Analysis of the seismic response of a sandy soil by means of seismic table tests using a shear box

Colombia's location places it in a high seismic hazard zone due to plate interaction. Understanding soil response is key to improving structural resilience. This study characterizes the dynamic behaviour of a sandy soil deposit using shaking table tests with a shear box. The research follows a mixed methodology with three phases: (1) Preliminaries, including literature review, shear box modification, and soil characterization; (2) Experimental setup, involving instrumentation and dynamic tests; and (3) Analysis of results, assessing seismic parameters like shear modulus and damping ratio. The study aims to evaluate stiffness degradation and soil damping to enhance understanding of site effects in earthquake engineering. The originality of this work lies in the implementation of linear bearings in the shear box design to improve the simulation of simple shear deformation, and the use of Aguablanca sand as a representative material for seismic response studies in southwestern Colombia.