INSTRUCTOR: Ayman Shama, Ph.D., P.E., LEED AP BD+C, F.ASCE

Purpose and Background

Soil-structure interaction (SSI) is a significant phenomenon that affects the vibration of structures due to dynamic loads. Soil reactions to the dynamic load and deflection of the foundations are both interrelated. Engineers who are not aware about this phenomenon usually ignore its effects for seismic analyses, which is not always conservative. The main objective of this seminar is to provide a solid understanding of SSI and its application to different kinds of foundations. The seminar will also discuss SSI as being addressed by different codes and guidelines such as ASCE 7-10, NRC, FHWA, and FEMA.

The seminar will focus on three main issues:

• Elements of soil-structure interaction
• Methods of analysis of structures with SSI effects
• Application of nonlinear soil-structure interaction to deep foundations

Seminar Benefits and Learning Outcomes

• Understand the basic elements of SSI such as inertial and kinematic effects.
• Learn how to evaluate kinematic interaction parameters for shallow foundations.
• Gain insight into direct approaches of SSI using finite element method.
• Learn about the half space theory and impedance functions for foundations.
• Know how to evaluate inertial SSI parameters for shallow and pile foundations design using simple methods
• Learn about the Winkler approach and its application for nonlinear SSI.
• Learn about p-y curves and strain wedge methods and their applications to drilled shafts
• Understand how codes and guidelines address SSI

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Students' achievements of the learning outcomes will be assessed through solved examples, problem-solving following each session, and a post-test at the end of a seminar.

Who Should Attend?

This seminar should be of interest to professionals who are pursuing more qualitative knowledge on the interaction of foundations with soils. The course is best suited for geotechnical engineers; structural engineers; bridge engineers; project managers, and decision makers. No basic understanding of structural and soil dynamics as the fundamentals required are covered in the seminar

Course Outline

TIME: Day 1: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. / Day 2: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

DAY 1

Fundamentals of vibrations

• Equation of motion and degrees of freedom of a vibrating body
• Methods of dynamic analysis of structures
• Single degree of freedom system under undamped free vibration
• Application: evaluation of the rocking period of a structure partially embedded in soil
• Single degree of freedom system under damped free vibration
• Underdamped vibration
• Critically damped vibration
• Over damped vibration
• The logarithmic decrement
• Application: damping ratio of a slab bridge
• Single degree of freedom system under damped forced vibration
• Application: a rotating motor on top of table foundation

Overview of soil-structure interaction principles

• Free field ground motions
• Spectrum compatible free field ground motions
• Codes requirements for earthquake design ground motions
• Fundamentals of soil-structure interaction
• Damping mechanisms in soil
• Methods of analysis of structures with SSI effects

Shallow foundation modeling-uncoupled spring approach

• Inertial effects
• Kinematic effects
• Application: Performance-based design of a building with SSI effects
• SSI in FEMA and ASCE-7

DAY 2

Deep foundation modeling - Winkler approach

• Principles of nonlinear SSI with PBD
• Finite element modeling in conjunction to Winkler SSI
• Application: Large Caissons and partially embedded structures

Behavior of piles and pile groups under lateral loads

• The horizontal modulus of subgrade reaction
• Application to the concept of beams on elastic foundation
• The p-y curve method
• Pile group effects
• The strain wedge method
• Commonly used computer programs

Determination of foundation stiffness of a pile group

• Coupled stiffness matrix method
• Simplified graphical method
• Application on a group of piles

Methods of analysis of drilled shafts

• Equivalent cantilever model
• Substructure modeling
• The direct analysis method

Hotel Information

Discounted hotel rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. See discount deadline and rates below.