Full Three-Dimensional Seismic Response Analysis of Underground Structures with Large Complex Cross Sections and Two-Step Analysis Method for Reducing the Computational Costs

Abstract

To enhance the reliability of estimates of seismic behavior, with a special emphasis on quality assurance of numerical simulations, this paper presents a full three-dimensional (3D) seismic response analysis of a large underground structure with a complex cross section. We conduct a full 3D seismic-response analysis using a high-fidelity model with quality assurance and a high-performance computing technique in a supercomputer environment. Due to the large computational costs of such analyses, we propose a two-step numerical simulation method based on multi-scale analysis, image-based modeling, and sophisticated approximation techniques. We provide numerical examples showing that the method can successfully reproduce the dynamic behavior of a full 3D model, but with a considerable reduction in computational costs. Our method is expected to support practical seismic safety inspections and the design of underground structures with complex large-cross-sectional configurations, as it has already been applied to the practical seismic safety inspection of an actual underground highway.