• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.3 no.3_4
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• pp.365-381
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• 2012

Recent earthquakes have damaged some bridges located on the Pacific Coast of Mexico; these bridges have been retrofitted or rebuilt. Based on the fact that the Pacific Coast is a highly active seismic zone where most of the strong earthquakes in the country occur, one fertile and important area of research is the study of the vulnerability of both new and existent bridges located in this area that can be subjected to strong earthquakes. This work is focused on estimating the contribution of some parameters identified to have major influence on the seismic vulnerability of reinforced concrete bridges. Ten models of typical reinforced concrete (RC) bridges, and two existing bridges located close to the Pacific Coast of Mexico are considered. The group of structures selected for the study is based on two span bridges, two pier heights and two substructure types. The bridges were designed according to recent codes in Mexico. For the vulnerability study, the capacity of the structure was evaluated based on the FEMA recommendations. On the other hand, the demand was evaluated using a group of more than one hundred accelerograms recorded close to the subduction zone of Mexico. The results show that the two existent bridges analyzed show similar trends of behavior of the group of bridge models studied. In spite of the contribution that traditional variables (height and substructure type) had to the bridge seismic response, the bridge length was also found to be one of the parameters that most contributed to the seismic vulnerability of these RC medium-length bridges.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.217-228
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• 2019

In this study, a seismic vulnerability map of Gyeongju city, where the 9.12 Gyeongju earthquake occurred, was produced and evaluated using analytic hierarchy process(AHP) and geographic information system (GIS). Geotechnical, physical, social, structural, and capacity factors were selected as the main indicators and 18 sub-indicators to construct a spatial database. Weights derived using the AHP were applied to the 18 sub-indicators, which generated a vulnerability map of the five main indicators. After weighting the five generated maps, we created seismic vulnerability maps by overlaying each of the five maps. The seismic vulnerability map was classified into five zones, i.e., very high, high, moderate, low, and safe. For seismic vulnerability, the results indicated that 3% of Gyeongju area is characterized as having very high vulnerability, while 19% was characterized as safe. Based on district standards, Jungbu-dong, Hwangoh-dong, Hwangseong-dong, Seonggeon-dong, and Dongcheon-dong were high-risk areas, and Bodeok-dong, Gangdong-myeon, Yangbuk-myeon, Yangnam-myeon, and Oedong-eup were characterized as safe areas. The seismic vulnerability map produced in this study could possibly be used to minimize damage caused by earthquakes and could be used as a reference when establishing policies.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.701-713
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• 2018

Many bridges in Algeria were constructed without taking into account the seismic effect in the design. The implantation of a new regulation code RPOA-2008 requires a higher reinforcement ratio than with the seismic coefficient method, which is a common feature of the existing bridges. For better perception of the performance bridge piers and evaluation of the risk assessment of existing bridges, fragility analysis is an interesting tool to assess the vulnerability study of these structures. This paper presents a comparative performance of bridge piers designed with the seismic coefficient method and the new RPOA-2008. The performances of the designed bridge piers are assessed using thirty ground motion records and incremental dynamic analysis. Fragility curves for the bridge piers are plotted using probabilistic seismic demand model to perform the seismic vulnerability analysis. The impact of changing the reinforcement strength on the seismic behavior of the designed bridge piers is checked by fragility analysis. The fragility results reveal that the probability of damage with the RPOA-2008 is less and perform well comparing to the conventional design pier.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.113-126
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• 2022

Reinforced concrete bearing walls (RCBWs) are one of the most applicable structural systems. Therefore, vulnerability analysis and rehabilitation of the RCBW system are of great importance. In the present study, in order to the more precise investigation of the performance of this structural resistant system, pushover and nonlinear time history analyses based on several assumptions drawing upon experimental research were performed on several models with different stories. To validate the nonlinear analysis method, the analytical and experimental results are compared. Vulnerability evaluation was carried out on two seismic hazard levels and three performance levels. Eventually, the need for seismic rehabilitation with the basic safety objective (BSO) was investigated. The obtained results showed that the studied structures satisfied the BSO of the seismic rehabilitation guidelines. Consequently, according to the results of analyses and the desired performance, this structural system, despite its high structural weight and rigid connections and low flexibility, has integrated performance, and it can be a good option for earthquake-resistant constructions.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.215-244
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• 2004

There is an ever-increasing demand for assessment of earthquake effects on transportation structures, emphasised by the crippling consequences of recent earthquakes hitting developed countries reliant on road transportation. In this work, vulnerability functions for RC bridges are derived analytically using advanced material characterisation, high quality earthquake records and adaptive inelastic dynamic analysis techniques. Four limit states are employed, all based on deformational quantities, in line with recent development of deformation-based seismic assessment. The analytically-derived vulnerability functions are then compared to a data set comprising observational damage data from the Northridge (California 1994) and Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe 1995) earthquakes. The good agreement gives some confidence in the derived formulation that is recommended for use in seismic risk assessment. Furthermore, by varying the dimensions of the prototype bridge used in the study, and the span lengths supported by piers, three more bridges are obtained with different overstrength ratios (ratio of design-to-available base shear). The process of derivation of vulnerability functions is repeated and the ensuing relationships compared. The results point towards the feasibility of deriving scaling factors that may be used to obtain the set of vulnerability functions for a bridge with the knowledge of a 'generic' function and the overstrength ratio. It is demonstrated that this simple procedure gives satisfactory results for the case considered and may be used in the future to facilitate the process of deriving analytical vulnerability functions for classes of bridges once a generic relationship is established.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.169-174
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• 2018

A total of 594 reservoirs (17%), which are managed by KRC, equipped with earthquake-resistant facilities whereas remaining ones did not. In addition, reservoirs were placed without the effect of geological structures (i.e., fault and lineament). Therefore, development on technique for alleviating the potential hazards by natural disasters along faults and lineaments has required. In addition, an effective reinforcement guideline related to the geological vulnerabilities around reservoirs has required. The final goal of this study is to suggest the effective maintenance for the safety of earth fill dams. A radius 2 km, based on the center of the reservoir in the study area was set as the range of vulnerability impacts of each reservoir. Seismic design, precise safety diagnosis, seismic influence and geological structure were analyzed for the influence range of each reservoir. To classify the vulnerability of geological disasters according to the fault distribution around the reservoir, evaluation index of seismic performance, precise safety diagnosis, seismic influence and geological structure were also developed for each reservoir, which were a component of the vulnerability assessment of geological disasters. As a result, the reservoir with the highest vulnerability to geological disasters in the pilot district was analyzed as Kidong reservoir with an evaluation index of 0.364. Within the radius of 100km from the epicenter of the Pohang earthquake, the number of agricultural infrastructure facilities subject to urgent inspections were 1,180 including reservoirs, pumping stations and intakes. Four reservoirs were directly damaged by earthquake among 724 agricultural reservoirs. As a result of the precise inspection and electrical resistivity survey of the reservoir after the earthquake, it was reported that cracks on the crest of reservoirs were not a cause of concern. However, we are constantly monitoring the safety of agricultural facilities by Pohang aftershocks.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.665-687
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• 2014

This paper presents a framework for analytical seismic vulnerability assessment of substandard reinforced concrete (RC) structures in developing countries. Amodified capacity-demand diagram method is used to predict the response of RC structures with degrading behaviour. A damage index based on period change is used to quantify the evolution of damage. To demonstrate the framework, a class of substandard RC buildings is examined. Abrupt accumulation of damage is observed due to the brittle failure modes and this is reflected in the developed vulnerability curves, which differ substantially from the curves of ductile structures.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.31-40
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• 2017

In this study, a simple method to evaluate the seismic vulnerability of river levees was examined considering the structural characteristic of river levee, that is long, and the functional characteristic of river levee that performs temporary function against flood but is a permanent structure in the ordinary way. Considering the fact that one of the main failure modes of the levee during the earthquake are the settlement due to the strength reduction of the ground caused by the increase of the excess pore pressure in the levee body and foundation and the settlement due to liquefaction, the 2-dimensional section of the levee was regarded as the 1-dimensional section and the liquefaction potential index (LPI) for the regarded section was estimated. The estimated LPI was correlated with the seismic vulnerability of river levees. The relationship between the displacement of the levee crest caused by the earthquake and the seismic vulnerability of the levees was obtained from the results of previous researches and the correlation between the displacements of the levee crest computed by 2-dimensional dynamic coupled analyses and LPIs based on the results of 1-dimensional seismic response analyses was investigated. In connection with this correlation, as a result of examination of the correlation between LPI and the seismic vulnerability of the levee, it was concluded that the method for evaluation of the seismic vulnerability of the Korean river levee using LPI is applicable.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.66 no.4
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• pp.515-529
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• 2018

Multiple hazards (multihazard) conditions may cause significant risk to structures that are originally designed for individual hazard scenarios. Such a multihazard condition arises when an earthquake strikes to a bridge pre-exposed to scour at foundations due to flood events. This study estimates the impact spectrum of flood-induced scour on seismic vulnerability of bridges. Characteristic river-crossing highway bridges are formed based on the information obtained from bridge inventories. These bridges are analyzed under earthquake-only and the abovementioned multihazard conditions, and bridge fragility curves are developed at component and system levels. Research outcome shows that bridges having pile shafts as foundation elements are protected from any additional seismic vulnerability due to the presence of scour. However, occurrence of floods can increase seismic fragility of bridges at lower damage states due to the adverse impact of scour on bridge components at superstructure level. These findings facilitate bridge design under the stated multihazard condition.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.425-436
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• 2019

Successive ground motions having short time intervals have occurred in many earthquakes so far. It is necessary to investigate the effects of this phenomenon on different types of structures and to take these effects into consideration while designing or retrofitting structures. The effects of seismic sequences on the structures with combined reinforced concrete shear wall and moment resisting frame system have not been investigated in details yet. This paper has tried to analyse the seismic performance of structures with such structural systems subjected to mainshock-aftershock sequences. The effects of the seismic sequences on the investigated models are evaluated by strong measures such as IDA capacity and fragility and vulnerability curves. The results of this study show that the seismic sequences have a significant effect on the investigated models, which necessitates considering this effect on designing, retrofitting, decision making, and taking precautions.