• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.97-106
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• 2020

The objective of this paper is to suggest a new quantification method for multi-unit probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) that removes the overestimation error caused by the existing delete-term approximation (DTA) based quantification method. So far, for the actual plant PSA model quantification, a fault tree with negates have been solved by the DTA method. It is well known that the DTA method induces overestimated core damage frequency (CDF) of nuclear power plant (NPP). If a PSA fault tree has negates and non-rare events, the overestimation in CDF drastically increases. Since multi-unit seismic PSA model has plant level negates and many non-rare events in the fault tree, it should be very carefully quantified in order to avoid CDF overestimation. Multi-unit PSA fault tree has normal gates and negates that represent each NPP status. The NPP status means core damage or non-core damage state of individual NPPs. The non-core damage state of a NPP is modeled in the fault tree by using a negate (a NOT gate). Authors reviewed and compared (1) quantification methods that generate exact or approximate Boolean solutions from a fault tree, (2) DTA method generating approximate Boolean solution by solving negates in a fault tree, and (3) probability calculation methods from the Boolean solutions generated by exact quantification methods or DTA method. Based on the review and comparison, a new intersection removal by probability (IRBP) method is suggested in this study for the multi-unit PSA. If the IRBP method is adopted, multi-unit PSA fault tree can be quantified without the overestimation error that is caused by the direct application of DTA method. That is, the extremely overestimated CDF can be avoided and accurate CDF can be calculated by using the IRBP method. The accuracy of the IRBP method was validated by simple multi-unit PSA models. The necessity of the IRBP method was demonstrated by the actual plant multi-unit seismic PSA models.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.367-388
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• 2016

Eccentrically braced frames (EBFs) represent an attractive lateral load resisting steel system to be used in areas of high seismicity. In order to assess the likely damage for a given intensity of ground shaking, fragility functions can be used to identify the probability of exceeding a certain damage limit-state, given a certain response of a structure. This paper focuses on developing a set of fragility functions for EBF structures, considering that damage can be directly linked to the interstorey drift demand at each storey. This is done by performing a Monte Carlo Simulation of an analytical expression for the drift capacity of an EBF, where each term of the expression relies on either experimental testing results or mechanics-based reasoning. The analysis provides a set of fragility functions that can be used for three damage limit-states: concrete slab repair, damage requiring heat straightening of the link and damage requiring link replacement. Depending on the level of detail known about the EBF structure, in terms of its link section size, link length and storey number within a structure, the resulting fragility function can be refined and its associated dispersion reduced. This is done by using an analytical expression to estimate the median value of interstorey drift, which can be used in conjunction with an informed assumption of dispersion, or alternatively by using a MATLAB based tool that calculates the median and dispersion for each damage limit-state for a given set of user specified inputs about the EBF. However, a set of general fragility functions is also provided to enable quick assessment of the seismic performance of EBF structures at a regional scale.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.49-57
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• 2010

Most previous research on the seismic response of structures with plan irregularities have focused on the relationship between the eccentricity and the amount of torsion. This approach cannot provide the direct relationship between the irregularity and the damage. Therefore, an investigation on the relationship between the eccentricities of buildings with plan irregularities and the damage index was performed. Inelastic dynamic time-history analyses were performed on one-story buildings with various eccentricities. For the damage assessment, a 3D damage index was adopted to reflect the effect of the bi-directional response and torsion. Based on the analysis results, buildings with eccentricities of 10%, 20% and 30% will suffer 3~5%, 13~18%, and 33~47% more damage than their regular counterparts, respectively.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.89-98
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• 2009

Existence of core stone at the inside of the Rock mass is reacting as unstable element. In particular, in case of the cut slope, even when it is not exposed, slope's discontinuity increases or strength level decreases depending on the difference in the weathering grade when it comes to the core stone, and reacts as an important element of the slope movement such as slope's rock fall or collapse. As for the slope that is subject to study, incision was completed after 20 years or so, and parts of the slope reinforcement was completed, but frequent rock fall occurs despite small amount of rainfall, and permanent stability measures are urgent. Refractional seismic survey and geological survey results were compared and analyzed, and reliability was improved by complementing the two survey methods, and stereo-graphic projection using DIPS program was conducted to analyze the characteristics of oore stone in the weathered soil slope.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.253-259
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• 2018

Structure behaviors resulting from an earthquake are experimentally simulated mainly through a shaking table test. As for large-scale structures, however, size effects over a miniature may make it difficult to assess actual behaviors properly. To address this problem, research on the hybrid simulation is being conducted actively. This method is to implement numerical analysis on framework members that affect the general behavior of the structure dominantly through an actual scale experiment and on the rest parts by applying the substructuring technique. However, existing studies on hybrid simulation focus mainly on Slow experimental methods, which are disadvantageous in that it is unable to assess behaviors close to the actual level if material properties change depending on the speed or the influence of inertial force is significant. The present study aims to establish a Real-time hybrid simulation system capable of excitation based on the actual time history and to verify its performance and applicability. The hybrid simulation system built up in this study utilizes the ATS Compensator system, CR integrator, etc. in order to make the target displacement the same with the measured displacement on the basis of MATLAB/Simulink. The target structure was a 2-span bridge and an RC pier to support it was produced as an experimental model in order for the shaking table test and Slow and Real-time hybrid simulations. Behaviors that result from the earthquake of El Centro were examined, and the results were analyzed comparatively. In comparison with the results of the shaking table test, the Real-time hybrid simulation produced more similar maximum displacement and vibration behaviors than the Slow hybrid simulation. Hence, it is thought that the Real-time hybrid simulation proposed in this study can be utilized usefully in seismic capacity assessment of structural systems such as RC pier that are highly non-linear and time-dependent.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.9 no.1 s.41
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• pp.17-24
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• 2005

Response of reinforced concrete (RC) column-bent piers subjected to bidirectional seismic loadings was experimentally investigated. RC column-bent piers represent one of the most popular shapes of piers used in Korea highway bridges. Four column-bent piers were constructed in 400 mm diameter and 2,000 mm height. Each pier has two circular supporting columns. These piers were tested under bidirectional lateral load reversals with an axial load of $0.1f_{ck}A_g$. The test parameters included : different transverse reinforcement contents and lap-spliced longitudinal reinforcing steels. Test results indicate that the lap splice of longitudinal reinforcing steels have significantly influenced on hysteretic response of column-bent piers similar to previous test results for single columns with corresponding test parameters. Column capacity was changed with the level of transverse confinement. From the comparison of test result for single column under unidirectional loading, the damage of single column was concentrated on lower plastic hinge region but the damage of column-bent piers was scattered to upper and lower plastic hinge region.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.11 no.2 s.54
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• pp.11-17
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• 2007

In current seismic design practice, the response modification factor (R-factor) is used as a factor to reduce the elastic base shear demand to the design force level. As is well-known, the R-factor is a committee-consensus factor and, as such, highly qualitative and empirical. The relationship between the R-factor and the connection rotation capacity available in a particular structural system has remained a missing link. In this paper, a rational procedure to evaluate the R-factor is proposed. To this end, the relationship between the available connection rotation capacity and the R-factor is defined and quantified using nonlinear pushover analysis. An RRS steel frame designed according to IBC 2000 was used to illustrate and verify the proposed procedure. Nonlinear time history analysis results indicated that the R-factor definition proposed in this study is generally conservative from design perspective.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.4 no.5
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• pp.451-470
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• 2013

It generally accepted that most building structures shall exhibit a nonlinear response when subjected to medium-high intensity earthquakes. It is currently known, however, that this phenomenon is not properly modelled in the majority of cases, especially at the design stage, where only simple linear methods have effectively been used. Recently, as a result of the exponential progress of computational tools, nonlinear modelling and analysis have gradually been brought to a more promising level. A wide range of modelling alternatives developed over the years is hence at the designer's disposal for the seismic design and assessment of engineering structures. The objective of the study presented herein is to test some of these models in an existing structure, and observe their performance in nonlinear static and dynamic analyses. This evaluation is done by the use of two of a known range of advanced computer programs: SAP2000 and SeismoStruct. The different models will focus on the element flexural mechanism with both lumped and distributed plasticity element models. In order to appraise the reliability and feasibility of each alternative, the programs capabilities and the amount of labour and time required for modelling and performing the analyses are also discussed. The results obtained show the difficulties that may be met, not only in performing nonlinear analyses, but also on their dependency on both the chosen nonlinear structural models and the adopted computer programs. It is then suggested that these procedures should only be used by experienced designers, provided that they are aware of these difficulties and with a critical stance towards the result of the analyses.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2000

Seismic reflection data was obtained by using 28 and 100 Hz geophones at the ground subsidence sites in an old coal mine area. Frequency spectrum of the geophone analyzed with offset revealed that 1) In the near offset ($1\~10m$), the signals in the 100 Hz geophone data contains higher frequency components (up to 300 Hz) than that of the 28 Hz (<200 Hz), 2) In the intermediate offset ($11\~39m$), although the 28 Hz geophone data showed very similar frequency characteristics as the near offset data, the 100Hz geophone data seemed to be contaminated by noise at high frequency zone (>200 Hz). In the far offset ($\geq40\;m$), the signals in both the 28 and 100 Hz geophone data are attenuated to noise level at high frequency Bone more than 150 Hz.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.441-451
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• 2002

Recently, Increasing residential-commercial buildings are composed of upper wall and lower frame type. As structural fragility, a large numbers of researchers have tried to develope the efficient analysis methods. But these studies were too theoretical and were not considered the lateral load which was required in analysing the transfer level in addition to being used nonlinear program which was difficult to use for practical design. thus, results of these studies we not appropriate to apply practical design, therefore, in this paper, the procedure of the current design practice were compared with that of used FEM method and presented new modeling method. in particular, an efficient analytical model which can be used in practical design of residential-commercial buildings for vortical and seismic loads was proposed and the usefulness of proposed model was verified.