Modeling Input Motion Boundary Conditions for Simulations of Geotechnical Shaking Table Tests

This paper discusses the effects of using different input-motion-boundary-conditions on the sensitivity of numerical simulations results to errors in material properties of a specimen tested on a shaking table. In the flexible-actuator-prescribed-force-boundary-condition, input is specified by a force across an actuator element that connects the shaking table to a reaction mass. In the prescribed-displacement-boundary-condition, the measured shaking table motion in the experiment is prescribed in the simulation. The flexible-actuator-prescribed-force approach yielded smaller, almost constant sensitivity of simulation results to input properties. The prescribed-displacement approach yielded larger and more variable sensitivities. The sensitivity of results depends on the how the boundary conditions are handled has further implications: the assessment of a comparison between a simulation and an experimental result should be performed with due consideration to the effect of the boundary conditions on the comparison, and numerically determined sensitivities may not be physically meaningful if the boundary condition is not accurately modeled.