On the seismic response of mountain topography-Insights from numerical modeling

This paper investigates the seismic responses of homogeneous double-faced soil slopes subjected to obliquely propagating SV-waves by numerical simulation in order to explore the topography amplification of ground motion. The horizontal topographic amplification factors both on the free surface and slope surface are evaluated focusing on slope geometry and incident angles with a 2-D model. Both qualitative and quantitative insights into the topographic amplification effects on the seismic responses of double-faced slopes are presented in this study. The numerical results indicate that both slope geometry and incident angles have great influences on the horizontal amplification factors. Slope geometry mainly leads to the complicated situation in the slope crest. The maximum of horizontal topographic amplification is usually not obtained as the seismic wave incident by perpendicularly. Incident angle and together with slope geometry cause the different propagation paths of the seismic waves, and they mainly influence the slope crest rather than the slope toe.