• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2022

Seismic ground response evaluation is one of the main issues in geotechnical earthquake engineering. These analyses are subsequently divided into one-, two- and three-dimensional methods, and each of which can perform in time or frequency domain. In this study, a novel approach is proposed to assess the seismic site response using two-dimensional transfer functions in frequency domain analysis. Using the proposed formulation, a program is written in MATLAB environment and then promoted utilizing the equivalent linear approach. The accuracy of the written program is evaluated by comparing the obtained results with those of actual recorded data in the Gilroy region during Loma Prieta (1989) and Coyote Lake (1979) earthquakes. In order to precise comparison, acceleration time histories, Fourier amplitude spectra and acceleration response spectra diagrams of calculated and recorded data are presented. The proposed 2D transfer function diagrams are also obtained using mentioned earthquakes which show the amount of amplification or attenuation of the input motion at different frequencies while passing through the soil layer. The results of the proposed method confirm its accuracy and efficiency to evaluate ground motion during earthquakes using two-dimensional model. Then, studies on irregular topographies are carried out, and diagrams of amplification factors are shown.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.209-217
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• 2013

In order to verify the reliability of numerical site response analysis program, both soil free-field and base rock input motions should be provided. Beside the field earthquake motion records, the most effective testing method for obtaining the above motions is the dynamic geotechnical centrifuge test. However, need is to verify if the motion recorded at the base of the soil model container in the centrifuge facility is the true base rock input motion or not. In this paper, the appropriate input motion measurement method for the verification of seismic response analysis is examined by dynamic geotechnical centrifuge test and using three-dimensional finite difference analysis results. From the results, it appears that the ESB (equivalent shear beam) model container distorts downward the propagating wave with larger magnitude of centrifugal acceleration and base rock input motion. Thus, the distortion makes the measurement of the base rock outcrop motion difficult which is essential for extracting the base rock incident motion. However, the base rock outcrop motion generated by using deconvolution method is free from the distortion effect of centrifugal acceleration.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.209-219
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• 2022

Offshore platforms in seismically active areas must be designed to survive in the face of intense earthquakes without a global structural collapse. This paper scrutinizes the seismic performance of a newly designed and established jacket type offshore platform situated in the entrance of the Gulf of Suez region based on the API-RP2A normalized response spectra during seismic events. A nonlinear finite element model of a typical jacket type offshore platform is constructed taking into consideration the effect of structure-soil-interaction. Soil properties at the site were manipulated to generate the pile lateral soil properties in the form of load deflection curves, based on API-RP2A recommendations. Dynamic characteristics of the offshore platform, the response function, output power spectral density and transfer functions for different elements of the platform are discussed. The joints deflection and acceleration responses demands are presented. It is generally concluded that consideration of the interaction between structure, piles and soil leads to higher deflections and less stresses in platform elements due to soil elasticity, nonlinearity, and damping and leads to a more realistic platform design. The earthquake-based analysis for offshore platform structure is essential for the safe design and operation of offshore platforms.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.157-166
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• 2024

Generally, the rubble mound installed on the slope embankment of the open-type wharf is designed based on the impact of wave force, with no consideration for the impact of seismic force. Therefore, in this study, dynamic centrifuge model test results were analyzed to examine the acceleration amplification of embankment reinforced with rubble mound under seismic conditions. The experimental results show that when rubble mounds were installed on the ground surface of the embankment, acceleration response of embankment decreased by approximately 22%, and imbalance in ground settlement decreased significantly from eight to two times. Furthermore, based on the experimental results, one-dimensional site response (1DSR) analyses were conducted. The analysis results indicated that reinforcing the embankment with rubble mound can decrease the peak ground acceleration (PGA) and short period response (below 0.6 seconds) of the ground surface by approximately 28%. However, no significant impact on the long period response (above 0.6 seconds) was observed. Additionally, in ground with lower relative density, a significant decrease in response and wide range of reduced periods were observed. Considering that the reduced short period range corresponds to the critical periods in the design response spectrum, reinforcing the loose ground with rubble mound can effectively decrease the acceleration response of the ground surface.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.533-541
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• 2021

Retaining walls have been used to prevent slope failure through resistance of earth pressure in railway, road, nuclear power plant, dam, and river infrastructure. To calculate dynamic earth pressure and determine the characteristics for seismic behavior, many researchers have analyzed the nonlinear response of ground and structure based on various numerical analyses (FLAC, PLAXIS, ABAQUS etc). In addition, seismic fragility evaluation is performed to ensure safety against earthquakes for structures. In this study, we used the FLAC2D program to understand the seismic response of the inverted T-type wall with a backfill slope, and evaluated seismic fragility based on relative horizontal displacements of the wall. Nonlinear site response analysis was performed for each site (S2 and S4) using the seven ground motions to calculate various seismic loadings reflecting site characteristics. The numerical model was validated based on other numerical models, experiment results, and generalized formula for dynamic active earth pressure. We also determined the damage state and damage index based on the height of retaining wall, and developed the seismic fragility curves. The damage probabilities of the retaining wall for the S4 site were computed to be larger than those for the S2 site.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.29-36
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• 2014

Under the situation that the seismic vulnerability are a worsening problem in many world's megacities, the disaster preparedness including earthquake hazards is a matter of primary concern in the capital city of Korea, Seoul. Especially, because it is hard to move or dismantle the architectural heritages, the mitigation of earthquake damages is potentially more difficult than other structures. Moreover, in order to decide the proper preparedness plan against future earthquakes, it is very important to understand how soils pass the seismic waves to architectural heritages. In this paper, therefore, the ground condition and depth of bedrock was investigated by the MASW-method at heritages located in Seoul. Then one-dimensional seismic response analysis was conducted based on the distribution of shear wave velocity. As the major result of analyses, peak acceleration, site amplification factor and natural period are proposed in each site for recurrence period.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.98-107
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• 2000

Free-field ground motion during earthquake is significantly affected by the local site conditions and it is essential for the seismic design to perform the ground response analysis In this study, ground response analyses based on the equivalent linear method were carried out to evaluate the effects of various ground conditions on the site amplification. Four major factors including the depth of the site(very soft and dense soil), the impedance ratio between soil layer and bed rock, linear analysis versus equivalent linear analysis, and the location of soft soil layer were deeply discussed. Based on the analysis results, the importance of various local site conditions on the site amplification was emphasized.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1995.04a
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• pp.107-113
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• 1995

This paper presents the earthquake response analysis results on the Large-Scale Seismic Test (LSST)structure which was built at Hualien in Taiwan. The seismic analysis is carried out using a computer code KIESSI, which has been developed based on the three-dimensional axisymmetric finite element method incorporating infinite elements for the far field soil region. The soil and structural properties obtained from the post-correlation study of the forced vibration tests (FVT) are utilized to predict seismic responses. The ground accelerations recorded at a site 56.5 m from the test structure are used as control motions. It has been found that the predicted responses are reasonably compared with the observed responses.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.1013-1032
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• 2016

Several historical earthquakes demonstrated that local amplification and soil nonlinearity are responsible for the uneven damage pattern of the structures and lifelines. On April $25^{th}$ 2015 the Mw7.8 Gorkha earthquake stroke Nepal and neighboring countries, and caused extensive damages throughout Kathmandu valley. In this paper, comparative studies between equivalent-linear and nonlinear seismic site response analyses in five affected strategic locations are performed in order to relate the soil behavior with the observed structural damage. The acceleration response spectra and soil amplification are compared in both approaches and found that the nonlinear analysis better represented the observed damage scenario. Higher values of peak ground acceleration (PGA) and higher spectral acceleration have characterized the intense damage in three study sites and the lower values have also shown agreement with less to insignificant damages in the other two sites. In equivalent linear analysis PGA varies between 0.29 to 0.47 g, meanwhile in case of nonlinear analysis it ranges from 0.17 to 0.46 g. It is verified from both analyses that the PGA map provided by the USGS for the southern part of Kathmandu valley is not properly representative, in contrary of the northern part. Similarly, the peak spectral amplification in case of equivalent linear analysis is estimated to be varying between 2.3 to 3.8, however in case of nonlinear analysis, the variation is observed in between 8.9 to 18.2. Both the equivalent linear and nonlinear analysis have depicted the soil fundamental period as 0.4 and 0.5 sec for the studied locations and subsequent analysis for seismic demands are correlated.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2008

In seismic response analysis of building structures, the input ground accelerations have considerable effect on the nonlinear response characteristics of structures. The characteristics of soil and the locality of the site where those ground motions were recorded affect on the contents of earthquake waves. Therefore, it is difficult to select appropriate input ground motions for seismic response analysis. This study describes a generation of artificial earthquake wave compatible with seismic design spectrum, and also evaluates the seismic response values of multistory reinforced concrete structures by the simulated earthquake motions. The artificial earthquake wave are generated according to the previously recorded earthquake waves in past major earthquake events. The artificial wave have identical phase angles to the recorded earthquake wave, and their overall response spectra are compatible with seismic design spectrum with 5% critical viscous damping. The input ground motions applied to this study have identical elastic acceleration response spectra, but have different phase angles. The purpose of this study is to investigate their validity as input ground motion for nonlinear seismic response analysis. As expected, the response quantifies by simulated earthquake waves present better stable than those by real recording of ground motion. It was concluded that the artificial earthquake waves generated in this paper are applicable as input ground motions for a seismic response analysis of building structures. It was also found that strength of input ground motions for seismic analysis are suitable to be normalize as elastic acceleration spectra.