Distinct Element Modelling in Static and Dynamic Conditions with Application to an Underground Archaeological Site

This paper considers the seismic response of the underground water storage cavern at the archaeological site of Tel Beer Sheva, excavated about 3,000 years ago in a highly jointed chalk region in the Negev Desert, in Israel. By using the distinct element method and the UDEC code, the stability conditions of the cavern are analysed. Close attention is given during rock mass modelling to the presence of discontinuities including horizontal bedding and a vertical joint set. The results of the static analyses performed confirm, as illustrated with archaeological researches, that the cavern roof had collapsed, probably during the time of construction, when a massive support pillar in the centre of the opening was constructed to support the remaining roof. The results of the dynamic analyses, which considered the recorded accelerations of the 1995 Nuweiba earthquake, demonstrate that the cavern in its present configuration, with the massive pillar in its centre, did not undergo any significant damage throughout the years, even when subjected to seismic events.