• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.855-870
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• 2015

In this paper the effects of fling-step and forward-directivity on the seismic performance of steel eccentrically braced frames (EBFs) are addressed. Four EBFs with various numbers of stories (4-, 8-, 12- and 15-story) were designed for an area with high seismic hazard. Fourteen near-fault ground motions including seven with forward-directivity and seven with fling-step effects are selected to carry out nonlinear time history (NTH) analyses of the frames. Furthermore, seven more far-field records were selected for comparison. Findings from the study reveal that the median maximum links rotation of the frames subjected to three set of ground motions are in acceptable range and the links completely satisfy the requirement stated in FEMA 356 for LS performance level. The arrival of the velocity pulse in a near-fault record causes few significant plastic deformations, while many reversed inelastic cycles result in low-cycle fatigue damage in far-fault records. Near-fault records in some cases are more destructive and the results of these records are so dispersed, especially the records having fling-step effects.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.489-500
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• 2011

The elastic seismic response of plan-asymmetric multi storey steel-frame buildings is investigated under earthquake loading with particular emphasis on forward-rupture directivity and fling records. Three asymmetric building systems are generated with different torsional stiffness and varying static eccentricity. The structural characteristic of these systems are designed according to UBC 97 code and their seismic responses subjected to a set of earthquake records are obtained from the response history analysis (RHA) as well as the linear static analysis (LSA). It is shown that, the elastic torsional response is influenced by the intensity of near-fault ground motions with different energy contents. In the extreme case of very strong earthquakes, the behaviour of torsionally stiff buildings and torsionally flexible buildings may differ substantially due to the fact that the displacement envelope of the deck depends on ground motion characteristics.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.709-724
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• 2016

This study investigates the optimum design parameters of a superelastic friction base isolator (S-FBI) system through a multi-objective genetic algorithm to improve the performance of isolated buildings against near-fault earthquakes. The S-FBI system consists of a flat steel-PTFE sliding bearing and superelastic NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA) cables. Sliding bearing limits the transfer of shear across the isolation interface and provides damping from sliding friction. SMA cables provide restoring force capability to the isolation system together with additional damping characteristics. A three-story building is modeled with S-FBI isolation system. Multiple-objective numerical optimization that simultaneously minimizes isolation-level displacements and superstructure response is carried out with a genetic algorithm in order to optimize S-FBI system. Nonlinear time history analyses of the building with optimal S-FBI system are performed. A set of 20 near-fault ground motion records are used in numerical simulations. Results show that S-FBI system successfully control response of the buildings against near-fault earthquakes without sacrificing in isolation efficacy and producing large isolation-level deformations.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.415-429
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• 2017

This paper focuses on the impact of the wave passage effect on the long-span bridge. In order to make the wave passage effect more obvious, ground motion samples are selected from the near-fault ground motion of the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake and an arch bridge with a 280m main span is selected as a bridge sample. The motion ground samples are divided into two groups according to the characteristics of near-fault. A sequence of fragility curves is developed. It is shown that the seismic damage is increased by the wave passage effect and the increase is more obvious in the near-fault ground motion.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.521-536
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• 2017

Reinforced concrete core-wall structures with buckling-restrained brace outriggers are interesting systems which have the ability to absorb and dissipate energy during strong earthquakes. Outriggers can change the energy demand in a tall building. In this paper, the energy demand was studied by using the nonlinear time history analysis for the mentioned systems. First, the structures were designed according to the prescriptive codes. In the dynamic analysis, three approaches for the core-wall were investigated: single plastic hinge (SPH), three plastic hinge (TPH) and extended plastic hinge (EPH). For SPH approach, only one plastic hinge is allowed at the core-wall base. For TPH approach, three plastic hinges are allowed, one at the base and two others at the upper levels. For EPH approach, the plasticity can extend anywhere in the wall. The kinetic, elastic strain, inelastic and damping energy demand subjected to forward directivity near-fault and ordinary far-fault earthquakes were studied. In SPH approach for all near-fault and far-fault events, on average, more than 65 percent of inelastic energy is absorbed by buckling-restrained braces in outrigger. While in TPH and EPH approaches, outrigger contribution to inelastic energy demand is reduced. The contribution of outrigger to inelastic energy absorption for the TPH and EPH approaches does not differ significantly. The values are approximately 25 and 30 percent, respectively.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.323-332
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• 2014

The Nobi fault zone, which generated the 1891 Nobi Earthquake (M8.0), includes five or six faults distributed in and around Gifu and Aichi prefectures, Japan. Because large cities are located near the fault zone (e.g., Gifu and Nagoya), and because the zone will likely be reactivated in the future, relatively thorough surveys have been conducted on the 1891 Nobi earthquake event, examining the fault geometry, house collapse rate, and the magnitude and distribution of earthquake intensity and fault displacement. In this study, we calculated the earthquake slip along faults in the Nobi fault zone by applying a 3D numerical analysis. The analysis shows that a zone with slip displacements of up to 100 mm included all areas with house collapse rates of 100%. In addition, the maximum vertical displacement was approximately ${\pm}1700mm$, which is in agreement with the ${\pm}1400mm$ or greater vertical displacements obtained in previous studies. The analysis yielded a fault zone with slip displacements of > 30 mm that is coincident with areas in which house collapse rates were 60% of more. The analysis shows that the regional slip sense was coincident with areas of uplift and subsidence caused by the Nobi earthquake.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.349-365
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• 2020

Since the peak seismic response of a base-isolated building strongly depends on the characteristics of the imposed seismic ground motion, the behavior of a base-isolated building under different seismic ground motions is studied, in order to better assess their effects on its peak seismic response. Specifically, the behavior of a typical steel building is examined as base-isolated with elastomeric bearings, while the effect of near-fault ground motions is studied by imposing 7 pairs of near- and 7 pairs of far-fault seismic records, from the same 7 earthquake events, to the building, under 3 different loading combinations, through three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear dynamic analyses, conducted with SAP2000. The results indicate that near-fault seismic components are more likely to increase the building's peak seismic response than the corresponding far-fault components. Furthermore, the direction of the imposed earthquake excitations is also varied by rotating the imposed pairs of seismic records from 0◦ to 360◦, with respect to the major construction axes. It is observed that the peak seismic responses along the critical incident angles, which in general differ from the major horizontal construction axes of the building, are significantly higher. Moreover, the influence of 5% and 10% accidental mass eccentricities is also studied, revealing that when considering accidental mass eccentricities the peak relative displacements of the base isolated building at the isolation level are substantially increased, while the peak floor accelerations and interstory drifts of its superstructure are only slightly affected.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.91-110
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• 2019

In the present study, the effects of six different ground motion scaling methods on inelastic response of nonlinear steel moment frames (SMFs) are studied. The frames were designed using energy-based PBPD approach with the design concept using pre-selected target drift and yield mechanism as performance limit state. Two target spectrums are considered: maximum credible earthquake spectrum (MCE) and design response spectrum (DRS). In order to investigate the effects of ground motion scaling methods on the response of the structures, totally 3216 nonlinear models including three frames with 4, 8 and 16 stories are designed using PBPD approach and then they are subjected to ensembles of ground motions including 42 far-fault and 90 near-fault pulse-type records which were scaled using the six different scaling methods in accordance to the two aforementioned target spectrums. The distributions of maximum inter-story drift over the height of the structures are computed and compared. Finally, the efficiency and reliability of each ground motion scaling method to estimate the maximum nonlinear inter-story drift of special steel moment frames designed by energy-based PBPD approach are statistically investigated, and the most suitable scaling methods with the lowest dispersion for two groups of earthquake ground motions are introduced.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.261-280
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• 2014

In many parts of the world, reinforced concrete (RC) buildings, designed and built in accordance with older codes, have suffered severe damage or even collapse as a result of recent near-fault earthquakes. This is particularly due to the deficiencies of most of the older (and even some of the recent) codes in dealing with near fault events. In this study, a tested three-storey frame designed for gravity loads only was selected to represent those deficient buildings. Nonlinear time history analyses were performed, followed by damage assessment procedures. The results were compared with experimental observation of the same frame showing a good match. Damage and fragility analyses of the frame subjected to 204 pulse-type motions were then performed using a selected damage model and inter-storey drifts. The results showed that the frame located in near-fault regions is extremely vulnerable to ground motions. The results also showed that the damage model better captures the damage distribution in the frame than inter-storey drifts. The first storey was identified as the most fragile and the inner columns of the first storey suffered most damage as indicated by the damage index. The findings would be helpful in the decision making process prior to the strengthening of buildings in near-fault regions.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2013

In order to predict inelastic displacement response without nonlinear dynamic analysis, the equal displacement rule can be used for the structures with longer natural periods than the characteristic period, $T_g$, of earthquake record. In the period range longer than $T_g$, peak displacement responses of elastic systems are equal or larger than those of inelastic systems. In the period range shorter than $T_g$, opposite trend occurs. In the equal displacement rule, it is assumed that peak displacement of inelastic system with longer natural period than $T_g$ equals to that of elastic system with same natural period. The equal displacement rule is very useful for seismic design purpose of structures with longer natural period than $T_g$. In the period range shorter than $T_g$, the peak displacement of inelastic system can be simply evaluated from the peak displacement of elastic system by using the inelastic displacement ratio, which is defined as the ratio of the peak inelastic displacement to the peak elastic displacement. Smooth hysteretic behavior is more similar to actual response of real structural system than a piece-wise linear hysteretic behavior such as bilinear or stiffness degrading behaviors. In this paper, the inelastic displacement ratios of the smooth hysteretic behavior system are evaluated for far-fault and near-fault earthquakes. The simple formula of inelastic displacement ratio considering the effect of $T_g$ is proposed.