• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.155-165
• /
• 2018

Methods based on nonlinear static analysis as simple tools could be used for the seismic analysis and assessment of structures. In the present study, capability of the N2 method as a well-known nonlinear analysis procedure examines for the estimation of the damage index of multi-storey reinforced concrete frames. In the implemented framework, equivalent single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) models are utilized for the global damage estimation of multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) systems. This method does not require high computational analysis and subsequently decreases the required time of seismic design and assessment process. To develop the methodology, RC frames with period range from 0.4 to 2.0 s under 40 records are studied. The effectiveness of proposed technique is evaluated through numerical study under near- and far-field earthquake ground motions. Finally, the results of developed models are compared with two other simplified schemes along with nonlinear time history analysis results of multi-storey frames. To improve the accuracy of damage estimation, a modified relation is presented based on the N2 method results for near- and far-field earthquakes.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.1090-1100
• /
• 2024

While the incorporating ESG indicator is recognized as crucial for sustainability and increased firm value, inconsistent disclosure of ESG data and vague assessment standards have been key challenges. To address these issues, this study proposes an ambiguous text-based automated ESG rating strategy. Earnings Call Transcript data were classified as E, S, or G using the Refinitiv-Sustainable Leadership Monitor's over 450 metrics. The study employed advanced natural language processing techniques such as BERT, RoBERTa, ALBERT, FinBERT, and ELECTRA models to precisely classify ESG documents. In addition, the authors computed the average predicted probabilities for each label, providing a means to identify the relative significance of different ESG factors. The results of experiments demonstrated the capability of the proposed methodology in enhancing ESG assessment criteria established by various rating agencies and highlighted that companies primarily focus on governance factors. In other words, companies were making efforts to strengthen their governance framework. In conclusion, this framework enables sustainable and responsible business by providing insight into the ESG information contained in Earnings Call Transcript data.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.3
• /
• pp.866-872
• /
• 2024

Design Extension Conditions (DEC)-A assessments of the operating nuclear power plants are generally considered for the purpose of getting additional safety demonstrations of their capability to undergo conditions that are generally more severe than DBAs by features implemented in the design and accident management measures. The pursued methodology is generally based upon Best Estimate approaches aiming at verifying that the safety limits in terms of integrity of the barriers against eventual large or early releases of radioactive material are fulfilled. These aspects are nowadays being experimentally and analytically addressed within the OECD/NEA experimental projects like the ATLAS and PKL series where a set of DEC-A experiments are considered. In this paper, experiments related to SBLOCA at the vessel upper head of the pressurized vessel of ATLAS and PKL are analytically assessed using the CATHARE code. These experiments includes issues related to common cause failure of the safety injection system and operator actions for preventing core excessive overheating. It is shown that, on the one hand, the safety features embedded in the design together with the operator actions are capable to prevent the progression towards a severe accident state and on the other hand, the code prediction capabilities for such scenario are generally good but still to be enhanced.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 2000.11a
• /
• pp.104-106
• /
• 2000

Transient Stability of a power systems is its ability to maintain synchronous operation of machine when subjected to a large disturbance. This paper presents a new methodology for speed-up transient stability evaluation in SIME. SIME is a hybrid direct method including time simulation to enhance flexibility. The First features of the proposed method are that generator grouping can be performed even in very stable cases and that the stability of a contingency can be evaluated from a short period of time simulation results. The second features of the proposed method are that using power-angle trajectory and subdividing contingency classification have improved the screening capability.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.204-211
• /
• 2015

Probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) has had a significant role in quantitative decision-making by finding design and operational vulnerabilities and evaluating cost-benefit in improving such weak points. In particular, it has been widely used as the core methodology for risk-informed applications (RIAs). Even though the nature of PSA seeks realistic results, there are still "conservative" aspects. One of the sources for the conservatism is the assumptions of safety analysis and the estimation of failure frequency. Surveillance, diagnosis, and prognosis (SDP), utilizing massive databases and information technology, is worth highlighting in terms of its capability for alleviating the conservatism in conventional PSA. This article provides enabling techniques to solidify a method to provide time- and condition-dependent risks by integrating a conventional PSA model with condition monitoring and prognostics techniques. We will discuss how to integrate the results with frequency of initiating events (IEs) and probability of basic events (BEs). Two illustrative examples will be introduced: (1) how the failure probability of a passive system can be evaluated under different plant conditions and (2) how the IE frequency for a steam generator tube rupture (SGTR) can be updated in terms of operating time. We expect that the proposed model can take a role of annunciator to show the variation of core damage frequency (CDF) depending on operational conditions.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.78 no.3
• /
• pp.351-368
• /
• 2021

This paper, by applying a reliability-based framework, develops seismic vulnerability macrozonation maps for Tehran, the capital and one of the most earthquake-vulnerable city of Iran. Seismic performance assessment of 3-, 4- and 5-story steel moment resisting frames (SMRFs), designed according to ASCE/SEI 41-17 and Iranian Code of Practice for Seismic Resistant Design of Buildings (2800 Standard), is investigated in terms of overall maximum inter-story drift ratio (MIDR) and unit repair cost ratio which is hereafter known as "damage ratio". To this end, Tehran city is first meshed into a network of 66 points to numerically locate low- to mid-rise SMRFs. Active faults around Tehran are next modeled explicitly. Two different combination of faults, based on available seismological data, are then developed to explore the impact of choosing a proper seismic scenario. In addition, soil effect is exclusively addressed. After building analytical models, reliability methods in combination with structure-specific probabilistic models are applied to predict demand and damage ratio of structures in a cost-effective paradigm. Due to capability of proposed methodology incorporating both aleatory and epistemic uncertainties explicitly, this framework which is centered on the regional demand and damage ratio estimation via structure-specific characteristics can efficiently pave the way for decision makers to find the most vulnerable area in a regional scale. This technical basis can also be adapted to any other structures which the demand and/or damage ratio prediction models are developed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.7
• /
• pp.1557-1564
• /
• 2020

In this paper, 3D model-based interactive gamma ray shielding package (MIGSHIELD) is developed in virtual reality platform for windows operating system. In MIGSHIELD, the computational methodology is based on point kernel algorithm (PK), several key parameters of PK are obtained using new technique and new methods. MIGSHIELD has interactive capability with virtual world. The main features made in the MIGSHIELD are (i) handling of physical information from virtual world, (ii) handling of arbitrary shapes radioactive source, (iii) calculating the mean free path of gamma ray, (iv) providing interactive function between PK and virtual world, (v) making better use of PK for virtual simulation, (vi) plug and play. The developed package will be of immense use for calculations involving radiation dose assessment in nuclear safety and contributing to fast radiation simulation for virtual nuclear facilities.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.901-925
• /
• 2014

The reliability of a Bridge management System depends on the quality of visual inspection and the reliable estimation of bridge condition rating. However, the current practices of visual inspection have been identified with several limitations, such as: they are time-consuming, provide incomplete information, and their reliance on inspectors' experience. To overcome such limitations, this paper presents an approach of automating the prediction of condition rating for bridges based on digital image analysis. The proposed methodology encompasses image acquisition, development of 3D visualization model, image processing, and condition rating model. Under this method, scaling defect in concrete bridge components is considered as a candidate defect and the guidelines in the Ontario Structure Inspection Manual (OSIM) have been adopted for developing and testing the proposed method. The automated algorithms for scaling depth prediction and mapping of condition ratings are based on training of back propagation neural networks. The result of developed models showed better prediction capability of condition rating over the existing methods such as, Naïve Bayes Classifiers and Bagged Decision Tree.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.69 no.1
• /
• pp.21-31
• /
• 2019

Optimizing composite structures to exploit their maximum potential is a realistic application with promising returns. In this research, simultaneous maximization of the fundamental frequency and frequency separation between the first two modes by optimizing the fiber angles is considered. A high-fidelity design optimization methodology is developed by combining the high-accuracy of finite element method with iterative improvement capability of metaheuristic algorithms. Three powerful nature-inspired optimization algorithms viz. a genetic algorithm (GA), a particle swarm optimization (PSO) variant and a cuckoo search (CS) variant are used. Advanced memetic features are incorporated in the PSO and CS to form their respective variants-RPSOLC (repulsive particle swarm optimization with local search and chaotic perturbation) and CHP (co-evolutionary host-parasite). A comprehensive set of benchmark solutions on several new problems are reported. Statistical tests and comprehensive assessment of the predicted results show CHP comprehensively outperforms RPSOLC and GA, while RPSOLC has a little superiority over GA. Extensive simulations show that the on repeated trials of the same experiment, CHP has very low variability. About 50% fewer variations are seen in RPSOLC as compared to GA on repeated trials.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.70 no.3
• /
• pp.289-301
• /
• 2019

Hysteretic energy is defined as energy dissipated through inelastic deformations during a ground motion by the system. It includes frequency content and duration of ground motion as two remarkable parameters, while these characteristics are not seen in displacement spectrum. Since maximum displacement individually cannot be the appropriate criterion for damage assessment, hysteretic energy has been evaluated in this research as a more comprehensive seismic demand parameter. An innovative methodology has been proposed to establish a new equivalent linear model to estimate hysteretic energy spectrum for bilinear SDOF models under two different sets of earthquake excitations. Error minimization has been defined in the space of equivalent linearization concept, which resulted in equivalent damping and equivalent period as representative parameters of the linear model. Nonlinear regression analysis was carried out for predicting these equivalent parameter as a function of ductility. The results also indicate differences between seismic demand characteristics of far-field and near-field ground motions, which are not identified by most of previous equations presented for predicting seismic energy. The main advantage of the proposed model is its independency on parameters related to earthquake and response characteristics, which has led to more efficiency as well as simplicity. The capability of providing a practical energy based seismic performance evaluation is another outstanding feature of the proposed model.