Effect of soil-pile-structure interaction on seismic behaviour of nuclear power station via shaking table tests

To better understand the characteristics of seismic response nuclear power stations with fixed-base and pile-raft foundations, a series shaking table tests were performed. The included three cases: free-field soil, structure without superstructure foundation embedded in soil. One white noise excitation earthquake motions different intensity selected as ground motion to identify structure, raft, piles, soils. effects intensity, frequency, soil-pile-structure interaction, soil nonlinearity on system dynamic responses analysed. test results show that natural frequency damping ratio for are different, owing interaction effect. acceleration amplification shows significantly higher value than foundation. average peak raft (raft/soil surface) is 1.2. Under long period wave excitations, bending moment pile greater short-period occurs at head. vertical horizontal displacement residual increases intensity. These observations suggested design station clay cannot be simplified structure. Moreover, adopting will extend choice finding suitable construction sites stations, could provide references engineers.