Effect of Earthquake Duration on Displacement of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls (MSEW)

Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls (MSEW) have been extensively used in recent years because of their ease and flexibility to construct, cost-effectiveness, and giving a good overview. In general, MSEW have performed favorably in seismic load. Seismic design of large, reliable, economic retaining structures can be achieved by allowing limited displacement, provided their likely displacement performance during earthquakes is known. In present paper the effect of different important parameters on dynamic behavior of MSEW have been studied. Parametric studies are performed to determine the role of influencing parameters such as: soil properties, wave properties, seismic acceleration components. It will be shown that the most important parameters in dynamic behavior of MSEW are: the propagation of longitudinal, shear waves, height and bending stiffness of MSEW and earthquake duration. The focus of the numerical analyses carried out in the effect of earthquake duration in MSEW displacement. The analyses have been performed using the finite element method by software. The research confirmed the importance of earthquake duration to the displacement performance of seismic analysis of MSEW.