One-Dimensional Effective Stress Non-Masing Nonlinear Ground Response Analysis of IIT Guwahati

Abstract

Ground response analysis (GRA) helps to assess the influence of the soil medium on the propagating shear waves and indicates about the characteristics of the waves reaching the ground surface from the bedrock level. Such a study becomes imperative for the urbanized alluvial banks of North-Eastern region of India, which is located in the highest seismic zone of the country. Conventionally, GRA is carried out based equivalent linear approach, which being a simplistic approach is unable to capture the nonlinear characteristics of saturated silty sands subjected to seismic shaking. This article presents the outcome of seismic one-dimensional nonlinear GRA of IIT Guwahati (located on a varying geology in the saturated alluvial banks of River Brahmaputra) considering pore-water pressure dissipation characteristics and non-Masing unload-reload criteria. Various ground response parameters obtained from the study helps in the accurate identification of the earthquake intensity based site amplification of the region expressed through a 2-D mapping.