• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2005.03a
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• pp.90-101
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• 2005

For the site characterization at two representative inland areas, Gyeongju and Hongsung, in Korea, in-situ seismic tests containing boring investigations and resonant column tests were performed and site-specific ground response analyses were conducted using equivalent linear as well as nonlinear scheme. The soil deposits in Korea were shallower and stiffer than those in the western US, from which the site classification system and site coefficients in Korea were derived. Most sites were categorized as site classes C and D based on the mean shear wave velocity to 30 m, Vs30 ranging between 250 and 650 m/s. Based on the acceleration response spectra determined from the site-specific analyses, the site coefficients specified in the Korean seismic design guide underestimate the ground motion in the short-period band and overestimate the ground motion in mid-period band. These differences can be explained by the differences in the bedrock depth and the soil stiffness profile between Korea and western US. The site coefficients were re-evaluated and the preliminary site classification system was introduced accounting for the local geologic conditions on the Korean peninsula.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.130-140
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• 2000

The earthquake hazard has been evaluated for 10km by 10km area around Kyeongju which is located near Yangsan fault and has abundant historical earthquake records. The ground motion potentials were determined based on equivalent linear analysis by using the data obtained from in situ and laboratory tests and the El centro eartqhuake record scaled to CLE and OLE of the region. The in situ tests include 9 boring investigations 2 crosshole 7 downhole 13 SASW tests and in the laboratory X-ray diffraction analyses and resonant column tests were performed. The peak ground accelerations range between 0.140g and 0.286g on CLE and between 0.051g and 0.116g on OLE respectively showing the good potential of amplification in the deep alluvial layer which is common in Kyeongju area. the response spectrum based on the Korea design guide was sometimes underestimate the motion. particularly near the natural period of the site and the importance of site-specific analysis and need for the improved site categorization method were introduced.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.131-146
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• 2020

Evaluation of earthquake impacts in settlements with a high risk of earthquake occurrence is important for the determination of site-specific dynamic soil parameters and earthquake-resistant structural planning. In this study, dynamic soil properties of Karliova (Bingol) city center, located near to the intersection point of the North Anatolian Fault Zone and the East Anatolian Fault Zone and therefore having a high earthquake risk, were investigated by one-dimensional equivalent linear site response analysis. From ground response analyses, peak ground acceleration, predominant site period, 0.2-sec and 1-sec spectral accelerations and soil amplification maps of the study area were obtained for both near-field and far-field earthquake effects. The average acceleration spectrum obtained from analysis, for a near-field earthquake scenario, was found to exceed the design spectra of the Turkish Earthquake Code and Eurocode 8. Yet, the average acceleration spectrum was found to remain below the respective design spectra of the two codes for the far-field earthquake scenario. According to both near- and far-field earthquake scenarios in the study area, the low-rise buildings with low modal vibration durations are expected to be exposed to high spectral acceleration values and high-rise buildings with high modal vibration durations will be exposed to lower spectral accelerations. While high amplification ratios are observed in the north of the study area for the near-distance earthquake scenario, high amplification ratios are observed in the south of the study area for the long-distance earthquake scenario.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.245-256
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• 2016

In the companion paper (I - Database and Site Response Analyses), site-specific response analyses were performed at more than 300 domestic sites. In this study, a new site classification system and design response spectra are proposed using results of the site-specific response analyses. Depth to bedrock (H) and average shear wave velocity of soil above the bedrock ($V_{S,Soil}$) were adopted as parameters to classify the sites into sub-categories because these two factors mostly affect site amplification, especially for shallow bedrock region. The 20 m of depth to bedrock was selected as the initial parameter for site classification based on the trend of site coefficients obtained from the site-specific response analyses. The sites having less than 20 m of depth to bedrock (H1 sites) are sub-divided into two site classes using 260 m/s of $V_{S,Soil}$ while the sites having greater than 20 m of depth to bedrock (H2 sites) are sub-divided into two site classes at $V_{S,Soil}$ equal to 180 m/s. The integration interval of 0.4 ~ 1.5 sec period range was adopted to calculate the long-period site coefficients ($F_v$) for reflecting the amplification characteristics of Korean geological condition. In addition, the frequency distribution of depth to bedrock reported for Korean sites was also considered in calculating the site coefficients for H2 sites to incorporate sites having greater than 30 m of depth to bedrock. The relationships between the site coefficients and rock shaking intensity were proposed and then subsequently compared with the site coefficients of similar site classes suggested in other codes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2002.03a
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• pp.767-772
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• 2002

Free-field ground motion during earthquake is significantly affected by the local site conditions and it is essential in the seismic design to perform the accurate site-specific ground response analysis. In this paper, one-dimensional seismic characteristics of waste landfill are studied based on the vertical propagation of horizontal shear waves through the column of soil/waste. Seismic response analysis is peformed for short-period, long-period and artificial earthquake ground motions using a computer program for seismic response analysis of horizontally layered soil deposits. The computed peak ground accelerations are compared with the values calculated according to Korean seismic design guidelines. The analysis result shows that the long-period earthquake causes the largest peak ground acceleration while the artificial earthquake results in the smallest one.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.235-243
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• 2016

Korea is part of a region of low to moderate seismicity located inside the Eurasian plate with bedrock located at depths less than 30 m. However, the spectral acceleration obtained from site response analyses based on the geologic conditions of inland areas of the Korean peninsula are significantly different from the current Korean seismic code. Therefore, suitable site classification scheme and design response spectra based on local site conditions in the Korean peninsula are required to produce reliable estimates of earthquake ground motion. In this study, site-specific response analyses were performed at more than 300 sites with at least 100 sites at each site categories of $S_C$, $S_D$, and $S_E$ as defined in the current seismic code in Korea. The process of creating a huge database of input parameters - such as shear wave velocity profiles, normalized shear modulus reduction curves, damping curves, and input earthquake motions - for site response analyses were described. The response spectra and site coefficients obtained from site response analyses were compared with those proposed for the site categories in the current code. Problems with the current seismic design code were subsequently discussed, and the development and verifications of new site classification system and corresponding design response spectra are detailed in companion papers (II-development of new site categories and design response spectra and III-Verifications)

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.09a
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• pp.28-35
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• 2001

Liquefaction potential on the specific site of nuclear power plant is analyzed and reviewed. The layered site fur this study consists of silt and sand. Based on the limited available soil data, maximum shear strength at critical locations using Seed & Idriss method and computer program SHAKE is calculated, and liquefaction potential is reviewed. Seismic input motion used fur the assessment of liquefaction is the artificial time history compatible with the US NRC regulatory Guider .60. Assessment results of the liquefaction are validated by analyzing to the other typical soil fecundations which can show the effects of foundation depth and soil data.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.25-31
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• 2007

For areas such as the Korean Peninsula, which have moderate seismic activity but no available records of strong ground motion, synthetic seismograms can be used to evaluate ground motion without waiting for a strong earthquake. Such seismograms represent the estimated ground motions expected from a set of possible earthquake scenarios. Local site effects are especially important in assessing the seismic hazard and possible ground motion scenarios for a specific fault. The earthquake source and rupture dynamics can be described as a two-step process of rupture initiation and front propagation controlled by a frictional sliding mechanism. The seismic wavefield propagates through heterogeneous geological media and finally undergoes near-surface modulations such as amplification or deamplification. This is a complex system in which various scales of physical phenomena are integrated. A unified approach incorporates multi-scale problems of dynamic rupture, radiated wave propagation, and site effects into an all-in-one model using a three-dimensional, fourth-order, staggered-grid, finite-difference method. The method explains strong ground motions as products of complex systems that can be modified according to a variety of fine-scale rupture scenarios and friction models. A series of such deterministic earthquake scenarios can shed light on the kind of damage that would result and where it would be located.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.113-119
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• 2018

The probabilistic seismic safety assessment is one of the methodology to evaluate the seismic safety of the nuclear power plants. The site characteristics of the nuclear power plant should be reflected when evaluating the seismic safety of the nuclear power plant. The Korea seismic characteristics are strong in high frequency region and may be different from NRC Regulatory Guide 1.60, which is the design spectrum of nuclear power plants. In this study, seismic response of a nuclear power plant structure by Pohang earthquake (2017.11.15. (KST)) is investigated. The Pohang earthquake measured at the Cheongsong seismic observation station (CHS) is scaled to the peak ground acceleration (PGA) of 0.2 g and the seismic acceleration time history curve corresponding to the design spectrum is created. A nuclear power plant of the containment building and the auxiliary buildings are modeled using OPENSEES to analyze the seismic response of the Pohang earthquake. The seismic behavior of the nuclear power plant due to the Pohang earthquake is investigated. And the seismic performances of the equipment of a nuclear power plant are evaluated by the HCLPF. As a result, the seismic safety evaluation of nuclear power plants should be evaluated based on site-specific characteristics of nuclear power plants.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.433-453
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• 2016

During earthquake, the motion of ground is affected significantly by source characteristics, source-to-site path properties and local site conditions. Due to the influence of local soil conditions different places experience distinctive amplitude of surface ground motion. Ground response analysis of a specific site utilizing the borehole information at different locations is done in present study. The ground motion with the highest peak ground acceleration for this site obtained from the ground response analysis is used in finite element soil-structure interaction analysis of multi-storey shear wall buildings with various positions of shear walls. The variation in seismic response of buildings and advantageous position of shear wall are determined. The study reveals that providing shear wall at the core of buildings at the specific site is advantageous among all shear wall configurations considered.