Shaking table test on the seismic failure characteristics of a subway station structure on liquefiable ground

In order to investigate the seismic failure characteristics of a structure on the liquefiable ground, a series of shaking table tests were conducted based on a plaster model of a three-story and three-span subway station. The dynamic responses of the structure and ground soil under main shock and aftershock ground motions were studied. The sand boils and waterspouts phenomena, ground surface cracks, and earthquake-induced ground surface settlements were observed in the testing. For the structure, the upward movement, local damage and member cracking were obtained. Under the main shock, there appeared longer liquefaction duration for the ground soil while the pore pressure dissipated slowly. The acceleration amplification effect of the liquefied soil was weakened, and the soil showed a remarkable shock absorption and concentration effect with low frequency component of ground motion. However, under the aftershock, the dissipation of pore pressure in the ground soil became obvious. The peak acceleration of the structure reduced with the buried depth. Dynamic soil pressure on the side wall was smaller in the middle and larger at both ends. The interior column of the model structure was the weakest member. The peak strain and damage degree for both sides of the interior column exhibited an S' type distribution along the height. Moreover, the seismic response of both ground soil and subway station structure exhibited a remarkable spatial effect. The seismic damage development process and failure mechanism of the structure illustrated in this study can provide references for the engineers and researcher. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.