The major objective of this study is to correlate the rocking foundation performance parameters with their capacity parameters and earthquake demand parameters using the results obtained from 142 centrifuge and shaking table experiments. It is found that seismic energy dissipation and permanent settlement of rocking foundations correlate well with rocking coefficient and Arias intensity of the earthquake, whereas the maximum moment and peak rotation of the foundation correlate well with peak ground acceleration. A numerical model, using the contact interface model available in OpenSees, is developed to simulate the performance of rocking foundations, and it is validated using experimental results. Though the numerical model predicts the moment capacity, seismic energy dissipation, and tipping-over stability of rocking foundations reasonably well, the model appears to overpredict the settlement of foundations. Furthermore, a parametric study showed that settlement reduces as initial vertical stiffness increases and is directly proportional to peak ground displacement.

Thesis (MScEng (Civil Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In regions of moderate seismicity it has been shown that a suitable structural system is created when designing the shear wall with a plastic hinge zone at the lower part of the wall, with the shear walls resisting lateral loads and all other structural elements designed to resist gravity loads. A suitably stiff foundation is required for the assumption of plastic hinge zones to hold true. This foundation should have limited rotation and should remain elastic when lateral loads are applied to the structure. Ensuring a foundation with a greater capacity than the shear wall results in excessively large shear wall foundations being required in areas of moderate seismicity for buildings with no basement level. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of reducing the size of shear wall foundations in areas of moderate seismicity for buildings with no basement level. The investigation is aimed at allowing shear wall foundation rocking and taking into account the contribution of structural frames to the lateral stiffness of the structure. An example building was chosen to investigate this possibility. Firstly, lateral force-displacement capacities were determined for a shear wall and an internal reinforced concrete frame of this investigated building. Nonlinear momentrotation behaviour was determined for the wall foundation size that would traditionally be required as well as for six other smaller foundations. The above capacity curves against lateral loads were then used to compile a simplified model of the structural systems assumed to contribute to the lateral stiffness of the building. This simplified model therefore combined the effect of the shear wall, internal frame and wall foundation. Nonlinear time-history analyses were performed on this simplified model to investigate the dynamic response of the structure with different wall foundation sizes. By assessing response results on a global and local scale, it was observed that significantly smaller shear wall foundations are possible when allowing foundation rocking and taking into account the contribution of other structural elements to the lateral stiffness of the building. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is reeds getoon dat ʼn voldoende strukturele sisteem verkry word in gebiede van gematigde seismiese risiko indien ʼn skuifmuur ontwerp word met ʼn plastiese skarnier sone naby die ondersteuning van die muur. Skuifmure word dan ontwerp om weerstand te bied teen laterale kragte met alle ander strukturele elemente ontwerp om gravitasie kragte te weerstaan. Vir die aanname van plastiese skarnier sones om geldig te wees word ʼn fondasie met voldoende styfheid benodig. Só ʼn fondasie moet beperkte rotasie toelaat en moet elasties bly wanneer laterale kragte aan die struktuur aangewend word. ʼn Fondasie met ʼn groter kapasiteit as dié van die skuifmuur lei daartoe dat uitermate groot fondasies benodig word in gebiede van gematigde seismiese risiko vir geboue met geen kelder vlak. Hierdie studie is daarop gemik om die moontlikheid van kleiner skuifmuur fondasies te ondersoek vir geboue met geen kelder vlak in gebiede van gematigde seismiese risiko. Die ondersoek het ten doel om skuifmuur fondasie wieg aksie toe te laat en die bydrae van strukturele rame tot die laterale styfheid van die struktuur in ag te neem. Eerstens is die laterale krag-verplasing kapasiteit van ʼn skuifmuur en ʼn interne gewapende beton raam van die gekose gebou bepaal. Nie-lineêre moment-rotasie gedrag is bepaal vir die skuifmuur fondasie grootte wat tradisioneel benodig sou word asook vir ses ander kleiner fondasie grotes. Die bogenoemde kapasiteit kurwes is gebruik om ʼn vereenvoudigde model van die strukturele sisteme wat aanvaar word om laterale styfheid tot die gebou te verleen, op te stel. Hierdie vereenvoudigde model kombineer gevolglik die effek van die skuifmuur, interne raam en skuifmuur fondasie. Nie-lineêre tydgeskiedenis analises is uitgevoer op die vereenvoudigde model ten einde die dinamiese reaksie van die struktuur te ondersoek vir verskillende fondasie grotes. Resultate is beoordeel op ʼn globale en lokale vlak. Daar is waargeneem dat aansienlik kleiner skuifmuur fondasies moontlik is deur wieg aksie van die fondasie toe te laat en die bydrae van ander strukturele elemente tot die laterale styfheid van die gebou in ag te neem.