Collaborative Research: Soil-Structure-Water Interaction Effects in Buried Reservoirs - Centrifuge and Numerical Modeling

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Buried water storage reservoirs are important lifeline structures in cities worldwide, including major urban centers on the U.S. West Coast. Sudden release of impounded water due to earthquake damage can lead to catastrophic flooding in congested urban residential neighborhoods, and severely impede fire suppression efforts due to earthquake related fires. This may lead to significant loss of life. Moreover, these reservoirs are essential for post-earthquake recovery and resumption of economic activity, and thus need to be seismically resilient. Current state-of-practice for the seismic design of buried water storage reservoirs is primarily based on simplified procedures. This project will investigate the seismic response of buried reservoirs focusing on the interaction of the structure, the soil and the contained water, with the objective of advancing our ability to properly design this type of structure. The research encompasses an integrated program of physical (centrifuge) and numerical modeling. Understanding the fundamental interactions involved during seismic loading has immediate implications for reservoir design, from both geotechnical and structural engineering perspectives. This project will advance the state-of-research and practice for a class of critical lifeline facilities with essential life safety and post-earthquake recovery roles. In the context of earthquake resiliency, this research will provide the data necessary to develop more reliable estimates of anticipated performance of buried reservoir facilities during and after a major seismic event, and will make inroads into economic and environmental sustainability. By rendering critical infrastructure more resilient, the findings of this project will improve the resilience of our urban centers. In its outreach program, this project will impact student groups across the nation via the contribution of educational modules as well as research findings, and support the success of women in geotechnical engineering in particular. The development of interactive K-12 educational modules and engagement with K-12 female students, as well as groups visiting the NHERI Centrifuge Facility at UC Davis, will foster the development of a long term relationship and exposure of female students to geotechnical earthquake engineering.This project aims at studying the seismic response of buried reservoirs focusing on the soil-structure-water interaction (SSWI) including the poorly understood role of hydrodynamic loading. This will be achieved through an integrated program of centrifuge and numerical modeling. The experimental and numerical modeling is designed to quantify the influence of the: (a) stiffness of the soil-wall system, (b) ground motion intensity, (c) roof and backfill inertial response, and (d) fluid response, on the highly nonlinear response of these structures. The NHERI centrifuge experimental facility at UC Davis will be used for the tests. Experimental data will serve two purposes: first, to understand soil-water-structure interaction in these types of structures, and second to develop numerical modeling protocols and experimentally validated modeling approaches that will allow the profession to advance the capacity and reliability of existing predictive tools and realize the benefits of performance-based engineering in the design and construction of these important lifeline structures. Parametric studies using calibrated models will be conducted to make design recommendations. Data from this project will be curated, archived and made available to the public through the NHERI Cyberinfrastructure DesignSafe data repository.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.