The coupling finite-boundary element method for soil-structure interaction under spatially varying ground motion

Abstract

In this study, a coupled model based on the boundary element and the finite element methods is used toanalyze the dynamic responses of two-dimensional model resting on layered soil medium under spatiallyvarying ground motion effects. The dynamic response of the soil-structure systems is obtained in thefrequency domain. The results of the finite element and the coupling finite-boundary element models arecompared with each local soil conditions. In the seismic analysis of the system, the substructure method isemployed. In the standard finite element model, both the structure and semi-infinitive soil medium aremodeled by the finite elements, however, in the coupling finite-boundary element model, the structure andthe soil medium are modeled respectively by the finite and boundary elements, both. In the last method, thespecial features and advantages of two methodologies are considered. In the coupling of finite-boundaryelement method, the equivalent finite element approach is used in which the boundary element region istransformed as an equivalent finite element and the final system is solved as a stiffness problem. Results ofthe study show that the coupling finite-boundary element method can provide realistic and effective modelingof soil-structure interaction problems as compared with standard finite element method results.