Site-Specific Response Analysis of Lightly Overconsolidated Clay Subjected to Strong Shaking during Dynamic Centrifuge Testing

Predicting the response of soil profiles during infrequent events such as earthquake remains challenge in geotechnical engineering. The presence of soft soils adds more complexity to this system as the soil experiences a highly nonlinear response during strong ground motions. Nonlinear (NL) and equivalent linear (EQL) site response analyses are typically used for site-specific response analysis of soil, with NL analyses being preferred for soft soil sites under strong ground motions. The main objective of this paper is to use the results of a centrifuge model experiment together with one-dimensional NL and EQL site response analyses to investigate the seismic response of a soft soil profile of low plasticity. The centrifuge model was shaken through different shaking events, and the results from centrifuge experiments are compared with total stress ground response simulations performed using equivalent-linear and nonlinear analyses. The one-dimensional ground response simulations are performed using DEEPSOIL for EQL and NL site response analyses.