Tunnel

Wave-Induced Damage to Underground Structures

K. Uenishi and S. Sakurai
Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan


Summary

If the epicenter of an earthquake is located very close to a densely populated urban area, serious damage can be caused to the structures in that area because the high frequency components of the seismic waves can interact with the structures before being scattered. From the structural damage caused by the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) Earthquake, it is possible to estimate the characteristics of such seismic waves. In particular, underground structures such as tunnels vibrate with their surroundings and they are expected to function as sensors that are sensitive to specific vibrations. In this study, the characteristics of the seismic waves associated with the Hyogo-ken Nanbu Earthquake will be discussed based on the theory of elastic wave propagation and interaction.


Keywords

Characteristics of seismic waves, Interaction of waves with structures, Wave-induced damage of structures.


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