• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.601-619
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• 2017

Cantilever retaining wall movements generally depend on the intensity and duration of ground motion, the response of the soil underlying the wall, the response of the backfill, the structural rigidity, and soil-structure interaction (SSI). This paper investigates the effect of material properties on seismic response of backfill-cantilever retaining wall-soil/foundation interaction system considering SSI. The material properties varied include the modulus of elasticity, Poisson's ratio, and mass density of the wall material. A series of nonlinear time history analyses with variation of material properties of the cantilever retaining wall are carried out by using the suggested finite element model (FEM). The backfill and foundation soil are modelled as an elastoplastic medium obeying the Drucker-Prager yield criterion, and the backfill-wall interface behavior is taken into consideration by using interface elements between the wall and soil to allow for de-bonding. The viscous boundary model is used in three dimensions to consider radiational effect of the seismic waves through the soil medium. In the seismic analyses, North-South component of the ground motion recorded during August 17, 1999 Kocaeli Earthquake in Yarimca station is used. Dynamic equations of motions are solved by using Newmark's direct step-by-step integration method. The response quantities incorporate the lateral displacements of the wall relative to the moving base and the stresses in the wall in all directions. The results show that while the modulus of elasticity has a considerable effect on seismic behavior of cantilever retaining wall, the Poisson's ratio and mass density of the wall material have negligible effects on seismic response.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.197-217
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• 2012

Detailed analysis of internal forces of exterior beam-column joints of RC frames under seismic action is reported in this paper. A formula is derived for calculating the average joint shear from the column shears, and a formula is proposed to estimate torque in eccentric joints induced by seismic action. Average joint shear stress and strain are defined consistently for exterior joints, which can be used to establish joint shear constitutive relationship. Numerical results of shear, bending moment and torque in joints induced by seismic action are presented for a pair of concentric and eccentric exterior connections extracted from a seismically designed RC frame, and two sections located at the levels of beam bottom and top reinforcement, respectively, are identified as the critical joint sections for evaluating seismic joint behavior. A simplified analysis of the effects of joint shear and torque on the flexural strengths of the critical joint sections is made for the two connections extracted from the frame, and the results indicate that joint shear and torque induced by a strong earthquake may lead to "joint-hinging" mechanism of seismically designed RC frames.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.1147-1170
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• 2015

In this paper, the behavior of underground strutted retaining structure under seismic condition in non-liquefiable dry cohesionless soil is analyzed numerically. The numerical model is validated against the published results obtained from a study on embedded cantilever retaining wall under seismic condition. The validated model is used to investigate the difference between the static and seismic response of the structure in terms of four design parameters, e.g., support member or strut force, wall moment, lateral wall deflection and ground surface displacement. It is found that among the different design parameters, the one which is mostly affected by the earthquake force is wall deflection and the least affected is the strut force. To get the best possible results under seismic condition, the embedment depth of the wall and thickness of the wall can be chosen as around 100% and 6% of the depth of final excavation level, respectively. The stiffness of the strut may also be chosen as $5{\times}105kN/m/m$ to achieve best possible performance under seismic condition.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.13-25
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the seismic behavior of hollow circular reinforced concrete bridge columns with confinement steel, and to develop improved seismic design criteria. Three hollow circular columns were tested under a constant axial load and a quasi-static, cyclically reversed horizontal load. The accuracy and objectivity of the assessment process can be enhanced by using a sophisticated nonlinear finite element analysis program. The numerical method used gives a realistic prediction of the seismic performance throughout the loading cycles for the several test specimens investigated. Based on the experimental and analytical results, design recommendations are presented to improve current practice in the design and construction of hollow circular reinforced concrete bridge columns.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.541-562
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• 2015

This paper aims at developing the knowledge on the seismic behavior of dowel beam-to-column connections, typically employed in precast buildings in Europe. Despite the large diffusion of the industrial buildings, a high seismic vulnerability was exhibited by these structures, mostly due to the connection systems deficiencies, during some recent earthquakes (Emilia 2012, Turkey 2011). An experimental campaign was conducted on a typical dowel connection between an external column and a roof beam. In this paper, the performed cyclic shear test is described. According to the experimental results, the seismic response of the system is evaluated in terms of strength, stiffness and failure mechanism. Moreover, the complete damage pattern of the test is described by means of the instrumentations records. The connection failure occurred due to the concrete cover failure in the column (splitting failure). Such a mechanism corresponds to a negligible energy dissipation capacity of the connection, compared to the overall seismic response of the structure. The experimental results are also compared with the results of a similar monotonic shear test, as well as with some literature relationships for predicting the strength of dowel connections under horizontal (seismic) loads.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.292-296
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• 2018

Recent events in the nuclear industry have resulted in a movement towards increased seismic and LOCA excitations and requirements that challenge current fuel designs. AREVA NP's GAIA fuel design introduces unique and robust characteristics to resist the effects of seismic and LOCA excitations. For demanding seismic and LOCA scenarios, fuel assembly spacer grids can undergo plastic deformations. These plastic deformations must not prohibit the complete insertion of the control rod assemblies and the cooling of the fuel rods after the accident. The specific structure of the GAIA spacer grid produces a unique and stable compressive deformation mode which maintains the regular array of the fuel rods and guide tubes. The stability of the spacer grid allows it to absorb a significant amount of energy without a loss of load-carrying capacity. The GAIA-specific grid behavior is in contrast to the typical spacer grid, which is characterized by a buckling instability. The increased mechanical robustness of the GAIA spacer grid is advantageous in meeting the increased seismic and LOCA loadings and the associated safety requirements. The unique GAIA spacer grid behavior will be incorporated into AREVA NP's licensed methodologies to take full benefit of the increased mechanical robustness.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.445-452
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• 2006

A new Energy-Dissipating Sacrificial Device(EDSD) is proposed, which can effectively dissipate the energy stored in the structures during seismic actions. A mathematical 3-D bridge models and analysis techniques are developed to represent the non-linear behavior of the EDSD, various seismic responses of a sample bridge with the EDSD are analyzed in terms of energy, member forces and deformation using the developed analysis method. And the EDSD is tested and certified it's behavior and stability to apply on exiting bridges. The EDSD can be able to dissipate a large amount of energy and therefore it can prevent the pier's excessive forces under seismic excitations and EDSD and its connected members are also stable. Additionally, the method and guidelines of an optimum EDSD design are proposed in terms of installation method and decision of number of EDSD. The Proposed EDSD under seismic excitations can significantly decrease the excessive storing energy in the bridge structures and reduce the relative displacements of each superstructure to the ground. The EDSD is also found to function as a structural fuse under strong ground motions, sacrificing itself to absorb the excessive energy. Consequently, economical enhancement of the seismic performance of bridges can be achieved by employing the newly developed energy dissipation sacrificial device(EDSD).

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.105-111
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• 2018

In this study, the seismic performance and behavior characteristics of the upper truss structure of the large stadium are analyzed by nonlinear dynamic analysis. In the nonlinear dynamic analysis, the earthquake records were generated by site response analysis to simulate the nonlinear behavior of the relevant soil condition where the structure is located. Nonlinear dynamic analysis was performed using Perform-3D and the nonlinear properties of the substructure and the superstructure were determined in accordance with KISTEC guideline. According to the analysis results, excessive deformation occurred in the upper truss element, and plastic hinges exceeded the target performance in some members. Buckling-restrained brace is used for seismic retrofit of stadium structures and the analysis results shows the interstory drift satisfies the target performance level with dissipating the seismic energy efficiently.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.24-31
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• 2018

In this paper, specimen tests with simulated large seismic conditions have been carried out to investigate damage characteristics such as structural deformation and crack initiation under seismic loading. The mechanical behavior of the specimens is predicted by numerical simulations and the strain-based damage evaluations are performed. Finite element analyses of the specimens under the simulated seismic loading at room and operating temperatures were carried out for low alloy steel and stainless steel materials. Peak strain amplitude, cumulative fatigue damage and cumulative strain limit damage are calculated considering the nature of cyclic loading. In all cases, the allowable damage criteria are exceeded at the time of observing cracks visually in the tests. Therefore, it is confirmed that the material behavior due to the large seismic loads can be predicted by the numerical method and the structural damage of the materials can be evaluated conservatively based on the strain criteria.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.77 no.1
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• pp.19-35
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• 2021

Existing methods to estimate the probability of seismic pounding occurrence of adjacent buildings do not account for nonlinear behavior or only apply to simple lumped mass systems. The present study proposes an efficient method based on subset simulation for fragility and risk assessment of seismic pounding occurrence between nonlinear adjacent buildings neglecting pounding effects with application to finite element models. The proposed method is first applied to adjacent buildings modeled as elastoplastic systems with substantially different dynamic properties for different structural parameters. Seismic pounding fragility and risk of adjacent frame structures with different floor levels is then assessed, paying special attention to modeling the non-linear material behavior in finite element models. Difference in natural periods and impact location are identified to affect the pounding fragility simultaneously. The reliability levels of the minimum code-specified separation distances are also determined. In addition, the incremental dynamic analysis method is extended to assess seismic pounding fragility of the adjacent frame structures, resulting in higher fragility estimates for separation distances larger than the minimum code-specified ones in comparison with the proposed method.