[pt] O estudo do comportamento de solos sob carregamento sísmico é de grande importância para o projeto de geoestruturas situadas em regiões de alta atividade sísmica, como nos países andinos ao longo da borda da placa tectônica sul-americana. No Brasil, localizado no interior desta placa, onde eventos sísmicos são menos frequentes e de menor magnitude, um projeto dísmico detalhado é necessário para algumas obras de engenharia de alta importância como centrais nucleares. O objetivo principal desta dissertação é investigar o comportamento sísmico de geoestruturas, descrevendo e discutindo os vários pontos que devem ser cuidadosamente considerados pelos projetistas sob ponto de vista da engenharia geotécnica. Em particular, o comportamento de um cais para submarinos nucleares, projetado para ser construído no litoral do estado do Rio de Janeiro - Brasil, é analisado considerando aspectos relacionados com o potencial de liquefação dinâmica e a resposta sísmica dos solos em termos de histórias de aceleração, espectros de resposta e deslocamentos permanentes. O modelo constitutivo UBCSAND foi usado para representar a resposta de liquefação de areais saturas sob carregamento cíclico e alguns programs computationais (FLAC, SHAKE2000) foram empregados para calcular as respostas esperadas das geoestruturas. / [en] The study of the soil behaviour under seismic loading is of great importance for the design of geostructures situated in regions of high seismic activity such as in the Andean countries along the border of the South American tectonic plate. In Brazil, situated in the interior of this plate, where seismic events are less frequent and of the smaller magnitude, a detailed seismic design is necessary for some engineering works of high importance such as nuclear power plants. The main objective of this thesis is to investigate the seismic behaviour of geostructures, describing and discussing the several points that should be carefully considered by the designers under the geotechnical engineering standpoint. In particular, the behavior of a nuclear wharf planned to be built on the seashore of the state of Rio de Janeiro - Brazil, is analyzed considering aspects related to the potential of dynamic soil liquefaction and the seismic response of soils in terms of accelerations histories, response spectra and permanent displacements. The UBCSAND constitutive model was used to represent the liquefaction response of saturated sands under cyclic loading and some computational programs (FLAC, SHAKE2000) were used in order to calculate the expected response of the geostrucures.

When the point under consideration is not near to the source of vibration, the strains developed in the rock mass due to the passage of waves are usually of small magnitude, and within the elastic range. However, the rock mass may be subjected to a wide range of strain levels depending on the source of vibration and the wave frequency, even within the elastic limit. The present study is based on the two general conditions existing at field, long wave length propagation of waves and intermediate wavelength propagation of waves. When the wavelength of propagating wave is much longer than the joint spacing, it is referred to as long wavelength condition and is associated with propagation of low frequency waves across closely spaced joints. When wavelength of propagating wave is nearly equal to joint spacing, it is known as intermediate wavelength condition and is associated with propagation of high frequency waves. Long wave length propagation of waves has been studied by conducting laboratory experiments using Resonant Column Apparatus on developed plaster gypsum samples. The influence of joint types, joint spacing and joint orientation on wave propagation has been analyzed at three confining stresses under various strain levels. The wave velocities and damping ratios at various strain levels have been obtained and presented. Shear wave velocities are more dependent on confining stress than compression wave velocities across frictional joints whereas, compression wave velocities are more dependent on confining stress than shear wave velocities across filled joints. Wave velocities are at minimum and wave damping is at maximum across horizontal joints whereas wave velocities are at maximum and wave damping is at minimum across vertical joints. Shear wave velocity and shear wave damping are more dependent on joint orientations than compression wave velocity and compression wave damping. As Resonant Column Apparatus has some limitations in testing stiff samples, a validated numerical model has been developed using Discrete Element Method (DEM) that can provide resonant frequencies under torsional and flexural vibrations. It has been found from numerical simulations, that reduction of normal and shear stiffness of joint with increasing strain levels leads to wave velocity reduction in jointed rock mass. Intermediate wave length propagation of waves has been studied by conducting tests using Bender/ extender elements and the numerical simulations developed using 3DEC (Three Dimensional Distinct Element Code).Parametric study on energy transmission, wave velocities and wave amplitudes of shear and compression waves, has been carried out using the validated numerical model. The propagation of waves across multiple parallel joints was simulated and the phenomenon of multiple reflections of waves between joints could be observed. The transformations of obliquely incident waves on the joint have been successfully modeled by separating the transmitted transformed P and S waves. The frequency dependent behavior of jointed rocks has been studied by developing a numerical model and by applying a wide range of wave frequencies. It has been found that low frequency shear waves may involve slips of rock blocks depending on the strength of rock joint, leading to less transmission of energy; while low frequency compression waves are well transmitted across the joints. High frequency shear and compression waves experience multiple reflections and absorptions at joints.