• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.47-58
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• 2004

Steel Pipelines were located in hillside and mountain areas where landslides occurred during the Northridge earthquake. This paper describes the investigations that were performed to identify and locate the different types of steel pipeline construction in the system using GIS (Geographical Information System). The paper explores the damage correlations of steel pipelines with PGV (peak ground velocity) and investigates the areas subjected to the landslide effects during the Northridge earthquake. One noticeable finding is that the repair rates for steel distribution pipelines after the Northridge earthquake are higher than those of CI (cast iron) pipelines. The relatively high susceptibility of steel piping to damage during the Northridge earthquake may be explained in part by utility practices, such as using steel pipe for the highest internal pressures, and increased susceptibility to corrosion also appears to play a role in steel pipeline performance.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.9-17
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• 2001

This paper focuses on the earthquake hazard delineation and physical loss estimation for lifelines and utilities. Emphasis is given to geographic information systems(GIS) and their application to pipeline networks in evaluating the spatial characteristics of earthquake effects. The paper examines the GIS databases for water supply performance obtained for the 1994 northridge. Relationships among buried lifeline damage and various seismic parameters are examined, and the parameters that are statistically most significant are identified. Using GIS data from the Northridge earthquake, the relationships among pipeline repair rate, type of pipe, diameter, and various seismic parameters are assessed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.663-672
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• 2001

Numerous failures in welded connections in steel moment-resisting building frames (SMRF) were observed when buildings were inspected after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. These observations raised concerns about the effectiveness of such frames for resisting strong earthquake ground motions. The behavior of SMRFs during an earthquake must be assessed using nonlinear dynamic analysis, and such assessments must permit the deterioration in connection strength to capture the behavior of the frame. The uncertainties that underlie both structural and dynamic loading also need to be included in the analysis process. This paper describes the analysis of one of approximately 200 SMRFs that suffered damage to its welded beam-to-column connections from the Northridge Earthquake is evaluated. Nonlinear static and dynamic analysis of this SMRF in the time domain is performed using ground motions representing the Northridge Earthquake. Subsequently, a detailed uncertainty analysis is conducted for the building using an ensemble of earthquake ground motions. Probability distributions for deformation-related limit states, described in terms of maximum roof displacement or interstory drift, are constructed. Building fragilities that are useful for condition assessment of damaged building structures and for performance-based design are developed from these distributions.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.33-46
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• 1999

In spite of 6.8 magnitude and the neighborhood of the epicenter, the steel moment frame survived after Northridge earthquake without collapse or casualties. However, following investigation revealed that there were severe damages at the column-weld interface of welded flange-bolted web (WFBW) steel moment connection, which was believed to be economic and safe from earthquakes based on experience and past tests. In this paper, this unexpected brittle fracture of the steel moment connection is explored using linear elastic fracture mechanics and post-Northridge tests. A method to predict the brittle fracture strength of the steel moment connection is proposed. Using this method, the failure mode of the WFBW connection and reduced beam section (RBS) connection are presented.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.173-181
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• 1997

To investigate the effects of haunch repair on the system seismic performance of steel moment-resisting frames (steel MRFs), a case study was conducted for a 13-story frame damaged during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. It was assumed that only those locations with reported damage would be repaired with haunches. A new analytical modeling technique for the dual panel zone developed by the author was incorporated in the analysis. Both the inelastic static and dynamic analyses did not indicate detrimental side effects resulting from the repair. As a result of the increased strength in dual panel zones, yielding in these locations were eliminated and larger plastic rotation demand occurred in the beams next to the shallow end of the haunches. Nevertheless, the beam plastic rotation demand produced by the Sylmar record of 1994 Northridge earthquake was still limited to 1.7% radians. The repair resulted in a minor increase in earthquake energy input. In the original structure, the panel zones should dissipate about 80%(for the Oxnard record) and 70%(for the Sylmar record) of the absorbed energy, assuming no brittle failure of moment connections. After repair, the energy dissipated in the panel zones and beams were about equal.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.15-24
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• 2004

This paper describes a GIS-based assessment of residential building damage caused by the 1994 Northridge earthquake in which the fractions of existing buildings damaged at various percentages of replacement cost are related to a range of seismic parameters. The assessment uses data from safety inspection reports and tax assessor records, both of which were geocoded and linked to seismic parameters derived from strong motion records at 164 different sites. The paper also describes a GIS-based pattern recognition algorithm for identifying locations of most intense building damage. The algorithm provides a framework for rapidly screening remote sensing data and dispatching emerging services.

• Computational Structural Engineering : An International Journal
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2001

Collapse behavior of Mission-Gothic Undercrossing under Northridge earthquake is studied by performing nonlinear time-history analysis and three-dimensional nonlinear finite element method for flared columns. Bridge structural model is characterized as three-dimensional with consideration of columns, superstructures, and abutment conditions. Three components of ground motion, corresponding to bridge's longitudinal, transverse, and vertical direction and their combinations are used to investigate bridge collapse. Studies indicate that bridge collapse is dominantly caused by transverse ground motion and the consideration of three-dimensional ground motion leads to a more accurate assessment. Failure mechanism of flared columns is analyzed applying nonlinear finite element method. Reduction of column capacity is observed due to orientation of flare. Further investigation demonstrates that the effects of flare play an important role in predicting of bridge failure mechanism. Suggestions are offered to improve the performance of bridges during severe earthquake.

• The Journal of Engineering Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 2006

In order to evaluate the seismic performance of a reinforced concrete building structure, four different analyses are carried out. Firstly, conventional pushover analysis with code-specified inverted triangular load pattern is conducted. Secondly, the pushover analysis with uniform load pattern is performed. Thirdly, adaptive pushover analyses with spectral amplification for both EC 8 artificial and Northridge earthquake are carried out. Lastly, Incremental dynamic analyses under a number of scaled PGA for both EC 8 artificial and Northridge earthquake record are performed. Comparative studies demonstrate that the adaptive pushover analysis may be able to explain the response characteristics that conventional pushover analysis with fixed load distribution fails to capture.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.381-384
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• 2006

In order to evaluate the seismic performance of a reinforced concrete building structure, four different analyses are carried out. Firstly, conventional pushover analysis with code-specified inverted triangular load pattern is conducted. Secondly, the pushover analysis with uniform load pattern is performed. Thirdly, adaptive pushover analyses with spectral amplification for both EC 8 artificial and Northridge earthquake are carried out. Lastly, incremental dynamic analyses under a number of scaled PGA for both EC 8 artificial and Northridge earthquake record are performed. Comparative studies demonstrate that the adaptive pushover analysis may be able to explain the response characteristics that conventional pushover analysis with fixed load distribution fails to capture.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.271-287
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• 2005

The seismic behavior of two steel moment-resisting frames, which satisfy all the current seismic design requirements, are evaluated and compared in the presence of pre-Northridge connections denoted as BWWF and an improved post-Northridge connections denoted as BWWF-AD. Pre-Northridge connections are modeled first as fully restrained (FR) type. Then they are considered to be partially restrained (PR) to model their behavior more realistically. The improved post-Northridge connections are modeled as PR type, as proposed by the authors. A sophisticated nonlinear time-domain finite element program developed by the authors is used for the response evaluation of the frames in terms of the overall rotation of the connections and the maximum drift. The frames are excited by ten recorded earthquake time histories. These time histories are then scaled up to produce some relevant response characteristics. The behaviors of the frames are studied comprehensively with the help of 120 analyses. Following important observations are made. The frames produced essentially similar rotation and drift for the connections modeled as FR type and PR type represented by BWWF-AD indicating that the presence of slots in the web of beams in BWWF-AD is not detrimental to the overall response behavior. When the lateral displacements of the frames are significantly large, the responses are improved if BWWF-AD type connections are used in the frames. This study analytically confirms many desirable features of BWWF-AD connections. PR frames have longer periods of vibration in comparison to FR frames and may attract lower inertia forces. However, calculated periods of the frames of this study using FEMA 350 empirical equation is longer than those calculated using dynamic characteristics of the frames. This may result in even lower design forces and may adversely influence the design.