Cross-Facility Validation of Dynamic Centrifuge Testing

This paper compares the results of dynamic centrifuge tests on shallow foundations conducted at two different geotechnical facilities, IFSTTAR (Institut francais des sciences et technologies des transports, de l’amenagement et des reseaux, formerly LCPC), France and Cambridge University, U.K. Both facilities ran tests on a single degree of freedom model structure with its shallow foundation located on dry sand and subjected to dynamic shaking. Measurements were taken at both facilities allowing direct comparisons to be made. Fundamentally the results obtained were found to agree well via comparison of soil amplification profiles and moment-rotation cycles. However, higher frequency components agreed less favourably. This variation is thought to be due to a mismatch between the dynamic properties of the model containers. In this series of tests the higher frequency components are not of great importance and therefore the variation is insignificant, however, in future tests when earthquake signals with higher frequency components are input it may become an issue requiring further investigation.