Abstract
Abstract - For practical calculations, the ovaling and racking deformations on buried structures are estimated by estimating the
maximum shear strain (γmax) in imperforated ground using vertically incident shear waves (Vs). The relationship between maximum
shear strain (max )and depth in a uniformly elastic half-space is a function of shear-wave velocity in the uniform medium and
acceleration history in free field. In this study, the relationship between the distribution of max in elastic half space and in layered
medium is examined by supposing that the travel time of shear waves from the free boundary to a depth of interest in a layered
medium is equal to d/Vs. Different variety of strong ground motion time histories and three Vs profiles are used for analyses. The
effect of nonlinear material response to shearing was investigated by using the method of equivalent linearization.