• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.289-297
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• 2011

The explicit finite element method is an essential tool for solving large problems with severe nonlinear characteristics, but its results can be difficult to interpret. In particular, it can be impossible to evaluate its acceleration responses because of severe discontinuity, extreme noise or aliasing. We suggest a new post-processing method for transient responses and their response spectra. We propose smoothing methods using a Gaussian kernel without in depth knowledge of the complex frequency characteristics; such methods are successfully used in the filtering of digital signals. This smoothing can be done by measuring the velocity results and monitoring the response spectra. Gaussian kernel smoothing gives a better smoothness and representation of the peak values than other approaches do. The floor response spectra can be derived using smoothed accelerations for the design.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-20
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• 2011

This study investigates the feasibility of detecting structural damage using the HHT method. A damage detection index, the ratio of bandwidth (RB) is proposed. This index is highly correlated or approximately equal to the change of equivalent damping ratio for an intact structure incurring damage from strong ground motions. Based on an analysis of shaking table test data from benchmark models subjected to adjusted Kobe and El Centro earthquakes, the damage detection index is evaluated using the Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) and the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) methods, respectively. Results indicate that, when the response of the structure is in the elastic region, the RB value only slightly changes in both the HHT and the FFT spectra. Additionally, RB values estimated from the HHT spectra vs. the PGA values change incrementally when the structure response is nonlinear i.e., member yielding occurs, but not in the RB curve from the FFT spectra. Moreover, the RB value of the top floor changes more than those from the other floors. Furthermore, structural damage is detected only when using the acceleration response data from the top floor. Therefore, the ratio of bandwidth RB estimated from the smoothed HHT spectra is an effective and sensitive damage index for detecting structural damage. Results of this study also demonstrate that the HHT is a powerful method in analyzing the nonlinear responses of steel structures to strong ground motions.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2023

Energy-based seismic design and evaluation methods are promising to be involved in the next generation design codes. Accordingly, determining the distribution of earthquake input energy demand among floor levels is quite imperative in order to develop an energy-based seismic design procedure. In this paper, peak floor input energy demands are achieved from relative input energy response histories of several reinforced concrete (RC) frames. A set of 22 horizontal acceleration histories selected from recorded near-fault earthquakes and scaled in time domain to be compatible with the elastic acceleration design spectra of Turkish Seismic Design Code are used in time history analyses. The distribution of the computed input energy per mass values and the arithmetic means through the height of the considered RC frames are presented as a result. It is found that spatial distribution of input energy per mass is highly affected by the number of stories. Very practical yet consistent formulation of distributing the total input energy to story levels is achieved, as a most important contribution of the study.

• 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.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.595-615
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• 2014

This study aims to investigate the relationship between structural damage and sensitivity indices using the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) method. Two damage detection indices are proposed: the ratio of bandwidth (RB), and the ratio of effective stiffness (RES). The nonlinear four bays multiple degree of freedom models with various predominant frequencies are constructed using the SAP2000 program. Adjusted PGA earthquake data (Japan 311, Chi-Chi 921) are used as the excitations. Next the damage detection indices obtained using the HHT and the fast Fourier transform (FFT) methods are evaluated based on the acceleration responses of the structures to earthquakes. Simulation results indicate that, the column of the 1 st floor is the first yielding position and the RB value is changed when the RES<90% in all cases. Moreover, the RB value of the 1 st floor changes more sensitive than those from the top floor. In addition, when the structural response is nonlinear (i.e., RES<100%), the RB and the RES curves indicate the incremental change in the HHT spectra. However, the same phenomenon can be found from FFT spectra only when the stiffness reduction is large enough. Therefore, the RB estimated from the smoothed HHT spectra is an effective and sensitive index for detecting structural damage.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.154-162
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• 2019

Large scale damage has been globally increased due to natural disasters such as earthquake. Although a variety of studies secured seismic performance of buildings, casualties and economic loss have occurred because of poor security of seismic performance in non-structural components. Structure's location on which non-structural components are installed and characteristics of vibration occurring on each position of structures are varied, so a response spectrum is required for each position of structures. In addition, a response spectrum occurring in a structure is different, depending on the form of it and positions on which it is installed. Therefore, selection of a response spectrum is important, so a definite method for calculating the response spectrum which acts on non-structural components is necessary. A method for choosing a response spectrum is suggested in this paper, and a structural analysis was conducted with the suggested method, by selecting a ground response spectrum and a structural system, which may occur in Korea. Moreover, it helps create a response spectrum necessary for a seismic test of non-structural components, by suggesting the method for deduction it, with a simple formula.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2020

In 2016, an earthquake occurred at Gyeongju, Korea. At the Wolsong site, the observed peak ground acceleration was lower than the operating basis earthquake (OBE) level of Wolsong nuclear power plant. However, the measured spectral acceleration value exceeded the spectral acceleration of the operating-basis earthquake (OBE) level in some sections of the response spectrum, resulting in a manual shutdown of the nuclear power plant. Analysis of the response spectra shape of the Gyeongju earthquake motion showed that the high-frequency components are stronger than the response spectra shape used in nuclear power plant design. Therefore, the seismic performance evaluation of structures and equipment of nuclear power plants should be made to reflect the characteristics of site-specific earthquakes. In general, the floor response spectrum shape at the installation site or the generalized response spectrum shape is used for the seismic performance evaluation of structures and equipment. In this study, a generalized response spectrum shape is proposed for seismic performance evaluation of structures and equipment for nuclear power plants. The proposed response spectrum shape reflects the characteristics of earthquake motion in Korea through earthquake hazard analysis, and it can be applied to structures and equipment at various locations.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.417-423
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• 2006

The seismic characteristics with 3-Dimensional isolation systems have been studied using a shaking table system. In this study, we made nuclear power plant main control room floor systems and several seismic shaking table tests with and without isolation systems were conducted to evaluate floor isolation effectiveness. Isolation systems have showed large reduction effectiveness in acceleration and response spectra with x and z direction respectively, but horizontal isolation is more effective than vertical one It is required to make isolation systems of which design frequency is below 1Hz when applied to main control room of NPP, but considering much difficulties in making such isolation systems, it is recommended that much consideration should be taken into account when applied to main control room of NPP.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.374-385
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• 2022

In order to investigate the application of 3D base-seismic isolation system in nuclear power plants (NPPs), comprehensive analysis of constitution and design theory for 3-dimensional combined isolation bearing (3D-CIB) was presented and derived. Four different vertical stiffness of 3D-CIB was designed to isolate the nuclear island (NI) building. This paper aimed at investigating the isolation effectiveness of 3D-CIB through modal analysis and dynamic time-history analysis. Numerical results in terms of dynamic response of 3D-CIB, relative displacement response, acceleration and floor response spectra (FRS) of the superstructure were compared to validate the reliability of 3D-CIB in mitigating seismic response. The results showed that 3D-CIB can significantly attenuate the horizontal acceleration response, and a fair amount of the vertical acceleration response reduction of the upper structure was still observed. 3D-CIB plays a significant role in reducing the horizontal and vertical FRS, the vertical FRS basically do not vary with the floor height. The smaller the vertical stiffness of 3D-CIB is, the better the vertical isolation effectiveness is, whereas, it will increase the displacement and the rocking effect of superstructure. Although the advantage of 3D-CIB is that the vertical stiffness can be flexibly adjusted, it should be designed by properly accounting for the balance between the isolation effectiveness and displacement control including rocking effect. The results of this study can provide the technical basis and guidance for the application of 3D-CIB to engineering structure.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.137-146
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• 1999

The SSI(Soil-Structure Interaction) analyses are being performed for the KNGR(Korean Next Generation Reactor) design because the KNGR is developed as a standard nuclear power plant concept enveloping various soil conditions. the SASSI program which adopts the flexible volume method is used for the SSI analyses. The soil curves used in the three dimensional SSI analyses of KNGR Nuclear Island(NI) structures are based on the upper bound shear modulus curve and lower bound damping degradation on SSI response the average shear modulus curve with average damping curve was used for two soil cases. This study presents the results of the variances by using different soil nonlinearity parameters based on the paametric SSI analyses. The results include the maximum member forces(shear and axial force) at the base of the NI structures and the 5% damping Floor Response Spectra (FRS) at some representative locations at the top of the NI superstructures. They are also compared together with the enveloped SSI results for eight soil cases and fixed-base analysis for rock case by using two control motions.