• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.4
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• pp.429-441
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• 2022

A probabilistic assessment of the seismic-excited buildings with a multiple-tuned-mass-damper (MTMD) system is carried out in the presence of uncertainties of the structural model, MTMD system, and the stochastic model of the seismic excitations. A free search optimization procedure of the individual mass, stiffness and, damping parameters of the MTMD system based on the snap-drift cuckoo search (SDCS) optimization algorithm is proposed for the optimal design of the MTMD system. Considering a 10-story structure in three cases equipped with single tuned mass damper (STMS), 5-TMD and 10-TMD, sensitivity analyses are carried out using Sobol' indices based on the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method. Considering different seismic performance levels, the reliability analyses are done using MCS and kriging-based MCS methods. The results show the maximum structural responses are more affected by changes in the PGA and the stiffness coefficients of the structural floors and TMDs. The results indicate the kriging-based MCS method can estimate the accurate amount of failure probability by spending less time than the MCS. The results also show the MTMD gives a significant reduction in the structural failure probability. The effect of the MTMD on the reduction of the failure probability is remarkable in the performance levels of life safety and collapse prevention. The maximum drift of floors may be reduced for the nominal structural system by increasing the TMDs, however, the complexity of the MTMD model and increasing its corresponding uncertainty sources can be caused a slight increase in the failure probability of the structure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.339-353
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• 2023

The primary objective of the current study is to optimize and evaluate the seismic performance of steel momentresisting frame (MRF) structures considering soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects. The structural optimization is implemented in the context of performance-based design in accordance with FEMA-350 at different confidence levels from 50% to 90% by taking into account fixed- and flexible-base conditions using an efficient metaheuristic algorithm. Nonlinear response-history analysis (NRHA) is conducted to evaluate the seismic response of structures, and the beam-on-nonlinear Winkler foundation (BNWF) model is used to simulate the soil-foundation interaction under the MRFs. The seismic performance of optimally designed fixed- and flexible-base steel MRFs are compared in terms of overall damage index, seismic collapse safety, and interstory drift ratios at different performance levels. Two illustrative examples of 6- and 12-story steel MRFs are presented. The results show that the consideration of SSI in the optimization process of 6- and 12-story steel MRFs results in an increase of 1.0 to 9.0 % and 0.5 to 5.0 % in structural weight and a slight decrease in structural seismic safety at different confidence levels.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.239-266
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• 2004

This article presents new perspectives for analysing and diagnosing students' mathematical errors on the basis of Pascaul-Leone's neo-Piagetian theory. Although Pascaul-Leone's theory is a cognitive developmental theory, its psychological mechanism gives us new insights on mathematical errors. We analyze mathematical errors in the domain of proof problem solving comparing Pascaul-Leone's psychological mechanism with mathematical errors and diagnose misleading factors using Schoenfeld's levels of analysis and structure and fuzzy cognitive map(FCM). FCM can present with cause and effect among preconceptions or misconceptions that students have about prerequisite proof knowledge and problem solving. Conclusions could be summarized as follows: 1) Students' mathematical errors on proof problem solving and LC learning structures have the same nature. 2) Structures in items of students' mathematical errors and misleading factor structures in cognitive tasks affect mental processes with the same activation mechanism. 3) LC learning structures were activated preferentially in knowledge structures by F operator. With the same activation mechanism, the process students' mathematical errors were activated firstly among conceptions could be explained.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.1273-1289
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• 2016

This paper addresses the concept of lateral overstrength; the ratio of actual lateral strength to design base shear force, for both SDOF and MDOF systems considering soil structure interaction. Overstrength factors are obtained with inelastic time history analysis for SDOF systems for period range of 0.1-3.0 s, five different aspect ratios (h/r=1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and five levels of ductility (${\mu}$=2, 3, 4, 5, 6) considering soil structure interaction. Structural overstrength for MDOF systems are obtained with inelastic time history collapse analysis for sample 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 storey RC frame systems. In analyses, 64 ground motions recorded on different site conditions such as rock, stiff soil, soft soil and very soft soil are used. Also lateral overstrength ratios considering soil structure interaction are compared with those calculated for fixed-base cases.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.29-44
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• 2013

Post earthquake fire (PEF) can lead to the collapse of buildings that are partially damaged in a prior ground-motion that occurred immediately before the fire. The majority of standards and codes for the design of structures against earthquake ignore the possibility of PEF and thus buildings designed with those codes could be too weak when subjected to a fire after an earthquake. An investigation based on sequential analysis inspired by FEMA356 is performed here on the Life-Safety performance level of structures designed to the ACI 318-08 code after they are subjected to two different earthquake levels with PGA of 0.35 g and 0.25 g. This is followed by a four-hour fire analysis of the weakened structure, from which the time it takes for the weakened structure to collapse is calculated. As a benchmark, the fire analysis is also performed for undamaged structure and before occurrence of earthquake. The results show that the vulnerability of structures increases dramatically when a previously damaged structure is exposed to PEF. The results also show the damaging effects of post earthquake fire are exacerbated when initiated from second and third floor. Whilst the investigation is for a certain class of structures (regular building, intermediate reinforced structure, 3 stories), the results confirm the need for the incorporation of post earthquake fire in the process of analysis and design and provides some quantitative measures on the level of associated effects.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.647-659
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• 2024

Given the increased interest in enhancing structural sustainability, the current study sought to apply multiobjective optimization to a footbridge with a steel-concrete composite I-girder structure. It was considered as objectives minimizing the cost for building the structure, the environmental impact assessed by CO2 emissions, and the vertical accelerations created by human-induced vibrations, with the goal of ensuring pedestrian comfort. Spans ranging from 15 to 25 meters were investigated. The resistance of the slab's concrete, the thickness of the slab, the dimensions of the welded steel I-profile, and the composite beam interaction degree were all evaluated as design variables. The optimization problem was handled using the Multiobjective Harmony Search (MOHS) metaheuristic algorithm. The optimization results were used to generate a Pareto front for each span, allowing us to assess the correlations between different objectives. By evaluating the values of design variables in relation to different levels of pedestrian comfort, it was identified optimal values that can be employed as a starting point in predimensioning of the type of structure analyzed. Based on the findings analysis, it is possible to highlight the relationship between the structure's cost and CO2 emission objectives, indicating that cost-effective solutions are also environmentally efficient. Pedestrian comfort improvement is especially feasible in smaller spans and from a medium to a maximum level of comfort, but it becomes expensive for larger spans or for increasing comfort from minimum to medium level.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.211-228
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• 2013

The structure analyzed in this paper has particular building style and special structural system. It is a rigid-connected twin-tower skyscraper with asymmetrical distribution of stiffness and masses in two towers. Because of the different stiffness between the north and the south towers, the torsion seismic vibration is significant. In this paper, in order to study the seismic response of the structure under both frequent low-intensity earthquakes as well as rare earthquakes at the levels of intensity 7, the analysis model is built and analyzed with NosaCAD. NosaCAD is an nonlinear structure analysis software based on second-development of AutoCAD with ObjectARX. It has convenient modeling function, high computational efficiency and diversity post-processing functions. The deformations, forces and damages of the structure are investigated based on the analysis. According to the analysis, there is no damage on the structure under frequent earthquakes, and the structure has sufficient capacity and ductility to resist rare earthquakes. Therefore the structure can reach the goal of no damage under frequent earthquakes and no collapse under rare earthquakes. The deformation of the structure is below the limit in Chinese code. The time sequence and distribution of damages on tubes are reasonable, which can dissipate some dynamic energy. At last, according to forces, load-carrying capacity and damage of elements, there are some suggestions on increasing the reinforcement in the core tube at base and in stiffened stories.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.463-475
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• 2019

In this paper, a procedure to develop fragility curves of structures equipped with semi-active tuned mass dampers (SATMDs) considering multiple failure criteria has been presented while accounting for the uncertainties of the input excitation, structure and control device parameters. In this procedure, Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) method has been employed to generate 30 random SATMD-structure systems and nonlinear incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) has been conducted under 20 earthquakes to determine the structural responses, where failure probabilities in each intensity level have been evaluated using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method. For numerical analysis, an eight-story nonlinear shear building frame with bilinear hysteresis material behavior has been used. Fragility curves for the structure equipped with optimal SATMDs have been developed considering single and multiple failure criteria for different performance levels and compared with that of uncontrolled structure as well as structure controlled using passive tuned mass damper (TMD). Numerical analysis has shown the capability of SATMDs in significant enhancement of the seismic fragility of the nonlinear structure. Also, considering multiple failure criteria has led to increasing the fragility of the structure. Moreover, it is observed that the influence of the uncertainty of input excitation with respect to the other uncertainties is considerable.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.57-76
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• 2015

The Performance-based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE) concept implies the definition of multiple target performance levels of damage which are expected to be achieved (or not exceeded), when the structure is subjected to earthquake ground motion of specified intensity. These levels are associates to different return period (RP) of earthquakes and structural behaviors quantified with adopted factors or indexes of control. In this work an 8-level PBEE study is carried out, finding different curves for control index or Engineering Demand Parameters (EDP) of levels that assess the structural behavior. The results and the curves for each index of control allow to deduce the structural behavior at an a priori unspecified RP. A general methodology is proposed that takes into account a possible optimization process in the PBEE field. Finally, an application to 8-level seismic performance assessment to structure in a Spanish seismic zone permits deducing that its behavior is deficient for high seismic levels (RP > 475 years). The application of the methodology to a low-to-moderate seismic zone case proves to be a good tool of structural seismic design, applying a more sophisticated although simple PBEE formulation.

• Journal of KSNVE
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.575-585
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• 1996

In order to build a quiet and comfortable ship, the noise levels on board ship must be predicted at early design stage. Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) developed by R. H. Lyon has been well known to be the most useful frame work to study the energy flow of noise and vibration in structure. This paper applied this theory to predict the transmission loss of structure-borne noise of model structure and has developed computer program. Components constructions model structure have been all considered as SEA elements. And we also estimated the SEA parameters from the model structure. Using SEA and a new conception of STL, we found the transimission character of structure-borne noise theoretically by the idealized ship model, and then compared the results with three cases.