Evaluation of Seismic Response of Pile-Supported Structures with 3-D Nonlinear Approach

The seismic response of pile-supported structures is evaluated using a three-dimensional finite element subsystem methodology with an advanced plasticity based constitutive model for soils. The motion of the pile foundation is amplified due to the soil-pile-structure interaction. The dynamic internal forces of the structures obtained by the 3-D nonlinear approach deviate significantly from those obtained by the rigid ground motion model. The structures are generally subjected to three-dimensional forces and couples, despite the type of bedrock seismic excitation and the configuration of structures. Some components of the dynamic internal forces may be overlooked if the simplified symmetric models are used for the earthquake analysis. A comprehensive examination of the results from the rigid ground motion model and the 3-D interactive model may provide some evaluation bound of the seismic response of pile-supported structures