A numerical study of site effect and dynamic response of staged excavation supported by soil nail walls

To evaluate engineering seismology, strong ground movements, and seismic risks, investigating local site effects analysis is essential. In the last decade, Slope construction and deep excavations reinforced using soil nails have developed extensively in earthquake-prone zones. Therefore, it is important to study site effect and dynamic response of the reinforced walls under seismic conditions. In this research, in a site with two different types of dense and loose soil using the finite element analysis, dynamic response and site effects for the restrained wall by nailing system have been investigated. The study revealed that by increasing the underground water table, the wall's flexural rigidity, and the face batter angle enhance stability and decrease the wall's tendency to display more nonlinear behavior via larger deformations under dynamic loading. Consequently, this leads to the creation of smaller shear strains and the dissipation of less energy in the model, ultimately increasing the amplification factor. Conversely, the increase in the surcharge magnitude and the stages of excavation would decrease the wall's stability, respectively, both increasing the nonlinear behavior, shear strains, and the reinforced system's energy dissipation, all of which contribute to reducing the amplification factor.