Dynamic Stability of Adobe Walls (Overturning, Shaking Table, Cracking, Rocking Model, Soil)

Abstract

The object of this investigation was to study the stability of adobe walls during earthquakes. Eleven specimens were tested with an earthquake simulator to understand the influence of the following variables: (1) type of ground motion, (2) slenderness (thickness/height ratio), (3) wall thickness. The specimen dimensions were in metres: 0.2 x 1.2 x 1.0, 0.2 x 1.2 x 1.4, 0.2 x 1.2 x 2.0, 0.4 x 1.2 x 2.0, 0.4 x 1.2 x 2.80. Five specimens were tested with a soft-soil ground motion (La Molina 1974) and other five to stiff-soil ground motion (Lima 1970). Additionally, a pilot test was performed on a specimen of dimensions 0.2 x 1.0 x 1.8 m subjected to La Molina earthquake. During testing all specimens cracked at the base. Afterwards, most of them showed a rocking response. Failure occurred by overturning (short specimens) or by upper-level cracking (tall specimens). The stability failure was predicted on basis of a rocking model that considers the deformability of the walls.