Seismic analysis of lock-soil-fluid systems by hybrid BEM-FEM

A study of soil-structure-fluid interaction (SSFI) of a lock system subject ed to harmonic seismic excitation is presented. The water contained lock is embedded in layered soils supported by a half-space bedrock. The ground ex citation is prescribed at the soil-bedrock interface. The response is numer ically obtained through a hybrid boundary element (BEM) finite element meth od (FEM) formulation. The semi-infinite soil and the fluid are modeled by t he BEM and the lock is modeled by the FEM. The equilibrium equation for the lock system is obtained by enforcing compatibility and equilibrium conditi ons at the fluid-structure, soil-structure and soil-layer interfaces under conditions of plane strain. To the authors' knowledge this is the first stu dy of a lock system that considers the effects of dynamic soil-fluid-struct ure interaction through a BEM-FEM methodology. A numerical example and para metric studies are presented to examine the effects of the presence of wate r, lock stiffness, and lock embedment on the response. (C) 2001 Published b y Elsevier Science Ltd.