Evaluation of Ground Motion Amplification Effects in Slope Topography Induced by the Arbitrary Directions of Seismic Waves

Abstract

The incident directions of seismic waves can change the ground motions of slope topography. To elaborate on the influences of the directions of seismic waves, a dynamic analysis of the slope topography was performed. Seismic waves were input using an equivalent nodal force method combined with a viscous-spring artificial boundary. The amplification of ground motions in double-faced slope topographies was discussed by varying the angles of incidence. Meanwhile, the components of seismic waves (P waves and SV waves), slope materials and slope geometries were all investigated with various incident earthquake waves. The results indicated that the pattern of the amplification of SV waves was stronger than that of P waves in the slope topography, especially in the greater incident angels of the incident waves. Soft materials intensely aggravate the acceleration amplification, and more scattered waves are produced under oblique incident earthquake waves. The variations in the acceleration amplification ratios on the slope crest were much more complicated at oblique incident waves, and the ground motions were underestimated by considering only the vertical incident waves. Therefore, in the evaluation of ground motion amplification of the slope topography, it is extremely important to consider the direction of incident waves.