• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.2
• /
• pp.575-600
• /
• 2024

During an earthquake on December 29th 2020, the Krško NPP automatically shutdown due to the trigger of the negative neutron flux rate signal on the power range nuclear instrumentation. From the time course of the detector signal, it can be concluded that the fluctuation in the detector signal may have been caused by the mechanical movement of the ex-core neutron detectors or the pressure vessel components rather than the actual change in reactor power. The objective of the analysis was to evaluate the sensitivity of the neutron flux at the ex-core detector position, if the detector is moved in the radial or axial direction. In addition, the effect of the core barrel movement and core inside the baffle movement in the radial direction were analysed. The analysis is complemented by the calculation of the thermal and total neutron flux gradient in radial, axial and azimuthal directions. The Monte Carlo particle transport code MCNP was used to study the changes in the response of the ex-core detector for the above-mentioned scenarios. Power and intermediate-range detectors were analysed separately, because they are designed differently, positioned at different locations, and have different response characteristics. It was found that the movement of the power range ex-core detector has a negligible effect on the value of the thermal neutron flux in the active part of the detector. However, the radial movement of the intermediate-range detector by 5 cm results in 7%-8% change in the thermal neutron flux in the active part of the intermediate-range detector. The analysis continued with an evaluation of the effects of moving the entire core barrel on the ex-core detector response. It was estimated that the 2 mm core barrel radial oscillation results in ~4% deviation in the power and intermediate-range detector signal. The movement of the reactor core inside baffle can contribute ~6% deviation in the ex-core neutron detector signal. The analysis showed that the mechanical movement of ex-core neutron detectors cannot explain the fluctuations in the ex-core detector signal. However, combined core barrel and reactor core inside baffle oscillations could be a probable reason for the observed fluctuations in the ex-core detector signal during an earthquake.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.260-267
• /
• 2016

Considering the effect of dynamic response amplification, a reliability analysis of an offshore wind turbine support structure under an earthquake is presented. A reliability analysis based on the dynamic response requires a large amount of time when using not only a level 3 approach but also level 2 such as a first order reliability method (FORM). Moreover, if a limit state is defined by using the maximum stress at a structural joint where stress concentration occurs, a three-dimensional element should be used in the finite element analysis. This makes the computational load much heavier. To deal with this kind of problem, two techniques are suggested in this paper. One is the application of a quasi-static structural analysis that takes the dynamic amplification effect into account. The other is the use of a stress concentration factor to estimate the maximum local stress. The proposed reliability analysis is performed using a level 2 FORM and verified using a level 3 simulation approach.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.139-147
• /
• 2018

In the present study, effective hydrodynamic pressure modeling methods for three-dimensional earthquake safety analysis of a dam intake tower structure are investigated. Time history analysis results using the Westergaard added mass and Chopra added mass methods are compared with the one by the CASI (Coupled Acoustic Structural Interaction) method, which is accepted as giving almost exact solutions, to evaluate the difference in displacement response, stress and dynamic eccentricity. The 3D time history analysis of a realistic intake tower, which has the standard geometry widely used in Korea, shows that the Chopra added mass method gives similar results in displacement and stress and less conservative results in dynamic eccentricity to CASI ones, while the Westergaard added mass yields much more conservative results in all measures. This study suggests to use the CASI method directly for three-dimensional earthquake safety analysis of a dam intake tower, if computationally possible.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 1998.04a
• /
• pp.52-57
• /
• 1998

Becaruse of the continual occurrence of minor and moderate earthquake in Korean peninsula, it is generally considered that Korean is nor located in safe region against probable earthquake and more, even though being recognized as a safe contry in earthquake. It is in particular noted that nowadays there has been much concern about undesirable disaster due to unexpected earthquake since the disaster of 1995 Kobe earthquake. Thus, the objective of this research is to develop appropriate design spectrum which could be practicably used in seismic design of important structures taking into consideration of local physical characteristics. Particularly, we have to keep in mind the lessons from 1985 Mexico earthquake which had disregarded deep research on local ground conditions, being a possible magnification phenomena of ground motions in weak soil layer. Various spectra has been described based on the analysis of historical earthquakes, and appropriate design spectrum has been proposed herein.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.69 no.5
• /
• pp.567-577
• /
• 2019

Guyed steel lattice towers (or guyed masts) are widely used for supporting antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting. This paper presents a numerical study on the static and dynamic response of guyed towers. Three-dimensional nonlinear finite-element models are used to simulate the response. Through performing static pushover analyses and free-vibration (modal) analyses, the effect of different bracing configurations is investigated. In addition, seismic analyses are performed on towers of different heights to study the influence of earthquake excitation time-lag (or the earthquake travel distance between tower anchors) and antenna weight on the seismic response of guyed towers. The results show that the inclusion of time lag in the seismic analysis of guyed towers can influence shear and moment distribution along the height of the mast. Moreover, it is found that the lateral response is insensitive to bracing configurations. The results also show that, depending on the mast height, an increased antenna weight can reduce the tower maximum base shear while other response quantities, such as cables tension force are found to be insensitive to variation in the antenna weight.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.401-412
• /
• 2016

On Tuesday, January 17, 1995, an earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck the Port of Kobe. In effect, the port was practically destroyed. After a hazard investigation, researchers reached a consensus to adopt a performance-based design in port and harbor structures in Japan. A residual displacement of geotechnical structures after an earthquake is one of the most important engineering demands in performance-based earthquake-resistant design. Thus, it is essential to provide reliable responses of geotechnical structures after an earthquake through various techniques. Today, a nonlinear explicit response history analysis(NERHA) of geotechnical structures is the most efficient way to achieve this goal. However, verification of the effective stress analysis, including post liquefaction behavior, is difficult to perform at a laboratory scale. This study aims to rigorously verify the NERHA by using well-defined field measurements, existing numerical tools, and constitutive models. The man-made, Port Island, in Kobe provides intensive hazard investigation data, strong motion records of 1995 Kobe earthquake, and sufficient engineering parameters of the soil. Two dimensional numerical analysis was conducted on the caisson quay wall section at Port Island subjected to the 1995 Kobe earthquake. The analysis result matches very well with the hazard investigation data. The NERHA procedure presented in this paper can be used in further studies to explain and examine the effects of other factors on the seismic behavior of gravity quay walls in liquefiable soil areas.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.623-628
• /
• 2007

The accurate peak response estimation of a seismically excited structure with frictional damping system(FDS) is very difficult since the structure with FDS shows nonlinear behavior dependent on the structural period, loading characteristics, and relative magnitude between the frictional force and the excitation load. Previous studies have estimated that by replacing a nonlinear system with an equivalent linear one or by employing the response spectrum obtained based on nonlinear time history and statistical analysis. In the case that an earthquake load is defined with probabilistic characteristics, the corresponding response of the structure with FDS has probabilistic distribution. In this study, nonlinear time history analyses were performed for the structure with FDS subjected to artificial earthquake loads generated using Kanai-Tajimi filter. An equation for the probability density function (PDF) of the displacement response is proposed by adapting the PDF of the normal distribution. Finally, coefficients of the proposed PDF are obtained by regression analysis of the statistical distribution of the time history responses. Finally the correlation between PDFs and statistical response distribution is presented.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.239-246
• /
• 2015

Reinforced concrete shear walls are effective for resisting lateral loads imposed by wind or earthquakes. Observed damages of the shear wall in recent earthquakes in Chile(2010) and New Zealand(2011) exceeded expectations. Various analytical models have been proposed in order to incorporate such response features in predicting the inelastic response of RC shear walls. However, the model has not been implemented into widely available computer programs, and has not been sufficiently calibrated with and validated against extensive experimental data at both local and global response levels. In this study, reinforced concrete shear walls were modeled with fiber slices, where cross section and reinforcement details of shear walls can be arranged freely. Nonlinear analysis was performed by adding nonlinear shear spring elements that can represent shear deformation. This analysis result will be compared with the existing experiment results. To investigate the nonlinear behavior of reinforced concrete shear walls, reinforced concrete single shear walls with rectangular wall cross section were selected. The analysis results showed that the yield strength of the shear wall was approximately the same value as the experimental results. However, the yielding displacement of the shear wall was still higher in the experiment than the analysis. The analytical model used in this study is available for the analysis of shear wall subjected to high axial forces.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.149-162
• /
• 2024

Aiming at the current research on the dynamic response analysis of the vehicle-bridge system under earthquake, which fails to comprehensively consider the impact of seismic wave incidence angles, terrain effects and soil-structure dynamic interaction on the bridge structure, this paper proposes a multi-point excitation input method that can consider the oblique incidence seismic P Waves based on the viscous-spring artificial boundary theory, and verifies the accuracy and feasibility of the input method. An overall numerical model of vehicle-bridge-soil foundation system in valley terrain during oblique incidence of seismic P-wave is established, and the effects of seismic wave incidence characteristics, terrain effects, soil-structure dynamic interactions, and vehicle speeds on the dynamic response of the bridge are analyzed. The research results indicate that with an increase in P wave incident angle, the vertical dynamic response of the bridge structure decreased while the horizontal dynamic response increased significantly. Traditional design methods which neglect multi-point excitation would lead to an unsafe structure. The dynamic response of the bridge structure significantly increases at the ridge while weakening at the valley. The dynamic response of bridge structures under earthquake action does not always increase with increasing train speed, but reaches a maximum value at a certain speed. Ignoring soil-structure dynamic interaction would reduce the vertical dynamic response of the bridge piers. The research results can provide a theoretical basis for the seismic design of vehicle-bridge systems in complex mountainous terrain under earthquake excitation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.499-511
• /
• 2010

This paper examines the ice cover effects on the seismic response of concrete gravity dam-reservoir-foundation interaction systems subjected to a horizontal earthquake ground motion. ANSYS program is used for finite element modeling and analyzing the ice-dam-reservoir-foundation interaction system. The ice-dam-reservoir interaction system is considered by using the Lagrangian (displacementbased) fluid and solid-quadrilateral-isoparametric finite elements. The Sariyar concrete gravity dam in Turkey is selected as a numerical application. The east-west component of Erzincan earthquake, which occurred on 13 March 1992 in Erzincan, Turkey, is selected for the earthquake analysis of the dam. Dynamic analyses of the dam-reservoir-foundation interaction system are performed with and without ice cover separately. Parametric studies are done to show the effects of the variation of the length, thickness, elasticity modulus and density of the ice-cover on the seismic response of the dam. It is observed that the variations of the length, thickness, and elasticity modulus of the ice-cover influence the displacements and stresses of the coupled system considerably. Also, the variation of the density of the ice-cover cannot produce important effects on the seismic response of the dam.