Abstract
The paper describes a multi-phase, multi-scale rational method for modeling and predicting the free-field wave propagation and liquefaction of soils. The one-dimensional time-domain model of a soil column uses the discrete element method (DEM) to track stress and strain within a series of representative volume elements (RVEs), driven by seismic rock displacements at the column base. The RVE interactions are unified with a time-step** finite-difference algorithm. The Darcy's principle is applied to resolve the momentum transfer between a soil's solid matrix and its interstitial pore fluid. The method can analyze numerous conditions and phenomena, including site-specific amplification, down-slope movement of slo** ground, dissolution or cavitation of air in the pore fluid, and drainage that is concurrent with shaking. Several refinements of the DEM are necessary for realistically simulating soil behavior and for solving a range of propagation and liquefaction factors: most importantly, the poromechanic stiffness of the pore fluid and the pressure-dependent stiffness of the grain matrix. The model is verified with successful modeling-of-models simulations of several well-document centrifuge tests. The open-source DEMPLA code is available on the GitHub repository.
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Kuhn, M.R. (2022). One-Dimensional Wave Propagation and Liquefaction in a Soil Column with a Multi-scale Finite-Difference/DEM Method. In: Wang, L., Zhang, JM., Wang, R. (eds) Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Performance Based Design in Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering (Bei**g 2022). PBD-IV 2022. Geotechnical, Geological and Earthquake Engineering, vol 52. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-11898-2_203
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