Cyclic Mechanical Response of Rigid Bodies Interacting With Sand Strata

摘要

In this chapter, the cyclic/dynamic interaction of rigid bodies with homogeneous/heterogeneous sand strata is taken into consideration. For the sake of simplicity, the problem is discussed chiefly with reference to strip shallow footings, but many considerations concerning different systems like buried pipes will be also introduced. The objective of this chapter is mainly to outline the features of a sort of homogeneization theory called the 'macroelement approach' and to demonstrate its capabilities for describing the interaction between structures and soil strata even when complex cyclic loading is taken into account. As far as shallow foundations are concerned, in the recent past many authors have demonstrated that the use of the macroelement approach provides a useful tool for reproducing the structural response of the superstructures without totally disregarding geotechnical issues.