The Role of Site Investigation on Performance Based Design in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering

The spatial variability of geotechnical earthquake engineering critical parameters obtained by laboratory and in situ tests in the same area is affected by different measurements. The paper provides a brief synthesis of ground motion and site effects analysis procedures within a Performance-Based Design framework. In particular it focuses about the influence on the evaluation of site effects in some active regions by different shear waves velocity measurements (Down Hole D-H and Seismic Dilatometer Marchetti Test SDMT). Moreover the variation of shear modulus and damping ratio with strain level and depth from different laboratory dynamic or cyclic tests for soil characterisation (Resonant Column Test RCT) was evaluated. The available data enabled one to compare the shear waves velocity profile obtained by laboratory and in situ tests (Cone Penetration Tests CPT) with empirical correlations proposed in literature.