The objective of this research program is to investigate the effects of nonlinear soil behavior on the response of soil- structure systems to earthquake loading. The project involves: (a) the development of a numerical model to represent the various phenomena to be studied, such as the mechanical response of the soil and nonreflecting boundary conditions; (b) validation of the model by first comparing the predictions of the linear component of the model against closed- form analytical solutions for simplified systems, then by introducing nonlinearities into these simplified systems; and (c) following calibration of the numerical model, use of this model to analyze and interpret the data for a scaled-down nuclear containment vessel in Lotung, Taiwan, where soil nonlinearities and soil-structure interaction effects are dominant. This component is jointly sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).
