Shear wave propagation along infinite slopes: A theoretically based numerical study

In this paper, the seismic response of infinitely long slopes is numerically analysed via the formulation of a 1D analytical/numerical model, in which the soil mechanical behaviour is assumed to be elasto-perfectly viscoplastic and simple shear (SS) kinematical constraints are imposed. In order to simplify the problem, a theoretically based procedure to set up a fully 1D shear constitutive model is defined, within which the mechanical response of a multiaxial relationship is condensed. The use of a 1D shear constitutive model is aimed at reducing the number of unknowns and, therefore, the computational costs. In particular, the case of the MohrCoulomb yield criterion is considered, while an enhanced TaylorGalerkin finite element algorithm is employed to simulate the seismic wave propagation within the soil stratum. The proposed 'condensation'/calibration procedure captures both the 'pseudo'-hardening pre-failure behaviour and the influence of dilation on the occurrence of strain-localization, which characterize, under SS conditions, the static response of virgin perfectly plastic soils. The effectiveness of the conceived method is shown with reference to freshly deposited deposits, while, in the case of highly overconsolidated strata, some difficulties arise because of the brittle behaviour induced both by unloading and non-associativeness. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.