10/2/2019 Eurocode 8: Ground types - RCSolver
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Groung types according to Eurocode 8
According to Eurocode 8 (§3.1.2), there are five typical ground types (A, B, C, D, E) and 2 special ground types (S1, S2) that may
be used to account for the influence of local ground conditions on the seismic action. The average shear wave velocity in the top
30 m from the surface is computed according to the following equation: (EC8 § 3.1.2 (3))
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10/2/2019 Eurocode 8: Ground types - RCSolver
where
hi and vi denote the thickness (in meters) and the shear wave velocity (at a shear strain level of 10-5 or less) for the i-th formation or
layer, in a total of N.
If the value of vs,30 is not available, the number of block outs per 0.3 m in ΝSPT test can be used. If this number is not available
either, the undrained cohesion cu can be used. The following table presents the description of each ground type, and the definition
parameters.
Table 1: Ground types according to Eurocode 8(EC8 § 3.1.2 Table 3.1)
Ground type and description vs,30 ΝSPT cu
A: Rock or other rock-like geological formation,
including at most 5 m of weaker material at the >800 - -
surface.
B: Deposits of very dense sand, gravel, or very
stiff clay, at least several tens of meters in 360-
>50 >250
thickness, characterized by a gradual increase of 800
mechanical properties with depth.
C: Deep deposits of dense or medium dense sand,
180- 15- 70-
gravel or stiff clay with thickness from several
360 50 250
tens to many hundreds of meters.
D: Deposits of loose-to-medium cohesionless soil
(with or without some soft cohesive layers), or of <180 <15 <70
predominantly soft-to-firm cohesive soil.
E: A soil profile consisting of a surface alluvium
layer with vs values of type C or D and thickness
varying between about 5 m and 20 m, underlain
by stiffer material with vs > 800 m/s.
S1: Deposits consisting, or containing a layer at
10-
least 10 m thick, of soft clays/silts with a high <100 - 20
plasticity index (PI > 40) and high water content
S2: Deposits of liquefiable soils, of sensitive
clays, or any other soil profile not included in
types A – E or S1
The following figures present the elastic response spectrums defined by Eurocode 8 for each ground type. As mentioned, Eurocode
8(§3.2.2.2(2)) defines 2 spectrum types: Type 1 for regions with high seismic activity (defined as Μ > 5,5), and Type 2 for regions
with average seismic activity (Μ < 5,5). Spectrums for each ground type are presented that include ground types: Α - rock , Β –
very dense sand, gravel or very stiff clay, C – dense or medium dense sand, gravel or stiff clay, D – loose-to-medium cohesionless
soil (with or without some soft cohesive layers), or of predominantly soft-to-firm cohesive soil, Ε – soil profiles consisting of a
surface alluvium layer with vs values of type C or D and thickness varying between about 5 m and 20 m, underlain by stiffer
material. The vertical axis is the spectral acceleration of an elastic structure normalized to the ag.
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10/2/2019 Eurocode 8: Ground types - RCSolver
Figure 1: Elastic response spectrum Type 1 according to EC8 for damping 5% (EC8 § 3.2.2.2)
Figure 2: Elastic response spectrum Type 2 according to EC8 for damping 5% (ΕC8 § 3.2.2.2)
Next, Tables 1.4 and 1.5 present the effect of the local ground factors on the seismic actions because of the spectral ground
acceleration. The factors that are depending on the ground type are the ground, S, and the periods TB, TC and TD, of which the
definition is given right under the following tables. Eurocode 8 predicts different values for these factors depending on the elastic
response spectrum that has been adopted in each region (Type 1 and Type 2).
Table 2: Values for the elastic response spectrum Type 1 according to Eurocode 8
(EC8§ 3.2.2.2 Table 3.2)
Ground type S TB TC TD
A 1.0 0.15 0.4 2.0
B 1.2 0.15 0.5 2.0
C 1.15 0.20 0.6 2.0
D 1.35 0.20 0.8 2.0
E 1.4 0.15 0.5 2.0
Table 3 : Values for the elastic response spectrum Type 2 according to Eurocode 8
(EC8 § 3.2.2.2 Table 3.3)
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10/2/2019 Eurocode 8: Ground types - RCSolver
Ground type S TB TC TD
A 1.0 0.05 0.25 1.2
B 1.35 0.05 0.25 1.2
C 1.5 0.10 0.25 1.2
D 1.8 0.10 0.30 1.2
E 1.6 0.05 0.25 1.2
where:
TB is the lower limit of the period of the constant spectral acceleration branch
TC is the upper limit of the period of the constant spectral acceleration branch
TD is the value defining the beginning of the constant displacement response range
of the spectrum
S is the soil factor
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