway station structure. Based on the effective stress method, the responses of the model underground subway station with three floors and three spans in model liquefiable foundation in the shaking table test are simulated. The comparison between the measured and simulated results proves that the developed method can effectively capture the response characteristics of the liquefiable foundation，by which the generation of residual excess pore water pressure and the effect of cyclic stiffness softening and degradation can be taken into good consideration, and the measured responses of model underground structure can be well reproduced. The results also demonstrate the availability of the shaking table test simulating the dynamic interaction between the underground structure and the surrounding liquefied soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sand liquefaction is considered to be one of the main causes of severe earthquake damage. The seismic response of large-scale underground structures is mainly controlled by the deformation of surrounding soils, and the large liquefaction-induced lateral displacement poses a serious threat to large underground structures. In this paper, a large-scale shaking table test is performed to simulate the dynamic interaction between liquefiable foundation, diaphragm wall and underground subway station. The results indicate that the interaction mode between soil and underground structure changes significantly with the different liquefaction states of surrounding soil. The underground structure improves the liquefaction resistance of adjacent lateral soils, but significantly reduces the liquefaction resistance of soils located directly below the structure. The development of dynamic pore pressure is related to the seismic intensity, and a significant dissipation of dynamic pore pressure usually occurs after the end of a strong seismic excitation. Moreover, the acceleration response law along the vertical direction has changed significantly within the buried depth of the underground structure. Specifically, the acceleration response of the lateral foundation is inhibited in the absence of liquefaction, but is enhanced in the complete liquefaction. In addition, the liquefaction states of model site also affect the spatial strain response of the underground structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the soil constitutive model developed for the dynamic large deformation of soft soil, a finite element model was constructed to simulate the soil–underground structure static and dynamic coupling interaction system, in which the dynamic contact between soil and underground structure and the dynamic damage of reinforced concrete were considered. The seismic performance and damage mechanism of the large underground subway station in different soil foundations were investigated and evaluated in detail. It was proven that the interaction mechanism between the soil and underground structure would change with the type of soil foundation and the peak acceleration of input ground motion, which can be evaluated by the interaction coefficient between the soils and underground structure. At the same time, some regulations on the seismic performance of underground structure in China code are already unsuitable for evaluating the seismic performance of a large underground subway station in the soft soil foundation or subjected to a strong earthquake, which should be investigate by the specialized time–history analysis method instead. In this study, five seismic performance levels were firstly defined by the inter-storey drift angle of underground structure and corresponding earthquake damage states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring the safety of undersea shield tunnels constructed in soft marine deposits that are subject to strong seismic motion represents a major engineering challenge. An example of one such undersea shield tunnel is the 2.70 km-long subsea highway tunnel crossing under the Gulf of Suai in the Rongjiang River Estuary in Shantou, China. Using the generalized response displacement method, the authors developed a nonlinear seismic response analysis of the segmental lining for the 2.7 km-long Suai tunnel. In the proposed longitudinal seismic response analysis, the engineering geology characteristics and nonlinear dynamic behavior of the Suai seabed soil, the nonuniform mesh layout of the free-field site, the artificial boundary conditions and nonuniform seismic input, simulation model, and the parameters of soil-tunnel interaction systems, are considered in detail. Special emphasis is given to the irregular unloading-reloading rules for the stress-strain hysteresis loop, the seismic input at artificial boundary nodes, and the spatial incoherency of ground motions in the seabed site. The opening width at the ring intersegment under simultaneous actions of longitudinal, transversal, and vertical seismic motions is critical for seismic safety. The proposed methodology was deemed conservative, as demonstrated by a comparison with dynamic transient analysis using the three-dimensional finite element method. The results of this pilot study should be of use in the construction of future long subsea shield tunnels in the high seismic intensity region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]