Acceleration amplification characteristics of embankment reinforced with rubble mound

Generally, the rubble mound installed on the slope embankment of the open-type wharf is designed based on the impact of wave force, with no consideration for the impact of seismic force. Therefore, in this study, dynamic centrifuge model test results were analyzed to examine the acceleration amplification of embankment reinforced with rubble mound under seismic conditions. The experimental results show that when rubble mounds were installed on the ground surface of the embankment, acceleration response of embankment decreased by approximately 22%, and imbalance in ground settlement decreased significantly from eight to two times. Furthermore, based on the experimental results, one-dimensional site response (1DSR) analyses were conducted. The analysis results indicated that reinforcing the embankment with rubble mound can decrease the peak ground acceleration (PGA) and short period response (below 0.6 seconds) of the ground surface by approximately 28%. However, no significant impact on the long period response (above 0.6 seconds) was observed. Additionally, in ground with lower relative density, a significant decrease in response and wide range of reduced periods were observed. Considering that the reduced short period range corresponds to the critical periods in the design response spectrum, reinforcing the loose ground with rubble mound can effectively decrease the acceleration response of the ground surface.