• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.211-223
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• 2017

This research presented a numerical and experimental study on the seismic performance of first-generation base-isolated and fixed-base nuclear power plants (NPP). Three types of the base isolation system were applied to rehabilitate the first-generation nuclear power plants: frictional pendulum (FP), high-damping rubber (HDR) and lead-rubber (LR) base isolation. Also, an Excel program was proposed for the design of the abovementioned base isolators in accordance with UBC 97 and the Japan Society of Base Isolation Regulation. The seismic assessment was performed using the pushover and nonlinear time history analysis methods in accordance with the FEMA 356 regulation. To validate the adequacy of the proposed design procedure, two small-scale NPPs were constructed at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia's structural laboratory and subjected to a pushover test for two different base conditions, fixed and HDR-isolated base. The results showed that base-isolated structures achieved adequate seismic performance compared with the fixed-base one, and all three isolators led to a significant reduction in the containment's tension, overturning moment and base shear.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.597-608
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• 2022

One of the most important parameters affecting nonlinearsoil-structure interaction, especially rocking foundation, is the vertical factor of safety (F.S_v). In this research, the effect of F.S_v on the behavior of rocking foundations was experimentally investigated. A set of slow, cyclic, horizontal loading tests was conducted on elastic SDOF structures with different shallow foundations. Vertical bearing capacity tests also were conducted to determine the F.S_v more precisely. Furthermore, 10% silt was mixed with the dry sand at a 5% moisture content to reach the minimum apparent cohesion. The results of the vertical bearing capacity tests showed that the bearing capacity coefficients (N_c and N_γ) were influenced by the scaling effect. The results of horizontal cyclic loading tests showed that the trend of increase in capacity was substantially related to the source of nonlinearity and it varied by changing F.S_v. Stiffness degradation was found to occur in the final cycles of loading. The results indicated that the moment capacity and damping ratio of the system in models with lower F.S_v values depended on soil specifications such cohesiveness or non-cohesiveness and were not just a function of F.S_v.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.683-701
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• 2011

In this study, inelastic displacement ratios and ductility demands are investigated for SDOF systems with period range of 0.1-3.0 s. with elastoplastic behavior considering soil structure interaction. Earthquake motions recorded on different site conditions such as rock, stiff soil, soft soil and very soft soil are used in analyses. Soil structure interacting systems are modeled with effective period, effective damping and effective ductility values differing from fixed-base case. For inelastic time history analyses, Newmark method for step by step time integration was adapted in an in-house computer program. Results are compared with those calculated for fixed-base case. A new equation is proposed for inelastic displacement ratio of interacting system ($\tilde{C}_R$) as a function of structural period of interacting system ($\tilde{T}$), strength reduction factor (R) and period lengthening ratio ($\tilde{T}/T$). The proposed equation for $\tilde{C}_R$ which takes the soil-structure interaction into account should be useful in estimating the inelastic deformation of existing structures with known lateral strength.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 2022

One of the objectives to prevent building pounding between two adjacentstructures is to considerseparation distance or decrease relative displacement during seismic excitation. Although the majority of building codes around the world have basically suggested some equations or approximately recommended various distances between structuresto avoid pounding hazard, but a lot of reportsin zone of pounding have obviously shown thatsafety situation or economic consideration are not always provided due to the collisions between buildings and the cost of land, respectively. For this purpose, a dynamic MDOF model by having base isolation system is numerically considered and using various earthquake records, relative displacements are mathematically investigated. Different equations to determine the value of damping ratio are collected and the results of evaluations are listed for comparison among them to present a new equation for determination of impact damping ratio. Presented equation is depends significantly on impact velocity before and after impact based on artificial neural network, which the accuracy of them is investigated and also confirmed. In order to select the optimum equation, hysteresisloop of impact between base of building and rubber bumper is considered and compared with the hysteresis loop of each impact, calculated by different equations. Finally, using representative equation, the effect of thickness, number and stiffness of rubber bumpers are numerically investigated. The results of analysis indicate that stiffness and number of bumpers have significantly affected in zone of impact force while the thickness of bumpers have not shown significant influence to calculate impact force during earthquake. For instance, increasing the number of bumpers, gap size between structures and also the value of stiffness is caused to decrease impact force between models. The final evaluation demonstrates that bumpers are able to decrease peak lateral displacement of top story during impact.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.639-644
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• 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 on 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 is obtained by regression analysis of the statistical distribution of the time history responses. Finally, the correlation between PDFs and statistical response distribution is presented.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.889-913
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• 2015

Structural vibration characteristics of a semi-active base-isolated building were investigated using seismic observation records including those of the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake (Tohoku earthquake). Three different types of analyses were conducted. First, we investigated the long-term changes in the natural frequencies and damping factors by using an ARX model and confirmed that the natural frequency of the superstructure decreased slightly after the main shock of the Tohoku earthquake. Second, we investigated short-term changes in the natural frequencies and damping factors during the main shock by using the N4SID method and observed different transition characteristics between the first and second modes. In the second mode, in which the superstructure response is most significant, the natural frequency changed depending on the response amplitude. In addition, at the beginning of the ground motion, the identified first natural frequency was high possibly as a result of sliding friction. Third, we compared the natural frequencies and damping factors between the conditions of a properly functional semi-active control system and a nonfunctional system, by using the records of the aftershocks of the Tohoku earthquake. However, we could not detect major differences because the response was probably influenced by sliding friction, which had a more significant effect on damping characteristics than did the semi-active dampers.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.501-516
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• 2014

The rocking pier system (RPS) allows the columns to rock on beam or foundation surfaces during the attacks of a strong earthquake. Literatures have proved that seismic energy dissipated by the RPS through the column impact is limited. To enhance the energy dissipation capacity of a RPS bridge substructure, frictional hinge dampers (FHDs) were installed and evaluated by shaking table tests. The supplemental FHDs consist of two brass plates sandwiched by three steel plates. The strategy of self-centering design is to isolate the seismic energy by RPS at the columns and then dissipate the energy by FHDs at the bridge deck. Component tests of FHD were first conducted to verify the friction coefficient and dynamic characteristic of the FHDs. In total, 32 shaking table tests were conducted to investigate parameters such as wave forms of the earthquake (El Centro 1940 and Kobe 1995) and normal forces applied on the friction dampers. An analytical model was also proposed to compare with the tested damping of the bridge sub-structure with or without FHDs.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.583-593
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• 2017

This research deals with the nonlocal temperature-dependent dynamic buckling analysis of embedded sandwich micro plates reinforced by functionally graded carbon nanotubes (FG-CNTs). The material properties of structure are assumed viscoelastic based on Kelvin-Voigt model. The effective material properties of structure are considered based on mixture rule. The elastic medium is simulated by orthotropic visco-Pasternak medium. The motion equations are derived applying Sinusoidal shear deformation theory (SSDT) in which the size effects are considered using Eringen's nonlocal theory. The differential quadrature (DQ) method in conjunction with the Bolotin's methods is applied for calculating resonance frequency and dynamic instability region (DIR) of structure. The effects of different parameters such as volume percent of CNTs, distribution type of CNTs, temperature, nonlocal parameter and structural damping on the dynamic instability of visco-system are shown. The results are compared with other published works in the literature. Results indicate that the CNTs have an important role in dynamic stability of structure and FGX distribution type is the better choice.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.395-409
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• 2020

With verifications through many relevant researches in the past few decades, adopting the equivalent lateral force procedure for designing seismically isolated structures as a preliminary or even final design approach has become considerably mature and publicly acceptable, especially for seismic isolation systems that mechanically exhibit bilinear hysteretic behavior. During the design procedure, in addition to a given seismic demand, structural designers still need to previously determine three parameters, such as mechanical properties of seismic isolation systems or design parameters and performance indices of seismically isolated structures. However, an arbitrary or improper selection of given parameters might cause diverse or even unacceptable design results, thus troubling structural designers very much. In this study, first, based on the criterion that at least either two design parameters or two performance indices of seismically isolated structures are decided previously, the rationality and applicability of design results obtained from different conditions are examined. Moreover, to consider variations of design parameters of seismically isolated structures attributed to uncertainties of mechanical properties of seismic isolation systems, one of the conditions is adopted to perform bounding analysis for seismic isolation design. The analysis results indicate that with a reasonable equivalent damping ratio designed, considering a specific variation for two design parameters (the effective stiffness and equivalent damping ratio) could present more conservative bounding design results (in terms of isolation displacement and acceleration transmissibility) than considering the same variation but for two mechanical properties (the characteristic strength and post-yield stiffness).

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1167-1184
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• 2015

Despite considerable life casualty and financial loss resulting from past earthquakes, many existing steel buildings are still seismically vulnerable as they have no lateral resistance or at least need some sort of retrofitting. Passive control methods with decreasing seismic demand and increasing ductility reduce rate of vulnerability of structures against earthquakes. One of the most effective and practical passive control methods is to use a shear panel system working as a ductile fuse in the structure. The shear Panel System, SPS, is located vertically between apex of two chevron braces and the flange of the floor beam. Seismic energy is highly dissipated through shear yielding of shear panel web while other elements of the structure remain almost elastic. In this paper, lateral behavior and related benefits of this system with narrow-flange link beams is experimentally investigated in chevron braced simple steel frames. For this purpose, five specimens with IPE (narrow-flange I section) shear panels were examined. All of the specimens showed high ductility and dissipated almost all input energy imposed to the structure. For example, maximum SPS shear distortion of 0.128-0.156 rad, overall ductility of 5.3-7.2, response modification factor of 7.1-11.2, and finally maximum equivalent viscous damping ratio of 35.5-40.2% in the last loading cycle corresponding to an average damping ratio of 26.7-30.6% were obtained. It was also shown that the beam, columns and braces remained elastic as expected. Considering this fact, by just changing the probably damaged shear panel pieces after earthquake, the structure can still be continuously used as another benefit of this proposed retrofitting system without the need to change the floor beam.