• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.117-140
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• 2012

The proposed research includes a comprehensive study on the seismic vulnerability assessment of typical building types, representative of the structural materials, the seismic codes and the construction techniques of Southern Europe. A damage database is created after the elaboration of the results of the observational data obtained from post-earthquake surveys carried out in the area struck by the September 7, 1999 Athens earthquake, a near field seismic event in an extended urban region. The observational database comprises 180.945 buildings which developed damage of varying degree, type and extent. The dataset is elaborated in order to gather useful information about the structural parameters influence on the seismic vulnerability and their correlation to the type and degree of building damages in near field earthquakes. The damage calibration of the observational data was based on label - damage provided by Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (EPPO) in Greece and referred to the qualitative characterization for the recording of damage in post-earthquake surveys. Important conclusions are drawn on the parameters that influence the seismic response based on the wide homogeneous database which adds to the reliability of the collected information and reduces the scatter on the produced results.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.73-84
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• 2020

In the seismic design of bridges, formation of plastic hinges plays an important role in the dissipation of seismic energy. In the case of conventional fixed-base bridges, the plastic hinges are allowed to form in the superstructure alone. During seismic event, such bridges may be safe from collapse but the superstructure undergoes significant plastic deformations. As an alternative design approach, the plastic hinges are guided to form in the soil thereby utilizing the inevitable yielding of the soil. Rocking foundations work on this concept. The formation of plastic hinges in the soil reduces the load and displacement demands on the superstructure. This study aims at evaluating the seismic response of bridge pier supported on rocking shallow foundation. For this purpose, a BNWF model is implemented in OpenSees platform. The capability of the BNWF model to capture the SSI effects, nonlinear behavior and dynamic loading response are validated using the centrifuge and shake table test results. A comparative study is performed between the seismic response of the bridge pier supported on the rocking shallow foundation and conventional fixed-base foundation. Results of the study have established the beneficial effects of using the rocking shallow foundation for the seismic response analysis of the bridge piers.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.365-372
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• 2019

Post-earthquake crisis management is a key capability for a country to be able to recover after a major seismic event. Instrumental seismic data transmitted and processed in a very short time can contribute to better management of the emergency and can give insights on the earthquake's impact on a specific area. Romania is a country with a high seismic hazard, mostly due to the Vrancea intermediate-depth earthquakes. The elastic acceleration response spectrum of a seismic motion provides important information on the level of maximum acceleration the buildings were subjected to. Based on new data analysis and knowledge advancements, the acceleration elastic response spectrum for horizontal ground components recommended by the Romanian seismic codes has been evolving over the last six decades. This study aims to propose a framework for post-earthquake warning based on code spectrum exceedances. A comprehensive background analysis was undertaken using strong motion data from previous earthquakes corroborated with observational damage, to prove the method's applicability. Moreover, a case-study for two densely populated Romanian cities (Focsani and Bucharest) is presented, using data from a $5.5M_W$ earthquake (October 28, 2018) and considering the evolution of the three generations of code-based spectral levels for the two cities. Data recorded in free-field and in buildings were analyzed and has confirmed that no structural damage occurred within the two cities. For future strong seismic events, this tool can provide useful information on the effect of the earthquake on structures in the most exposed areas.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2008

Acoustic emission (AE) and Microseimsic (MS) activities are law-energy seismic events associated with a sudden inelastic deformation such as the sudden movement of existing fractures, the generation of new fractures or the propagation of fractures. These events rapidly increase before major failure and happen within a given rock volume and radiate detectable seismic waves. The main difference between AE and MS signals is that the seismic motion frequencies of AE signals are higher than those of MS signals. As the failure of geotechnical structures usually happens as a high velocity and small displacement, it is nat easy ta determine the precursor and initiation stress level of failure in displacement detection method. To overcame this problem, AE/MS techniques far detection of structure failure and damage have recently adapt in civil engineering. This study deal with the basic theory of AE/MS and state of arts in monitoring technique using AE/MS.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.163-181
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• 2015

This research investigates the structural health monitoring of nonlinear structures after a major seismic event. It considers the identification of flag-shaped or pinched hysteresis behavior in response to structures as a more general case of a normal hysteresis curve without pinching. The method is based on the overall least squares methods and the log likelihood ratio test. In particular, the structural response is divided into different loading and unloading sub-half cycles. The overall least squares analysis is first implemented to obtain the minimum residual mean square estimates of structural parameters for each sub-half cycle with the number of segments assumed. The log likelihood ratio test is used to assess the likelihood of these nonlinear segments being true representations in the presence of noise and model error. The resulting regression coefficients for identified segmented regression models are finally used to obtain stiffness, yielding deformation and energy dissipation parameters. The performance of the method is illustrated using a single degree of freedom system and a suite of 20 earthquake records. RMS noise of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% is added to the response data to assess the robustness of the identification routine. The proposed method is computationally efficient and accurate in identifying the damage parameters within 10% average of the known values even with 20% added noise. The method requires no user input and could thus be automated and performed in real-time for each sub-half cycle, with results available effectively immediately after an event as well as during an event, if required.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1993.04a
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• pp.191-198
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• 1993

This paper presents the analysis briefs to evaluate the structural adequacy of the KMRR spent fuel storage racks which stack modules in three layers. The seismic analysis models are idealized to consider the overall dynamic motions such as rocking, sliding and liftoff in the event of an postulated earthquake. The displacement time histories of the floor obtained from the floor response spectra in three orthogonal directions are simultaneously applied to the nonlinear seismic model of the structure with gap and friction elements.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.181-189
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• 2015

Shimizu Corporation Tokyo Headquarters, one of the city's leading office buildings, features many pioneering technologies that contribute to a sustainable society through environmental stewardship and a sophisticated disaster management facility. In terms of structural engineering, a seismic isolation system incorporating reinforced concrete core walls and precast concrete perimeter frames create a robust structure in the event of a large earthquake. In addition to the seismic resistance of the structure, several pioneering construction methods and materials are adopted. This office building can serve as a basis for new design and construction approaches and methodologies to ensure safe and economical structures.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.93-96
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• 2006

This study represents results of performance-based fragility analysis of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge. Monte carlo simulation is performed to study nonlinear dynamic responses of RC bridge. Two-parameter log-normal distribution function is used to represent the fragility curves. These two-parameters, referred to as fragility parameters, are estimated by the traditional maximum likelihood procedure, which. is treated each event of RC bridge pier damage as a realization of Bernoulli experiment. In order to formulate the fragility curves, five different damage states are described by two practical factors: the displacement and curvature ductility, which are mostly influencing on the seismic behavior of RC bridge piers. Five damage states are quantitatively assessed in terms of these seismic ductilities on the basis of numerous experimental results of RC bridge piers. Thereby, the performance-based fragility curves of RC bridge pier are provided in this paper.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.175-188
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• 2020

The Hengda Group super high-rise building in Jinan City uses the frame-core tube structural system. With a height of 238.3 m, it is above the B-level height limit of 150 m for buildings within 7-magnitude seismic fortification zones. Therefore, it is necessary to apply performance-based seismic design to this super high-rise building. In this study, response spectrum analysis and comparative analysis of the structure are conducted using two software applications. Moreover, elastic time-history analysis, seismic analysis under an intermediate earthquake, and elastic-plastic time-history analysis under rare earthquakes are performed. Based on the analysis results, corresponding strengthening measures are implemented at weaker structural locations, such as corners, wall ends connected to framed girders, and coupling beams connected to framed girders. The failure mode and failure zone of major stress components of the structure under rare earthquakes are analysed. The conclusions to this research demonstrate that weaker locations and important parts of the structure satisfy the requirements for elastic-plastic deformation in the event of rare earthquakes.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.167-186
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• 2007

Ductility based design of reinforced concrete structures implicitly assumes certain damage under the action of a design basis earthquake. The damage undergone by a structure needs to be quantified, so as to assess the post-seismic reparability and functionality of the structure. The paper presents an analytical method of quantification and location of seismic damage, through system identification methods. It may be noted that soft ground storied buildings are the major casualties in any earthquake and hence the example structure is a soft or weak first storied one, whose seismic response and temporal variation of damage are computed using a non-linear dynamic analysis program (IDARC) and compared with a normal structure. Time period based damage identification model is used and suitably calibrated with classic damage models. Regenerated stiffness of the three degrees of freedom model (for the three storied frame) is used to locate the damage, both on-line as well as after the seismic event. Multi resolution analysis using wavelets is also used for localized damage identification for soft storey columns.