An Assessment of the Effects of Embankment Displacements on a Buried Water Reservoir

This paper discusses numerical modeling analyses conducted to investigate effects of seismic-induced slope movement on the response of a buried concrete reservoir located at the top of an embankment slope. The study included series of analyses involving (1) one-dimensional (1-D) equivalent linear and nonlinear site response assessments using SHAKE, DEEPSOIL, and LS-DYNA in combination with permanent slope displacements estimated by empirical equations; (2) two-dimensional (2-D) equivalent linear and nonlinear evaluations with QUAD4M and LS-DYNA with displacement estimates using double integration methods; and (3) fully three-dimensional (3-D) nonlinear methods with embankment and structure displacements estimated using LS-DYNA. This paper discusses how multiple methods were used to develop confidence in the modeling methods, how "expected" performance based on "judgment" was not sufficient when evaluating seismic response of this soil-structure system, and how results from this form of analyses require a high level of critical evaluation.