EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF THE SEISMIC VULNERABILITY OF A BUILDING MODEL ON STRENGTHENED SOILS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the problems of assessing seismic vulnerability and ensuring the seismic resistance of buildings in earthquake-prone regions. The threat of destructive earthquakes necessitates comprehensive studies of building seismic performance and the development of methods to enhance it. One of the approaches to improving seismic resistance is the strengthening of foundation soils. The study examines a method for reinforcing soils with relatively weak seismic properties by means of geosynthetic materials. The paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of the seismic performance of a building model founded on soil reinforced with geogrid. The experiment was conducted using a shaking table that simulated dynamic loading in the form of seismic vibrations. A specially fabricated small-scale model of a single-storey masonry building was used as the test object. The foundation soil was prepared from local loam. Accelerograms along the X Y Z axes were recorded using sensors installed on the model and processed with ZET LAB software. To evaluate the effect of geosynthetic reinforcement on soil settlement under dynamic loading simulating earthquake action, measurements of foundation settlement were carried out at each stage of the experiment. The results of the study demonstrated the effectiveness of geogrid-reinforced soil in improving soil strength and reducing settlement. The analysis of the recorded accelerograms allowed conclusions to be drawn regarding the feasibility and efficiency of applying this soil reinforcement method to low-rise buildings in order to reduce seismic vulnerability in areas of elevated seismic risk.