Test-2: Seismic Response of an Isolated Braced Excavation in Dry Sand

The seismic response of an isolated, temporary, open braced excavation was tested in medium dense, Nevada sand. Similar to Test 1, this is to act as a baseline test; subsequent tests will place superstructures in close proximity to the excavation.
The model is built with a model scale of N = 65. Model structures were built at 1/65th of the prototype dimensions. The model is equipped with sensors throughout including accelerometers, LVDT’s, strain gages, and pressure sensors on the sides of the excavation.
Six ground motions were applied to the model once 65 g’s was reached in the following order: Northridge, Loma Prieta, Joshua Tree, Chi Chi, Lucerne, Kobe. These motions were chosen as to provide realistic earthquake motions and a wide range of characteristics.
The same series of shakes will be applied to the remaining tests to be performed as to compare the results of the excavation in isolation versus adjacent to a mid-rise and high-rise building.