Influence of foundation shape and embedment on the dynamic response of the Persefone prototype
Influence of foundation shape and embedment on the dynamic response of the Persefone prototype
This study shows that soil compliance, combined with foundation shape and embedment, affects the dynamic response of structures through the outcome of the experimental dynamic identification of a prototype of a single degree of freedom system founded on the soft soil of the Euroseistest in Greece. The prototype was designed with a symmetric structure placed on a rectangular footing, in the frame of the project Persefone (Permanent Effects in Rocking Shallow or Embedded Foundations Occurring after Earthquakes). Its dynamic response was identified in both the horizontal directions, considering two configurations for the structural masses (M2, M4) combined with a Shallow (SF) or Embedded (EF) foundation. The accelerations of structure and foundation recorded under ambient noise were analysed both with the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and with the Operational Modal Analysis (OMA), which allowed for the identification of the mode shapes. Results confirm that natural frequencies significantly decrease with respect to the values expected for the fixed-based condition, for the configuration on the shallow foundation, along the direction parallel to its shortest side. Finally, the experimental results were compared against analytical predictions obtained through the web application 0D-In. The comparison revealed a close match for the SF configurations, whereas analytical predictions overestimate the experimental frequency values for the EF arrangements, likely due to backfill soil disturbance.
Teresa Lusi; Daniele Losanno; Dimitris Pitilakis; F. Silvestri; Filomena de Silva
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Special Session 5: Combination of numerical and physical modelling
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-273