Experimental study of the kinematic interaction between a cohesive soil and a group of rigid inclusions through dynamic centrifuge tests

Abstract

This paper presents the kinematic interaction that exists between an over-consolidated cohesive soft soil and a group of rigid inclusions by performing two centrifuge tests using the dynamic centrifuge at Gustave Eiffel University in Bouguenais – France. Dynamic centrifuge tests were conducted at a macro-gravity of 50g and were subjected to the same predetermined sequence of seismic events constituted of sinusoidal motions and multi-frequency earthquakes of different peak ground accelerations. Kinematic interaction was studied by analyzing the soil's response in terms of acceleration and displacement at separate locations throughout the soil profile. Boundary effects were verified, and a frequency analysis was conducted in order to study the variation of the soil’s predominant frequency. Results indicate that signal transmissions were observed through the inclusions, leading to a larger response at the inclusions’ head compared the free field where attenuation was observed during the same ground motion.