• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.203-218
• /
• 2010

The site categorization and corresponding site amplification factors in the current Korean seismic design guideline are based on provisions for the western United States (US), although the site effects resulting in the amplification of earthquake ground motions are directly dependent on the regional and local site characteristic conditions. In these seismic codes, two amplification factors called site coefficients, $F_a$ and $F_v$, for the short-period band and midperiod band, respectively, are listed according to a criterion, mean shear wave velocity ($V_S$) to a depth of 30 m, into five classes composed of A to E. To suggest a site classification system reflecting Korean site conditions, in this study, systematic site characterization was carried out at four regional areas, Gyeongju, Hongsung, Haemi and Sacheon, to obtain the $V_S$ profiles from surface to bedrock in field and the non-linear soil properties in laboratory. The soil deposits in Korea, which were shallower and stiffer than those in the western US, were examined, and thus the site period in Korea was distributed in the low and narrow band comparing with those in western US. Based on the geotechnical characteristic properties obtained in the field and laboratory, various site-specific seismic response analyses were conducted for total 75 sites by adopting both equivalent-linear and non-linear methods. The analysis results showed that the site coefficients specified in the current Korean provision underestimate the ground motion in the short-period range and overestimate in the mid-period range. These differences can be explained by the differences in the local site characteristics including the depth to bedrock between Korea and western US. Based on the analysis results in this study and the prior research results for the Korean peninsula, new site classification system was developed by introducing the site period as representative criterion and the mean $V_S$ to a depth of shallower than 30 m as additional criterion, to reliably determine the ground motions and the corresponding design spectra taking into account the regional site characteristics in Korea.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.463-478
• /
• 2006

The design of structural frameworks for buildings is constantly evolving and is dependent on regional issues such as loading and constructability. One of the most promising recent developments for low to medium rise construction in terms of efficiency of construction, robustness and aesthetic appearance utilises concrete-filled steel tubular sections as the columns in a moment-resisting frame. These are coupled to rigid or semi-rigid connections to composite steel-concrete beams. This paper includes the results of a pilot experimental programme leading towards the development of economical, reliable connections that are easily constructed for this type of frame. The connections must provide the requisite strength, stiffness and ductility to suit gravity loading conditions as well as gravity combined with the governing lateral wind or earthquake loading. The aim is to develop connections that are stiffer, less expensive and easier to construct than those in current use. A proposed fabricated T-stub connection is to be used to connect the beam flanges and the column. These T-stubs are connected to the column using "blind bolts" with extensions, allowing installation from the outside of the tube. In general, the use of the extensions results in a dramatic increase in the strength and stiffness of the T-stub to column connection in tension, since the load is shared between membrane action in the tube wall and the anchorage of the bolts through the extensions into the concrete.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.66 no.5
• /
• pp.637-648
• /
• 2018

When the centers of mass and stiffness of a building do not coincide, the structure experiences torsional responses. Such systems can consist of the underlying soil and the super-structure. The underlying soil may modify the earthquake input motion and change structural responses. Specific effects of the input motion shall also not be ignored. In this study, seismic demands of asymmetric buildings considering soil-structure interaction (SSI) under near-fault ground motions are evaluated. The building is modeled as an idealized single-story structure. The soil beneath the building is modeled by non-linear finite elements in the two states of loose and dense sands both compared with the fixed-base state. The infinite boundary conditions are modelled using viscous boundary elements. The effects of traditional and yield displacement-based (YDB) approaches of strength and stiffness distributions are considered on seismic demands. In the YDB approach, the stiffness considered in seismic design depends on the strength. The results show that the decrease in the base shear considering soft soil induced SSI when the YDB approach is assumed results only in the center of rigidity to control torsional responses. However, for fixed-base structures and those on dense soils both centers of strength and rigidity are controlling.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.286-294
• /
• 2016

Using a method suggested by Yanovskaya, we obtained Rayleigh wave group velocities with a resolution of $1.0^{\circ}{\times}1.0^{\circ}$ in a period range between 10 and 80 s in and around the Korean peninsula. Both regional and distant earthquake data sets were used together in analysis of group velocities. The resolution of the group velocity maps has been remarkably enhanced by the method, especially in the sparse/non-station region in the northern Korean peninsula. Some qualitative geophysical information was inferred from the group velocity maps. In the East Sea, the slow group velocities at periods longer than 40 s suggest the existence of an oceanic lithosphere at depths of 50-70 km, assuming 4 km/s of S wave velocity at a period of 40 s. On the other hand, a thick lithosphere can be inferred in the continental area from the fast group velocities at periods longer than 50 s. For most periods, the group velocities change rapidly over a short distance of about 200 km across the eastern coast of Korean peninsula, which may suggest a rapid change in the thickness of lithosphere in this area.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.33-43
• /
• 1996

In this study, hypocentor parameters of some local and regional earthquakes and explosions, including focal depth and origin time, were redetermined by using a single station of three-component. We attempt to do the job by the combination of polarization analyses, by which azimuths and trial epicenters of earthquakes can be figured out, and a layered constant velocity model, on the basis of which theoretical travel times can be computed to match a series of input seismic phases of the event. Magnitudes were determined by using coda duration. Results, which correspond to the least misfit, showed that the average focal depth of all earthquakes in this study is around 15km, which fits well to that by investigation (Kang and Choi, 1993).

• Computational Structural Engineering : An International Journal
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.59-69
• /
• 2001

This study is intended to propose a systematic approach for reliability-based assessment of life cycle cost (LCC) effectiveness and economic efficiency for cost-effective seismic upgrading of existing bridges. The LCC function is expressed as the sum of the upgrading cost and all the discounted life cycle damage costs, which is formulated as a function of the Park-Ang damage index and structural damage probability. The damage costs are expressed in terms of direct damage costs such as repair/replacement costs, human losses and property damage costs, and indirect damage costs such as road user costs and indirect regional economic losses. For dealing with a variety of uncertainties associated with earthquake loads and capacities, a simulation-based reliability approach is used. The SMART-DRAIN-2DX, which is a modified version of the well-known DRAIN-2DX, is extended by incor-porating LCC analysis based on the LCC function developed in the study. Economic efficiencies for optimal seismic upgradings of the continuous PC segmental bridges are assessed using the proposed LCC functions and benefit-cost ratio.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 2012

The spatial variation of ground motion in Kolkata Metropolitan District (KMD) has been estimated by generating synthetic ground motion considering the point source model coupled with site response analysis. The most vulnerable source was identified from regional seismotectonic map for an area of about 350 km radius around Kolkata. The rock level acceleration time histories at 121 borehole locations in Kolkata for the vulnerable source, Eocene Hinge Zone, due to maximum credible earthquake (MCE) moment magnitude 6.2 were generated by synthetic ground motion model. Soil investigation data of 121 boreholes were collected from the report of Soil Data Bank Project, Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Surface level ground motion parameters were determined using SHAKE2000 software. The results are presented in the form of peak ground acceleration (PGA) at rock level and ground surface, amplification factor, and the response spectra at the ground surface for frequency 1.5 Hz, 3 Hz, 5 Hz and 10 Hz and 5% damping ratio. Site response study shows higher PGA in comparison with rock level acceleration. Maximum amplification in some portion in KMD area is found to be as high as 3.0 times compared to rock level.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.199-207
• /
• 2006

Fukuoka earthquake on March 20, 2005 showed the potential hazard of large events out of S. Korea. From the viewpoint of seismic hazard, seismic amplitude decrease Q-1 is very important. Related to the crustal cracks induced by the earthquakes, the value of Q-1- high Q-1 regions are more attenuating than low Q-1 regions - shows a correlation with seismic activity; relatively higher values of Q-1 have been observed in seismically active areas than in stable areas. For the southeastern and central S. Korea, we first simultaneously estimated QP-1 and QS-1 by applying the extended coda-normalization method to KIGAM and KNUE network data. Estimated QP-1 and QS-1 values are 0.009 f-1.05 and 0.004 f-0.70 for southeastern S. Korea and 0.003 f -0.54 and 0.003 f -0.42 for central S. Korea, respectively. These values agree with those of seismically inactive regions such as shield. The low QLg-1 value, 0.0018f -0.54 was also obtained by the coda normalization method. In addition, we studied QLg-1 by applying the source pair/receiver pair (SPRP) method to both domestic and far-regional events. The obtained QLg-1 for all Fc is less than 0.002, which is reasonable value for a seismically inactive region.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.52 no.6
• /
• pp.573-586
• /
• 2019

A seismic hazard map based on spatial analysis of various sources of geologic seismic information was developed and assessed for regional seismic vulnerability in South Korea. The indicators for assessment were selected in consideration of the geological characteristics affecting the seismic damage. Probabilistic seismic hazard and fault information were used to be associated with the seismic activity hazard and bedrock depth related with the seismic damage hazard was also included. Each indicator was constructed of spatial information using GIS and geostatistical techniques such as ordinary kriging, line density mapping and simple kriging with local varying means. Three spatial information constructed were integrated by assigning weights according to the research purpose, data resolution and accuracy. In the case of probabilistic seismic hazard and fault line density, since the data uncertainty was relatively high, only the trend was intended to be reflected firstly. Finally, the seismic activity hazard was calculated and then integrated with the bedrock depth distribution as seismic damage hazard indicator. As a result, a seismic hazard map was proposed based on the analysis of three spatial data and the southeast and northwest regions of South Korea were assessed as having high seismic hazard. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data for constructing seismic risk management systems to minimize earthquake disasters.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.48-55
• /
• 2009

To investigate the paleoceanographic environmental changes around the Okinawa Trough, Japan, a piston core (RN88-PC5) was conducted on benthic foraminiferal species composition, assemblage, sedimentological and geochemical analyses. Trubidite sediment intercalated in studied core contains different benthic foraminiferal species, dwelling in shallow coral reef species, from normal hemipelagic sediment. These different benthic foraminiferal species and its assemblage are interpreted as reworked sediment when turbidite current occurred, synchronically. Grain size analysis clearly showed that mean grain size difference occurred between trubidite and hemipelagic sediments. Geochemical analysis also showed the difference of chemical composition between two sedimentary facies. Results of the foraminiferal oxygen isotope analysis showing global surface water warming records since the last 10 ka. The geochemcial analysis and previous works showed that turbidite sediment of studied core indicating sporadic occurrence of regional paleoceanographic events. Assemblage of shallow coral reef benthic foraminifera especially occurred with turbidite layer clearly support the sporadic occurrence of paleoceanographic events such as regional earthquake.