Test-1: Seismic Response of an Isolated Cut and Cover Tunnel in Dry Sand

The seismic response of a permanent, cut and cover underground structure was tested in dry, medium dense Nevada sand. This test serves as a baseline experiment. Later tests will place superstructures in close proximity to the underground structure to evaluate the response of the cut and cover structure during shaking.
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 tunnel.
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.