Suitable E-Defense experiments on embankments, levees and dykes

Abstract

When the world largest shaking table, E-Defense of NIED, is used for geotechnical structures, ‘prototype tests’ are considered as preferable to conventional ‘model tests’. Because this experimental set-up is the only facility that allows faithful reproduction of the various geotechnical investigation techniques and actual geotechnical construction works on artificial geotechnical structures. As a specific example, focuses are placed on embankments of roads and railways, as well as relatively small embankments such as for ponds, levees and dykes. Typical purposes of the projects are experimental verifications of various technologies related to seismic diagnoses and seismic strengthening. In this paper, appropriate sizes of the embankments are examined and optimum designs of the soil container are discussed.