Characterization of rocking shallow foundations using centrifuge model tests

SUMMARY This paper presents new results of centrifuge model tests exploring the behavior of rocking shallow foundations embedded in dry sand, which provides a variety of factors of safety for vertical bearing. The results of slow (quasi‐static) cyclic tests of rocking shear walls and dynamic shaking tests of single‐column rocking bridge models are presented. The moment–rotation and settlement–rotation relationships of rocking footings are investigated. Concrete pads were placed in the ground soil to support some models with the objective of reducing the settlement induced by rocking. The behavior of rocking foundation was shown to be sensitive to the geometric factor of safety with respect to bearing failure, L f / L c , where L f was the footing length, and the L c was the critical soil‐footing contact length that would be required to support pure axial loading. Settlements were shown to be small if L f / L c was reasonably large. Placement of concrete pads under the edges of the footing was shown to be a promising approach to reduce settlements resulting from rocking, if settlements were deemed to be excessive and also had impacts on the energy dissipation and rocking moment capacity. A general discussion of the tradeoffs between energy dissipation and re‐centering of rocking foundations and other devices is included.