Direct Displacement-Based Design of embedded retaining structures

The paper presents the displacement seismic design method known as Direct Displacement – philosophy behind DDBD is that structures – including geotechnical structures – should be designed to achieve a specified performance level under a specified seismic intensity. The calculation steps of the method are described in detail with considerable discussion on their applicability to cantilever and anchored retaining structures. As a final result, the DDBD procedure provides a rational design approach which relies on a convenient reduction of seismic thrusts based on the system capacity of dissipating energy (ductility capacity).