• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.411-421
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• 2018

Although a rubber isolation cushion can reduce the dynamic response of a structure itself, it has little influence on the height of a sloshing wave and even may induce magnification action. Vertical baffles are set into a base-isolated Concrete Rectangular Liquid Storage Structure (CRLSS), and baffles are opened as holes to increase the energy dissipation of the damping. Problems of liquid nonlinear motion caused by baffles are described using the Navier-Stokes equation, and the space model of CRLSS is established considering the Fluid-Solid Interaction (FSI) based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). The dynamic response of an isolated CRLSS with various baffles under an earthquake is analyzed, and the results are compared. The results show that when the baffle number is certain, the greater the number of holes in baffles, the worse the damping effects; when a single baffle with holes is set in juxtaposition and double baffles with holes are formed, although some of the dynamic response will slightly increase, the wallboard strain and the height of the sloshing wave evidently decrease. A configuration with fewer holes in the baffles and a greater number of baffles is more helpful to prevent the occurrence of two failure modes: wallboard leakage and excessive sloshing height.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.317-335
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• 2016

Concentrically braced steel frames (CBFs) can be optimised during the seismic design process by using lateral loading distributions derived from the concept of uniform damage distribution. However, it is not known how such structures are affected by uncertainties. This study aims to quantify and manage the effects of structural and ground-motion uncertainty on the seismic performance of optimum and conventionally designed CBFs. Extensive nonlinear dynamic analyses are performed on 5, 10 and 15-storey frames to investigate the effects of storey shear-strength and damping ratio uncertainties by using the Monte Carlo simulation method. For typical uncertainties in conventional steel frames, optimum design frames always exhibit considerably less inter-storey drift and cumulative damage compared to frames designed based on IBC-2012. However, it is noted that optimum structures are in general more sensitive to the random variation of storey shear-strength. It is shown that up to 50% variation in damping ratio does not affect the seismic performance of the optimum design frames compared to their code-based counterparts. Finally, the results indicate that the ground-motion uncertainty can be efficiently managed by optimizing CBFs based on the average of a set of synthetic earthquakes representing a design spectrum. Compared to code-based design structures, CBFs designed with the proposed average patterns exhibit up to 54% less maximum inter-storey drift and 73% less cumulative damage under design earthquakes. It is concluded that the optimisation procedure presented is reliable and should improve the seismic performance of CBFs.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.727-740
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• 2008

A down hole vertical seismic array is a sequence of instruments installed at various depths in the earth to record the ground motion at multiple points during an earthquake. Numerous studies demonstrate the unique utility of vertical seismic arrays for studying in situ site response and soil behavior. Examples are given of analyses made at two sites to show the value of data from vertical seismic arrays. The sites examined are the Lotung, Taiwan SMART1 array and a new site installed at Jingliao, Taiwan. Details of the installation of the Jingliao array are given. ARX models are theoretically the correct process models for vertical wave propagation in the layered earth, and are used to linearly map deeper sensor input signals to shallower sensor output signals. An example of Event 16 at the Lotung array is given. This same data, when examined in detail with a Bayesian inference model, can also be explained by nonlinear filters yielding commonly accepted soil degradation curves. Results from applying an ARMAX model to data from the Jingliao vertical seismic array are presented. Estimates of inter-transducer soil increment resonant frequency, shear modulus, and damping ratio are presented. The shear modulus varied from 50 to 150 MPa, and damping ratio between 8% and 15%. A new hardware monitoring system - TerraScope - is an affordable 4-D down-hole seismic monitoring system based on independent, microprocessor-controlled sensor Pods. The Pods are nominally 50 mm in diameter, and about 120 mm long. An internal 16-bit micro-controller oversees all aspects of instrumentation, eight programmable gain amplifiers, and local signal storage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.39-48
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• 2020

This study proposes a fast estimation method of dynamic reliability indices or failure probability for SDOF structure subjected to earthquake excitations. The proposed estimation method attempts to derive coefficient function for correcting dynamic effects from static reliability analysis in order to estimate the dynamic reliability analysis results. For this purpose, a total of 60 cases of structures with various characteristics of natural frequency and damping ratio under various allowable limits were taken into account, and various types of approximation coefficient functions were considered as potential candidate models for dynamic effect correction. Each reliability index was computed by directly performing static and dynamic reliability analyses for the given 60 cases, and nonlinear curve fittings for potential candidate models were performed from the computed reliability index data. Then, the optimal estimation model was determined by evaluating the accuracy of the dynamic reliability analysis results estimated from each candidate model. Additional static and dynamic reliability analyses were performed for new models with different characteristics of natural frequency, damping ratio and allowable limit. From these results, the accuracy and numerical efficiency of the optimal estimation model were compared with the dynamic reliability analysis results. As a result, it was confirmed that the proposed model can be a very efficient tool of the dynamic reliability estimation for seismically excited SDOF structure since it can provide very fast and accurate reliability analysis results.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.503-529
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• 2015

Traditionally, multi-story buildings are designed to provide stiffer structural support to withstand lateral earthquake loading. Introducing flexible elements at the base of a structure and providing sufficient damping is an alternative way to mitigate seismic hazards. These features can be achieved with a device known as an isolator. This paper covers the design of base isolators for multi-story buildings in medium-risk seismicity regions and evaluates the structural responses of such isolators. The well-known tower building for police personnel built in Dhaka, Bangladesh by the Public Works Department (PWD) has been used as a case study to justify the viability of incorporating base isolators. The objective of this research was to establish a simplified model of the building that can be effectively used for dynamic analysis, to evaluate the structural status, and to suggest an alternative option to handle the lateral seismic load. A finite element model was incorporated to understand the structural responses. Rubber-steel bearing (RSB) isolators such as Lead rubber bearing (LRB) and high damping rubber bearing (HDRB) were used in the model to insert an isolator link element in the structural base. The nonlinearities of rubber-steel bearings were considered in detail. Linear static, linear dynamic, and nonlinear dynamic analyses were performed for both fixed-based (FB) and base isolated (BI) buildings considering the earthquake accelerograms, histories, and response spectra of the geological sites. Both the time-domain and frequency-domain approaches were used for dynamic solutions. The results indicated that for existing multi-story buildings, RSB diminishes the muscular amount of structural response compared to conventional non-isolated structures. The device also allows for higher horizontal displacement and greater structural flexibility. The suggested isolation technique is able to mitigate the structural hazard under even strong earthquake vulnerability.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.459-480
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• 2001

The damage suffered by steel structures during the Northridge (1994) and Kobe (1995) earthquakes indicates that the fully restrained (FR) connections in steel frames did not behave as expected. Consequently, researchers began studying other possibilities, including making the connections more flexible, to reduce the risk of damage from seismic loading. Recent experimental and analytical investigations pointed out that the seismic response of steel frames with partially restrained (PR) connections might be superior to that of similar frames with FR connections since the energy dissipation at PR connections could be significant. This beneficial effect has not yet been fully quantified analytically. Thus, the dissipation of energy at PR connections needs to be considered in analytical evaluations, in addition to the dissipation of energy due to viscous damping and at plastic hinges (if they form). An algorithm is developed and verified by the authors to estimate the nonlinear time-domain dynamic response of steel frames with PR connections. The verified algorithm is then used to quantify the major sources of energy dissipation and their effect on the overall structural response in terms of the maximum base shear and the maximum top displacement. The results indicate that the dissipation of energy at PR connections is comparable to that dissipated by viscous damping and at plastic hinges. In general, the maximum total base shear significantly increases with an increase in the connection stiffness. On the other hand, the maximum top lateral displacement $U_{max}$ does not always increase as the connection stiffness decreases. Energy dissipation is considerably influenced by the stiffness of a connection, defined in terms of the T ratio, i.e., the ratio of the moment the connection would have to carry according to beam line theory (Disque 1964) and the fixed end moment of the girder. A connection with a T ratio of at least 0.9 is considered to be fully restrained. The energy dissipation behavior may be quite different for a frame with FR connections with a T ratio of 1.0 compared to when the T ratio is 0.9. Thus, for nonlinear seismic analysis, a T ratio of at least 0.9 should not be considered to be an FR connection. The study quantitatively confirms the general observations made in experimental results for frames with PR connections. Proper consideration of the PR connection stiffness and other dynamic properties are essential to predict dynamic behavior, no matter how difficult the analysis procedure becomes. Any simplified approach may need to be calibrated using this type of detailed analytical study.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.694-702
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• 2017

In the case of an elevated railway station, structure borne noise and vibration due to structural limitations allow the load and vibration from railway vehicles to be directly transmitted to the station structure, resulting in an increase in the number of civil complaints from customers and staff of the station. The floating slab track system, which is well known as one of the solutions for reducing the noise and vibration from elevated railway stations, usually contains rubber mounts or rubber pads under the railway slab which act as a damper. These types of device have the disadvantage that is difficult to predetermine the exact stiffness and damping ratio under the nonlinear loads resulting from train services. In this study, an isolator with a friction type of wedge is introduced, which can be applied to floating slab track systems and to be designed with precisely the required stiffness. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the stiffness between the designed and experimental values is carried out, while the damping ratio, which is closely related to the friction wedge blocks, is deduced according to the train load condition. The performance tests of the isolator were conducted in accordance with the DIN 45673-7 standard which includes both static and dynamic load tests. The load conditions for the performance tests are designed to conform to the DIN standard related to the weight of the train and rail track, in order to perform vertical and horizontal load tests, so as to ensure the secure structural safety of the railway. Also, by checking the change aspect of the friction coefficients of the friction elements according to the loading rate, the vibration reduction performance of the friction type isolator with variable loading rate conditions is examined.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.53-64
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• 2012

In this study, the modified cyclic triaxial tests with Joomunjin standard sand are performed for dynamic deformation characteristics, such as Young's moduli and damping ratio. The cyclic triaxial test is equipped with Local Displacement Transducer (LDT) on the outside of a cell which has a range from $10^{-4}$ to $10^{-1}$ of shear strains, ${\gamma}$ (%), instead of conventional cyclic triaxial test which has linear variable displacement transducer (LVDT) with low precision. With the small strain control, tests were carried out at various loading rates, void ratios, and effective confining pressures. Based on the test results, such as dynamic deformation characteristics, shear modulus, and damping ratio, it is found that the test can measure more range of medium strains (0.02-0.2%) than results obtained from conventional test (resonant column test). For the medium strain range, dynamic deformation characteristics investigated by the cyclic triaxial test are also different from those predicted by nonlinear model in conventional test.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 2014

RC shear wall sections which have irregular shapes such as T, ㄱ, ㄷ sections are typically used in low-rise buildings in Korea. Pushover analysis of building containing such members costs a lot of computation time and needs professional knowledge since it requires complicated modeling and, sometimes, fails to converge. In this study, a method using an equivalent column element for the shear wall is proposed. The equivalent column element consists of an elastic column, an inelastic rotational spring, and rigid beams. The inelastic properties of the rotational spring represent the nonlinear behavior of the shearwall and are obtained from the section analysis results and moment distribution for the member. The use of an axial force to compensate the difference in the axial deformation between the equivalent column element and the actual shear wall is also proposed. The proposed method is applied for the pushover analysis of a 5- story shear wall-frame building and the results are compared with ones using the fiber elements. The comparison shows that the inelastic behavior at the same drift was comparable. However, the performance points estimated using the pushover curves showed some deviations, which seem to be caused by the differences of estimated yield point and damping ratios.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.435-448
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• 2018

In order to make reliable earthquake-resistant design of civil engineering structures, one of the most important considerations in a region with high seismicity is to pay attention to the local soil condition of regions. It is aimed in the current study at specifying dynamic soil characteristics of Kirikkale city center conducting the 1-D equivalent linear and non-linear site response analyses. Due to high vulnerability and seismicity of the city center of Kirikkale surrounded by active many faults, such as the North Anatolian Fault (NAF), the city of Kirikkale is classified as highly earthquake-prone city. The first effort to determine critical site response parameter is to perform the seismic hazard analyses of the region through the earthquake record catalogues. The moment magnitude of the city center is obtained as $M_w=7.0$ according to the recorded probability of exceedance of 10% in the last 50 years. Using the data from site tests, the 1-D equivalent linear (EL) and nonlinear site response analyses (NL) are performed with respect to the shear modulus reduction and damping ratio models proposed in literature. The important engineering parameters of the amplification ratio, predominant site period, peak ground acceleration (PGA) and spectral acceleration values are predicted. Except for the periods between the period of T=0.2-1.0 s, the results from the NL are obtained to be similar to the EL results. Lower spectral acceleration values are estimated in the locations of the city where the higher amplification ratio is attained or vice-versa. Construction of high-rise buildings with modal periods higher than T=1.0 s are obtained to be suitable for the city of Kirikkale. The buildings at the city center are recommended to be assessed with street survey rapid structural evaluation methods so as to mitigate seismic damages. The obtained contour maps in this study are estimated to be effective for visually characterizing the city in terms of the considered parameters.