Earthquake response of structures with partial uplift on winkler foundation

The effects of transient foundation uplift on the earthquake response of flexible structures are investigated. The structural idealization chosen in this study is relatively simple but it incorporates the most important features of foundation uplift. In its fixed base condition the structure itself is idealized as a single-degree-of-freedom system attached to a rigid foundation mat which is flexibly supported. The flexibility and damping of the supporting soil are represented by a Winkler foundation with spring-damper elements distributed over the entire width of the foundation. Based on the response spectra presented for several sets of system parameters, the effects of foundation-mat uplift on the maximum response of structures are identified. The influence of earthquake intensity, structural slenderness ratio, ratio of foundation mass to structural mass, foundation flexibility and p-δ effects on the response of uplifting structures is also investigated.