Permanent Effects in Rocking Shallow or Embedded Foundations Occurring after Earthquakes
ERIES-PERSEFONE
Dataset Description
This dataset contains the recordings from the ERIES-PERSEFONE experimental campaign conducted at the EuroSeistest site in Thessaloniki, Greece. The experiment was designed to assess and quantify the permanent effects of Soil-Foundation-Structure Interaction (SFSI) on the dynamic response of a purpose-built single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) prototype structure subjected to controlled forced vibration tests.
The experimental program systematically varied three foundation configurations — shallow (SF), embedded at 40 cm depth (EF), and embedded at 60 cm depth with remedial sand (RF) — combined with two structural mass configurations (two or four roof slabs, M2 and M4) and two excitation sources: an APS-420 SPEKTRA electric shaker and an MK-500U eccentric mass vibrator. Excitation was applied along the horizontal x- and y-directions and the vertical z-direction. In total, 15 experimental configurations were tested over three consecutive days (8–10 September 2025).
The instrumentation comprised 6 triaxial accelerometers (ETNA2) deployed on the prototype structure, 4 triaxial seismometers (CMG-40) recording free-field soil response at the surface, and 4 Waycon laser displacement sensors monitoring foundation slab movements. Recordings are provided in raw, converted (engineering units), and time-synchronized formats, organized in a hierarchical directory structure following a systematic code-naming convention described in the accompanying ReadMe file.
This work is part of the transnational access project “ERIES-PERSEFONE”, supported by the Engineering Research Infrastructures for European Synergies (ERIES) project (www.eries.eu), which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Framework Programme under Grant Agreement No. 101058684.
Specimens
1. PERSEFONE M2 (Two Roof Slabs)
1
Single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) steel-framed test structure ("Persefone"), comprising a reinforced concrete foundation slab (1.30 × 0.80 × 0.40 m), four vertical steel columns (2.20 m height), a basic reinforced concrete slab (0.80 × 0.80 × 0.20 m), and two additional roof slabs (1.40 × 1.40 × 0.20 m each). Total structure height: 3.20 m. Tested at the EuroSeistest experimental site, Thessaloniki, Greece, under forced vibration loading, as part of the ERIES-PERSEFONE experimental campaign.
Test configurations:
Configuration 1: Shallow foundation (SF), APS-420 shaker, x-direction, frequency range 1–10 Hz, frequency step 0.5 Hz, duration 10 s per step, tested on 2025-09-08.
Configuration 2: Shallow foundation (SF), APS-420 shaker, y-direction, frequency range 1–10 Hz, frequency step 0.5 Hz, duration 10 s per step, tested on 2025-09-08.
Configuration 6: Shallow foundation (SF), MK-500U shaker (A+B+C), x-direction, frequency range 0.5–4 Hz, frequency step 0.5 Hz, duration 30 s per step, tested on 2025-09-09.
Configuration 7: Embedded foundation 1, 40 cm depth (EF), MK-500U shaker (A+B+C), x-direction, frequency range 1–3.5 Hz, frequency step 0.5 Hz, duration 40 s per step, tested on 2025-09-09.
Configuration 11: Embedded foundation 1, 40 cm depth (EF), APS-420 shaker, x-direction, frequency range 1–10 Hz, frequency step 0.5 Hz, duration 10 s per step, tested on 2025-09-10.
Configuration 12: Embedded foundation 1, 40 cm depth (EF), APS-420 shaker, y-direction, frequency range 1–8 Hz, frequency step 0.5 Hz, duration 10 s per step, tested on 2025-09-10.
Configuration 13: Embedded foundation 1, 40 cm depth (EF), APS-420 shaker, z-direction at shaker location 1, frequency range 1–15 Hz, frequency step 0.5 Hz up to 9 Hz and 1 Hz thereafter, duration 10 s per step, tested on 2025-09-10.
Configuration 14: Embedded foundation 1, 40 cm depth (EF), APS-420 shaker, z-direction at shaker location 2, frequency range 1–20 Hz, frequency step 0.5 Hz up to 9 Hz and 1 Hz thereafter, duration 10 s per step, tested on 2025-09-10.
Configuration 15: Embedded foundation 2, 60 cm depth with remedial sand (RF), MK-500U shaker (A+B+C), x-direction, comprising a basic test (frequency range 0.5–4 Hz, step 0.5 Hz, duration 40 s) and a swipe test (frequency range 0.5–6 Hz, step 0.5 Hz, duration 10 s), tested on 2025-09-10.
Instrumentation:
6 triaxial accelerometers (ETNA2, 500 Hz sampling), 4 triaxial soil seismometers (CMG-40, 200 Hz sampling), 4 laser displacement sensors (Waycon, 1000 Hz sampling).
Data formats:
raw, converted (engineering units), and time-synchronized
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Site:
EuroSeistest experimental test site, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Campaign:
ERIES-PERSEFONE forced vibration testing program, conducted from 8 to 10 September 2025.
Shakers used:
the APS-420 SPEKTRA electric shaker, operating from 0.1 to 200 Hz with a maximum force output of 900 N, and the MK-500U eccentric mass vibrator (ANCO Engineers Inc.), provided by ITSAK-EPPO, operating from 0.1 to 20 Hz with a maximum force amplitude of 50 kN, configured with the A+B+C mass-plate combination.
Instrument locations:
soil surface instruments (CMG-40, location IDs 0.1 to 0.4), foundation slab instruments (ETNA2, location IDs 1.1 to 1.4; Waycon lasers, location IDs 3.1 to 3.4), and roof slab instruments (ETNA2, location IDs 2.1 to 2.2).
File naming convention:
files follow the pattern date, shaker type, location ID, recording direction, unit type, and processing stage, for example 20250908_fv_1.1_n_acc_sync.xy.
1. Persefone M2 — Experiments
The M2 specimen was subjected to forced vibration testing under three foundation conditions (SF, EF, RF) using two shaker types to characterize resonant frequencies, damping, and mode shapes, and to isolate the effect of foundation embedment on the soil-foundation-structure system response.
Structured experiment records:
Experiment 1 — foundation: shallow (SF); shaker: APS-420 electric; direction: x; frequency range: 1–10 Hz; frequency step: 0.5 Hz; duration per step: 10 s; date: 2025-09-08.
Experiment 2 — foundation: shallow (SF); shaker: APS-420 electric; direction: y; frequency range: 1–10 Hz; frequency step: 0.5 Hz; duration per step: 10 s; date: 2025-09-08.
Experiment 6 — foundation: shallow (SF); shaker: MK-500U eccentric mass (A+B+C); direction: x; frequency range: 0.5–4 Hz; frequency step: 0.5 Hz; duration per step: 30 s; date: 2025-09-09.
Experiment 7 — foundation: embedded 1, 40 cm (EF); shaker: MK-500U eccentric mass (A+B+C); direction: x; frequency range: 1–3.5 Hz; frequency step: 0.5 Hz; duration per step: 40 s; date: 2025-09-09.
Experiment 11 — foundation: embedded 1, 40 cm (EF); shaker: APS-420 electric; direction: x; frequency range: 1–10 Hz; frequency step: 0.5 Hz; duration per step: 10 s; date: 2025-09-10.
Experiment 12 — foundation: embedded 1, 40 cm (EF); shaker: APS-420 electric; direction: y; frequency range: 1–8 Hz; frequency step: 0.5 Hz; duration per step: 10 s; date: 2025-09-10.
Experiment 13 — foundation: embedded 1, 40 cm (EF); shaker: APS-420 electric; direction: z, shaker location 1; frequency range: 1–15 Hz; frequency step: 0.5 Hz up to 9 Hz, 1 Hz thereafter; duration per step: 10 s; date: 2025-09-10.
Experiment 14 — foundation: embedded 1, 40 cm (EF); shaker: APS-420 electric; direction: z, shaker location 2; frequency range: 1–20 Hz; frequency step: 0.5 Hz up to 9 Hz, 1 Hz thereafter; duration per step: 10 s; date: 2025-09-10.
Experiment 15 — foundation: embedded 2, 60 cm with remedial sand (RF); shaker: MK-500U eccentric mass (A+B+C); direction: x; subcase basic test: frequency range 0.5–4 Hz, step 0.5 Hz, duration 40 s; subcase swipe test: frequency range 0.5–6 Hz, step 0.5 Hz, duration 10 s; date: 2025-09-10.
Instrumentation
Structural, soil, and foundation responses were monitored using three sensor types, with consistent placement and sampling across all nine experiments for this specimen.
ETNA2 triaxial accelerometer — measured quantity: acceleration; units: m/s²; sampling frequency: 500 Hz; number of locations: 6 (4 on foundation slab, location IDs 1.1–1.4; 2 on roof slab, location IDs 2.1–2.2); recording directions: north-south, east-west, vertical.
CMG-40 triaxial seismometer — measured quantity: velocity; units: m/s; sampling frequency: 200 Hz; number of locations: 4 (soil surface, location IDs 0.1–0.4); recording directions: north-south, east-west, vertical.
Waycon laser displacement sensor — measured quantity: displacement; units: mm; sampling frequency: 1000 Hz; number of locations: 4 (foundation slab, location IDs 3.1–3.4); recording direction: vertical only.
2. PERSEFONE M4 (Four Roof Slabs)
1
SDOF steel-framed test structure ("Persefone"), with identical foundation and column geometry to the M2 specimen, and four additional roof slabs (1.40 × 1.40 × 0.20 m each) above the basic slab. Total structure height: 3.60 m. Tested at the EuroSeistest experimental site, Thessaloniki, Greece, under forced vibration loading, as part of the ERIES-PERSEFONE experimental campaign.
Test configurations:
Configuration 3: Shallow foundation (SF), APS-420 shaker, x-direction, frequency range 1–10 Hz, frequency step 0.5 Hz, duration 10 s per step, tested on 2025-09-09.
Configuration 4: Shallow foundation (SF), APS-420 shaker, y-direction, frequency range 1–10 Hz, frequency step 0.5 Hz, duration 10 s per step, tested on 2025-09-09.
Configuration 5: Shallow foundation (SF), MK-500U shaker (A+B+C), x-direction, frequency range 0.5–4 Hz, frequency step 0.5 Hz, duration 20 s per step, tested on 2025-09-09.
Configuration 8: Embedded foundation 1, 40 cm depth (EF), MK-500U shaker (A+B+C), x-direction, comprising a basic test (frequency range 1–4 Hz, step 0.5 Hz, duration 40 s) and a resonance test (frequencies 1.5 Hz and 2 Hz, duration 30 s), tested on 2025-09-09.
Configuration 9: Embedded foundation 1, 40 cm depth (EF), APS-420 shaker, x-direction, frequency range 1–10 Hz, frequency step 0.5 Hz, duration 10 s per step, tested on 2025-09-10.
Configuration 10: Embedded foundation 1, 40 cm depth (EF), APS-420 shaker, y-direction, comprising test 1 (frequency range 1–6.5 Hz) and test 2 (frequency range 1–8 Hz), frequency step 0.5 Hz, duration 10 s per step, tested on 2025-09-10.
Instrumentation:
6 triaxial accelerometers (ETNA2, 500 Hz sampling), 4 triaxial soil seismometers (CMG-40, 200 Hz sampling), 4 laser displacement sensors (Waycon, 1000 Hz sampling).
Data formats:
raw, converted (engineering units), and time-synchronized.
-----------
Site:
EuroSeistest experimental test site, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Campaign:
ERIES-PERSEFONE forced vibration testing program, conducted from 8 to 10 September 2025.
Shakers used:
the APS-420 SPEKTRA electric shaker, operating from 0.1 to 200 Hz with a maximum force output of 900 N, and the MK-500U eccentric mass vibrator (ANCO Engineers Inc.), provided by ITSAK-EPPO, operating from 0.1 to 20 Hz with a maximum force amplitude of 50 kN, configured with the A+B+C mass-plate combination.
Instrument locations:
soil surface instruments (CMG-40, location IDs 0.1 to 0.4), foundation slab instruments (ETNA2, location IDs 1.1 to 1.4; Waycon lasers, location IDs 3.1 to 3.4), and roof slab instruments (ETNA2, location IDs 2.1 to 2.2).
File naming convention:
files follow the pattern date, shaker type, location ID, recording direction, unit type, and processing stage, for example 20250908_fv_1.1_n_acc_sync.xy.
1. Persefone M4 — Experiments
The M4 specimen was subjected to forced vibration testing under two foundation conditions (SF, EF) to assess how increased structural mass interacts with foundation embedment depth in governing dynamic response, including a dedicated resonance test to refine characterization of the system's resonant peak.
Structured experiment records:
Experiment 3 — foundation: shallow (SF); shaker: APS-420 electric; direction: x; frequency range: 1–10 Hz; frequency step: 0.5 Hz; duration per step: 10 s; date: 2025-09-09.
Experiment 4 — foundation: shallow (SF); shaker: APS-420 electric; direction: y; frequency range: 1–10 Hz; frequency step: 0.5 Hz; duration per step: 10 s; date: 2025-09-09.
Experiment 5 — foundation: shallow (SF); shaker: MK-500U eccentric mass (A+B+C); direction: x; frequency range: 0.5–4 Hz; frequency step: 0.5 Hz; duration per step: 20 s; date: 2025-09-09.
Experiment 8 — foundation: embedded 1, 40 cm (EF); shaker: MK-500U eccentric mass (A+B+C); direction: x; subcase basic test: frequency range 1–4 Hz, step 0.5 Hz, duration 40 s; subcase resonance test: frequencies 1.5 Hz and 2 Hz, duration 30 s; date: 2025-09-09.
Experiment 9 — foundation: embedded 1, 40 cm (EF); shaker: APS-420 electric; direction: x; frequency range: 1–10 Hz; frequency step: 0.5 Hz; duration per step: 10 s; date: 2025-09-10.
Instrumentation
Ιnstrumentation type, placement, and sampling configuration for this specimen are identical to those used for Specimen 1, allowing direct cross-specimen comparison of recorded response.
ETNA2 triaxial accelerometer — measured quantity: acceleration; units: m/s²; sampling frequency: 500 Hz; number of locations: 6 (4 on foundation slab, location IDs 1.1–1.4; 2 on roof slab, location IDs 2.1–2.2); recording directions: north-south, east-west, vertical.
CMG-40 triaxial seismometer — measured quantity: velocity; units: m/s; sampling frequency: 200 Hz; number of locations: 4 (soil surface, location IDs 0.1–0.4); recording directions: north-south, east-west, vertical.
Waycon laser displacement sensor — measured quantity: displacement; units: mm; sampling frequency: 1000 Hz; number of locations: 4 (foundation slab, location IDs 3.1–3.4); recording direction: vertical only.
Project Metadata
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.
CC BY 4.0
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