• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.19 no.2 s.72
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• pp.171-185
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• 2006

A sophisticated reliability analysis method is proposed to evaluate the reliability of real nonlinear complicated dynamic structural systems excited by short duration dynamic loadings like earthquake motions by intelligently integrating the response surface method, the finite element method, the first-order reliability method, and the iterative linear interpolation scheme. The method explicitly considers all major sources of nonlinearity and uncertainty in the load and resistance-related random variables. The unique feature of the technique is that the seismic loading is applied in the time domain, providing an alternative to the classical random vibration approach. The four-parameter Richard model is used to represent the flexibility of connections of real steel frames. Uncertainties in the Richard parameters are also incorporated in the algorithm. The laterally flexible steel frame is then reinforced with reinforced concrete shear walls. The stiffness degradation of shear walls after cracking is also considered. The applicability of the method to estimate the reliability of real structures is demonstrated by considering three examples; a laterally flexible steel frame with fully restrained connections, the same steel frame with partially restrained connections with different rigidities, and a steel frame reinforced with concrete shear walls.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.167-174
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• 2021

Recent investigation into the integrity of nuclear containment buildings has highlighted the importance of developing an elaborate diagnostic method to evaluate the distribution and size of cavities inside concrete walls. As part of developing such a method, this paper presents a finite element approach to modeling elastic waves propagating in the containment building walls of a nuclear power plant. We introduce a perfectly matched layer (PML) wave-absorbing boundary to limit the large-scale nuclear containment wall to the region of interest. The formulation results in a semi-discrete form with symmetric damping and stiffness matrices. The transient elastic wave equations for a mixed unsplit-field PML were solved for displacement and stresses in the time domain. Numerical results show that the sensitivity of displacement, velocity, acceleration, and stresses is large depending on the size and location of the cavity. The dynamic response of the wall slightly differs depending on the existence of the containment liner plate. The results of this study can be applied to a full-waveform inversion approach for characterizing cavities inside a containment wall.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.29-40
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• 2014

A DC resistivity survey was performed to detect anomalies beneath concrete pavement. A set of high conductive media and planar electrodes were used to lessen the effect's a high contact resistance of concrete. Results of the resistivity survey were analyzed and compared with those of other geophysical surveys such as Ground Penetration Radar (GPR), Impulse Response (IR), and Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), which were carried out in the same location. The results of resistivity survey showed a high resistive distribution in the section of sink and pavement where a pattern of reinforcement was observed through the GPR survey. Also, a comparison of results between the IR and resistivity surveys indicated that the high resistivity was produced by the high dynamic stiffness in the reinforced section. The co-Kriging of both the results of DC resistivity and MASW surveys at the same location showed that an integrated geostatistical analysis is able to give more accurate description on the anomalous subsurface region than can a separate analysis of each geophysical approach. This study suggests that the integrated geostatistical approaches were used for a decision-making process based on the geophysical surveys.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 2013

Various elastic wave-based site investigation methods have been used to characterize subsurface ground because the dynamic properties can be correlated with various geotechnical parameters. Although the inherent spatial variability of the geotechnical parameters affects the P-wave propagation characteristics, ground heterogeneity has not been considered as an influential factor. Thus, the effect of heterogeneous ground on the travel-time shift and wavefront characteristics of elastic waves through stochastic numerical analyses is investigated in this study. The effects of the relative correlation lengths and relative propagation distances on the travel-time shift of P-waves considering various intensities of ground heterogeneity were investigated. Heterogeneous ground fields of stiffness (e.g., the coefficient of variation = 10 ~ 40%) were repeatedly realized in numerical finite difference grids using the turning band method. Monte Carlo simulations were undertaken to simulate P-wave propagation in heterogeneous ground using a finite difference method-based numerical approach. The results show that the disturbance of the wavefront becomes more significant with stronger heterogeneity and induces travel-time delays. The relative correlation lengths and propagation distances are systematically related to the travel-time shift.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.8 no.4 s.30
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• pp.115-124
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• 2006

The objectives of this paper are to develop the structural condition evaluation technique using Falling Weight Deflectometer deflections and propose the structural condition criteria for asphalt pavements. To figure out correlation between surface deflections and critical pavement responses, the synthetic database has been established using the finite element pavement structural analysis program. A regression approach was adopted to develop the pavement response model that can be used to compute the stresses and strains within pavement structure using the FWD deflections. Based on the pavement response model, the procedure for assessing the structural condition of pavement layers was proposed in this study. To validate the condition evaluation procedure for asphalt pavements, the FWD test, dynamic cone penetrometer test, and repeated triaxial compression test were conducted on 11 sections of national highway and 8 sections of local road. Test results indicate that the tensile strain at the bottom of AC layer and AC elastic modulus were good indicators for estimating the stiffness characteristics of AC layer. For subbase layer, the BDI value and compressive strain on top of the subbase layer were appropriate to predict the structural capacity of subbase layer. The BCI value and compressive strain on top of the subgrade were found to be good indicators for evaluating the structural condition of the subgrade. The evaluation criteria for structural condition in asphalt pavements was also proposed in this paper.