Datasets for liquefaction case studies of gravelly soils during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.

This Data in Brief article provides summarized information of the liquefaction case histories from the 12 May 2008 M w7.9 Wenchuan earthquake. According to the data processing procedures recommended in the related research article, all eighty-one case histories investigated by the present authors and seven other case histories from the literature are carefully compiled. All necessary information and the mean and standard deviation for some key parameters are given for these liquefaction case histories (i.e., site name, site location, site inclination angle, liquefaction manifestations, critical layer, soil sampling information, ground motion, total and effective stresses, shear-mass participation parameter, cyclic stress ratio (CSR) for M w=7.5, normalized shear wave velocity (V s1), data class and field testing time). These data may be used by colleagues to study the effect of gravel content on liquefaction behaviour of gravelly soils and develop the corresponding deterministic or probabilistic methods for liquefaction triggering evaluation.

Axisymmetric fundamental solutions for a finite layer with impeded boundaries.

Axisymmetric fundamental solutions that are applied in the consolidation calculations of a finite clay layer with impeded boundaries were derived. Laplace and Hankel integral transforms were utilized with respect to time and radial coordinates, respectively in the analysis. The derivation of fundamental solutions considers two-boundary value problems involving unit point loading and ring loading in the vertical. The solutions are extended to circular distributed and strip distributed normal load. The computation and analysis of settlements, vertical total stress and excess pore pressure in the consolidation layer subject to circular loading are presented.

Shape optimization of plate with static and dynamic constraints via virtual laminated element.

The virtual laminated element method (VLEM) can resolve structural shape optimization problems with a new method. According to the characteristics of VLEM, only some characterised layer thickness values need be defined as design variables instead of boundary node coordinates or some other parameters determining the system boundary. One of the important features of this method is that it is not necessary to regenerate the FE(finite element) grid during the optimization process so as to avoid optimization failures resulting from some distortion grid elements. The thickness distribution in thin plate optimization problems in other studies before is of stepped shape. However, in this paper, a continuous thickness distribution can be obtained after optimization using VLEM, and is more reasonable. Furthermore, an approximate reanalysis method named "behavior model technique" can be used to reduce the amount of structural reanalysis. Some typical examples are offered to prove the effectiveness and practicality of the proposed method.