Seismic Response of Two Freestanding Statue-Pedestal Systems during the 2014 South Napa Earthquake

The dynamic response of freestanding structures is poorly predicted due to known sensitivity to geometry and input motion. To further elucidate the salient features of this dynamic response, the aim of this study is to investigate the response of complex freestanding systems under real-world conditions. Two statue-pedestal systems that overturned during the 2014 South Napa Earthquake are employed in this study. The results of the numerical simulation are analyzed in comparison to the observed response which unlocks key details regarding the impact of soil at the base, contact stiffness, statue orientation, and ground motion directionality.

Automated summary

The study investigates the dynamic response of freestanding structures under real-world conditions by analyzing two statue-pedestal systems that overturned during the 2014 South Napa Earthquake. The comparison between numerical simulations and observed response reveals key details regarding the impact of soil at the base, contact stiffness, statue orientation, and ground motion directionality.