• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2018

Seismic retrofitting of existing buildings and design of earth-quake resistant buildings are important issues associated with earthquake-prone zones. Use of metallic-yielding dampers as an energy dissipation system is an acceptable method for controlling damages in structures and improving their seismic performance. In this study, the optimal distribution of dampers for reducing the seismic response of steel frames with multi-degrees freedom is presented utilizing the uniform distribution of deformations. This has been done in a way that, the final configuration of dampers in the frames lead to minimum weight while satisfying the performance criteria. It is shown that such a structure has an optimum seismic performance, in which the maximum structure capacity is used. Then the genetic algorithm which is an evolutionary optimization method is used for optimal arrangement of the steel dampers in the structure. In continuation for specifying the optimal accurate response, the local search algorithm based on the gradient concept has been selected. In this research the introduced optimization methods are used for optimal retrofitting in the moment-resisting frame with inelastic behavior and initial weakness in design. Ultimately the optimal configuration of dampers over the height of building specified and by comparing the results of the uniform deformation method with those of the genetic algorithm, the validity of the uniform deformation method in terms of accuracy, Time Speed Optimization and the simplicity of the theory have been proven.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.129-144
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• 2020

In this study, the idea of damping force linearly proportional to horizontal isolation displacement is implemented into sloped rolling-type bearings in order to meet different seismic performance goals. In addition to experimentally demonstrating its practical feasibility, the previously developed analytical model is further modified to be capable of accurately predicting its hysteretic behavior. The numerical predictions by using the modified analytical model present a good match of the shaking table test results. Afterward, several sloped rolling-type bearings designed with linearly variable damping force are numerically compared with a bearing designed with conventional constant damping force. The initial friction damping force adopted in the former is designed to be smaller than the constant one adopted in the latter. The numerical comparison results indicate that when the horizontal isolation displacement does not exceed the designed turning point (or practically when subjected to minor or frequent earthquakes that seldom have a great displacement demand for seismic isolation), the linearly variable damping force design can exhibit a better acceleration control performance than the constant damping force design. In addition, the former, in general, advantages the re-centering performance over the latter. However, the maximum horizontal displacement response of the linearly variable damping force design, in general, is larger than that of the constant damping force design. It is particularly true when undergoing a horizontal isolation displacement response smaller than the designed turning point and designing a smaller value of initial friction damping force.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.52-57
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• 2016

In this study, a restoring viscous damper is introduced for X-type damper system which is designed for the seismic response control of large spatial structures. A nonlinear numerical model for its behavior is developed using the result of dynamic loading tests. The X-type damper system is composed of restoring viscous dampers and connecting devices such as adjustable wire bracing, where the damping capacity of the system is controllable by changing the number of the dampers. The restoring viscous damper is devised to exert main damping force in tension direction, which is effective to prevent the buckling of bracing subjected to compressive axial force. To evaluate the performance of the proposed damper, dynamic cyclic loading tests are performed by using manufactured dampers at full scale. In order to construct the numerical model of the damper system, its model parameters are first identified using a nonlinear curve fitting method with the test data. The numerical simulations are then performed to validate the accuracy of the numerical model in comparison with the experimental test results. It is expected that the proposed system is effectively applicable to various building structures for seismic performance enhancement.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.579-601
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• 2013

Interference effects are of considerable concern for group hyperboloidal cooling towers, but evaluation methods and results are different from each other because of the insufficient understanding on the structure behavior. Therefore, the mechanical performance of hyperboloidal cooling tower shell under wind loads was illustrated according to some basic properties drawn from horizontal rings and cantilever beams. The hyperboloidal cooling tower shell can be regarded as the coupling of horizontal rings and meridian cantilever beams, and this perception is beneficial for understanding the mechanical performance under wind loads. Afterwards, the mean external latitude wind pressure distribution, CP(${\theta}$), was artificially adjusted to pursue the relationship between different CP(${\theta}$) and wind-induced responses. It was found that the maximum responses in hyperboloidal cooling tower shell are primarily dominated by the non-uniformity of CP(${\theta}$) but not the local pressure amplitude CP or overall resistance/drag coefficient CD. In all the internal forces, the maximum amplitude of meridian axial tension shows remarkable sensitivity to the variation of CP(${\theta}$) and it's also the controlling force in structure design, so it was selected as an indicator to evaluate the influence of CP(${\theta}$) on responses. Based on its sensitivity to different adjustment parameters of CP(${\theta}$), an comprehensive response influence factor, RIF, was deduced to assess the meridian axial tension for arbitrary CP(${\theta}$).

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.80-85
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• 2009

The performance of the robot is very limited in the conventional model-based control methods when the environments around a robot are not structured or are varying dynamically. The reason for that is the methods are based on the model of the environments which is very difficult to match with the real environments and on a path planning which is complex and time-consuming. On the other hand, the behavior-based control methods are not dependant on the model of the environments nor a complex planning. In those methods, a specific behavior is coupled with a specific sensor output, so the response of a robot is quite reactive and timely in dynamic and unstructured environments. In this thesis, we propose a situation dependant behavior based control architecture, in which a robot may behave differently to the same sensor output depending on various situations. We also show some experimental results to show the feasibility of the proposed control architecture.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.15-22
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• 2003

Seismic design codes developed taking into account the strong earthquakes may result in unnecessary economical loss in the low seismic area, and the importance of the performance based design considering the soil-structure interaction is recognized for the reasonable seismic design. In this study. elastic and inelastic seismic response analyses of a single degree of freedom system on the soft soil layer were performed considering the nonlinearity of the soil for the 1 weak earthquakes scaled to the nominal peak accelerations of 0.07g and 0.11g. The seismic response analyses were performed in one step applying the earthquake motions to the bedrock, utilizing a pseudo 3-D dynamic analysis software of the soil-structure system. The study results indicated that seismic response spectra of a system assuming the rigid base or the linear soil layer does not represent the true behavior of a structure-soil system, and it is necessary to take into account the nonlinear soil-structure interaction effects and to perform the performance based seismic design for the various soil layers, having different characteristics, rather than to follow the routine design procedures specified in the design codes for the reasonable seismic design. The nonlinearity of the soft soil excited with the weak seismic motions also affected significantly on the elastic and inelastic seismic response spectra of a system due to the nonlinear soil amplification of the earthquake motions, and it was pronounced especially for the elastic response spectra.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.39-63
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• 2011

Referring to the formulation of physical stochastic optimal control of structures and the scheme of optimal polynomial control, a nonlinear stochastic optimal control strategy is developed for a class of structural systems with hysteretic behaviors in the present paper. This control strategy provides an amenable approach to the classical stochastic optimal control strategies, bypasses the dilemma involved in It$\hat{o}$-type stochastic differential equations and is applicable to the dynamical systems driven by practical non-stationary and non-white random excitations, such as earthquake ground motions, strong winds and sea waves. The newly developed generalized optimal control policy is integrated in the nonlinear stochastic optimal control scheme so as to logically distribute the controllers and design their parameters associated with control gains. For illustrative purposes, the stochastic optimal controls of two base-excited multi-degree-of-freedom structural systems with hysteretic behavior in Clough bilinear model and Bouc-Wen differential model, respectively, are investigated. Numerical results reveal that a linear control with the 1st-order controller suffices even for the hysteretic structural systems when a control criterion in exceedance probability performance function for designing the weighting matrices is employed. This is practically meaningful due to the nonlinear controllers which may be associated with dynamical instabilities being saved. It is also noted that using the generalized optimal control policy, the maximum control effectiveness with the few number of control devices can be achieved, allowing for a desirable structural performance. It is remarked, meanwhile, that the response process and energy-dissipation behavior of the hysteretic structures are controlled to a certain extent.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.413-420
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• 2023

Among the seismic structures for reducing earthquake damage, the seismic control structure is a technology that can efficiently improve seismic performance and secure economic feasibility by simply applying a damper. However, existing dampers have limitations in terms of durability due to required seismic performance and material plasticity. In this study, we proposed a polyurethane damper with enhanced recovery characteristics by applying precompression to polyurethane, which basically shows elastic characteristics, and applying superelastic shape memory alloy (SSMA). To verify the characteristics of the polyurethane damper, the concept was first established, and the design details were completed by selecting SSMA and steel, and selecting the precompression size as design variables. In addition, structural tests were conducted to derive response behavior and analyze force resistance performance, residual displacement, recovery rate, and energy dissipation capacity. As a result of the analysis, the polyurethane damper showed that various performances improved when the SSMA wire was applied and the precompression increased.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.271-282
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• 2022

Seismic resisting self-centering bridge piers with high energy dissipation and negligible residual displacement after an earthquake event are focus topics of current structural engineering. The energy dissipation components of typical bridge piers are often relatively single; and exhibit a certain level of damage under earthquakes, leading to large residual displacements and low cumulative energy dissipation. In this paper, a novel socket self-centering bridge pier with a hybrid energy dissipation system is proposed. The seismic resilience of bridge piers can be improved through the rational design of annular grooves and rubber cushions. The seismic response was evaluated through the finite element method. The effects of rubber cushion thickness, annular groove depth, axial compression ratio, and lateral strength contribution ratio of rubber cushion on the seismic behavior of bridge piers are systematically studied. The results show that the annular groove depth has the greatest influence on the seismic performance of the bridge pier. Especially, the lateral strength contribution ratio of the rubber cushion mainly depends on the depth of the annular groove. The axial compression ratio has a significant effect on the ultimate bearing capacity. Finally, the seismic design method is proposed according to the influence of the above research parameters on the seismic performance of bridge piers, and the method is validated by an example. It is suggested that the range of lateral strength contribution ratio of rubber cushion is 0.028 ~ 0.053.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.851-858
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• 2023

Purpose: A study was conducted to ensure the structural safety of a raised girder bridge with improved cross-sectional efficiency compared to the conventional PSC girder. For this purpose, the cross-sectional specifications such as girder length, height, and width were determined, the arrangement of the tendons was designed, and the practical performance of the raised girder under static and dynamic loads was verified. Method: The static performance experiment examined the serviceability limit state by measuring behavioral responses such as deflection and cracking to primary and secondary static loads. In addition, the dynamic load loading experiment measured the acceleration and displacement behavior response over time to calculate the natural frequency and damping ratio to examine the usability limit state. Result: As a result of the static performance test, the deflection value based on the maximum applied load showed stable behavior, and the crack width measured at the maximum applied load level was very small, satisfying the serviceability limit state. In addition, a natural frequency exceeding the natural frequency calculated during the design of the dynamic loading experiment was found, and a damping ratio that satisfies the current regulations was found to be secured.