Design and calibration of a laminar soil box suitable for a low-capacity shake table using free-field tests on Ganga sand

The present study concentrates on design, commissioning and calibration of a uniaxial laminar soil box suitable for use on a low base-shear capacity shake table available at IIT Kanpur, India. The box is designed to simulate the behavior of soil deposits subjected to earthquake motions, with minimal boundary effects due to reflection of waves at the boundary. The 1.1 m × 1.6 m × 0.765 m box is comprised of a series of individual lamina supported independently on multiple roller bearings guided through a guide channel. The outer frame connected to the guide rods is designed in such as way that it can transfer the self weight of each lamina out of the shake table. A series of free-field tests are carried out on dry Ganga sand sample to calibrate the box. Dynamic response parameters, such as acceleration, displacement, stress-strain behavior, strain-dependant modulus and damping ratio of the sand at various depth are investigated. Large strain and subsequent increased inelasticity is observed towards the top of the sand bed. The experimental results are further compared with equivalent-linear SHAKE analysis and nonlinear finite element ground response analysis of the free-field soil using OpenSees for assessing the performance of the laminar box.