Sensitivity of the Seismic Response of a Deeply Embedded Structure with Backfilled Construction Clearances

The configuration of backfilled construction clearances may significantly impact the seismic response of an embedded structure. At rock sites where the free-field consists of a rigid rock profile, it is anticipated that a more flexible backfill, surrounding the embedded portion of the structure, will alter the seismic motion transferred to the structure. In this paper, the Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI) response of a deeply embedded massive structure is computed with backfill explicitly modeled and with the backfill neglected. These seismic responses are compared and a determination on the sensitivity of seismic response due to backfill modeling techniques, for the case considered, is presented in this paper.