• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.201-220
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• 2022

Lateral vibrations of footbridges may induce synchronization between pedestrians and structure itself, resulting in amplification of such vibrations, a phenomenon identified by lock-in. However, investigations about accelerations and frequencies of the structural movement that are related to the occurrence of synchronization are still incipient. The aim of this paper is to investigate conditions that could lead to avoidance of synchronization among pedestrians themselves and footbridge, expressed in terms of peak acceleration. The focus is on the low acceleration range, employed in some guidelines as a criterion to avoid synchronization. An experimental campaign was carried out, employing a prototype footbridge that was set into oscillatory motion through a pneumatic exciter controlled by a fuzzy system, with controlled frequency and amplitude. Test subjects were then asked to cross the oscillating structure, and accelerations were simultaneously recorded at the structure and at the subject's waist. Pattern and phase differences between these signals were analysed. The results showed that test subjects tended to keep their walking patterns without synchronization induced by the vibration of the structure, for structural peak acceleration values up to 0.18 m/s², when frequencies of oscillation were around 0.8 to 0.9 Hz. On the other hand, for frequencies of oscillation below 0.7 Hz, structural peak accelerations up to 0.30 m/s² did not induce synchronization.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.313-322
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• 2018

The present study is dedicated to investigate the SH body-as well as Love-waves propagation effects in porous media with uncertain porosity and permeability. A unified formulation of the governing equations for one-dimensional (1-D) wave propagation in anisotropic porous layered media is presented deterministically. The uncertainties around the above two cited parameters are taken into account by random fields with the help of Monte Carlo Simulations (MCS). Random samples of the porosity and the permeability are generated according to the normal and lognormal distribution functions, respectively, with a mean value and a coefficient of variation for each one of the two parameters. After performing several thousands of samples, the mathematical expectation (mean) of the solution of the wave propagation equations in terms of amplification functions for SH waves and in terms of dispersion equation for Love-waves are obtained. The limits of the Love wave velocity in a porous soil layer overlaying a homogeneous half-space are obtained where it is found that random variations of porosity change the zeros of the wave equation. Also, the increase of uncertainties in the porosity (high coefficient of variation) decreases the mean amplification function amplitudes and shifts the fundamental frequencies. However, no effects are observed on both Love wave dispersion and amplification function for random variations of permeability. Lastly, the present approach is applied to a case study in the Adapazari town basin so that to estimate ground motion accelerations lacked in the fast-growing during the main shock of the damaging 1999 Kocaeli earthquake.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.245-256
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• 2019

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the dynamic behavior of a free-standing frame equipped with a movable base system using cast iron and mortar as the bearing materials. The preliminary friction test indicated that a graphite layer developed on the interface and exhibited stable friction behavior. The friction coefficient ranged from 0.33 to 0.36 when the applied normal compression stress ranged from 2.6 to 5.2 MPa. The effect of the variation of normal compression stress would be small. Shaking table tests on the free-standing frame showed that rock, slide, and rock-slide responses occurred. The cumulative slide distance reached 381 mm under JMA Kobe wave excitation; however, only a few cyclic slides occurred at the same locations along the moving track. Most surfaces sustained single slides. Similar results can be observed in other shaking conditions. The insufficient cyclic sliding and significant rocking resulted in a few graphite layers on the mortar surfaces. Friction coefficients were generally similar to those obtained in the preliminary friction tests; however, the values fluctuated when the rocking became significant. The collisions due to rocking caused strong horizontal acceleration responses and resulted in high friction coefficient. In addition, the strong horizontal acceleration responses caused by the collisions made the freestanding specimen unable to reduce the input horizontal acceleration notably, even when slippage occurred. Compared with the counterpart fixed-base specimen, the specimen equipped with the iron-mortar base could reduce the horizontal acceleration amplification response and the structural deformation, whereas the vertical acceleration response was doubled due to collisions from rocking.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 2022

In this study, three types of combined isolator consisting of High Damping Rubber Bearing (HDRB) and wire isolator were developed for Uninterruptible Power Supply system (UPS). The dynamic characteristics of the combined isolator were investigated through one-axis shaking table test. The input acceleration were generated in accordance with ICC-ES AC156 code. Scale factors of the input acceleration were designed to be 0.5-2 times the required response spectrum defined in ICC-ES AC156. Based on the test results, damage and dynamic characteristics of the UPS were investigated: including natural frequency, damping ratio, acceleration time history response, dynamic amplification factor and relative displacement. Based on that, it was found that the combined isolator developed in this study could improve the seismic behavior of the UPS, in particular, the response acceleration.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.107-116
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• 2011

Rigid soil containers (or rigid boxes) are often used for 1g shaking table tests. The rigid boxes, however, do not accurately simulate the amplification of ground acceleration and phase difference of seismic motion in the model ground due to the confinement of shear deformation and the reflection of seismic wave at the box walls. Laminar soil containers (or laminar shear boxes) can simulate the free field motion at convincingly superior accuracy than the rigid ones. In this study, the soft ground is modeled for both types of boxes and is subjected to seismic loading using a 1g shaking table. The comparison of the results using the two types of soil containers illustrates that, in case of the rigid box, the ground acceleration shows non uniform distribution and the phase synchronization of input motion. Whereas, the dynamic behavior of the laminar shear box shows good agreement with the free field behaviors such as the amplification of ground acceleration and the occurrence of phase difference.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.509-520
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• 2020

Currently, the criteria for input motions used in dam seismic design are clearly presented in general provisions of seismic design (KDS 17 10 00), and seismic ground motion records should be matched to the standard design response spectrum. However, the effect on the results is not assessed according to the selection of the seismic ground motion records, making it difficult to select seismic input motions. Therefore, in this study, the change in the amount of crest settlement of an embankment dam was assessed through numerical analysis after matching the seismic ground motion records of domestic and overseas earthquakes in accordance with the standard design response spectrum provided in the seismic design code (KDS 17 10 00). The results showed that the behavior of the upper part of the embankment, such as maximum acceleration at the crest and amplification through the dam, rather than the effect of free-field acceleration, had a greater effect on the amount of crest settlement. Moreover, it was confirmed that even an input seismic motion matched to the standard design response spectrum can make a difference in settlement depending on the characteristics of amplification through a dam body.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.64 no.5
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• pp.661-670
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• 2017

The dynamic model test of dam-reservoir coupling system for a 203m high gravity dam is performed to investigate effects of reservoir water on dynamic responses of dam during earthquake. The hydrodynamic pressure under condition of full reservoir, natural frequencies and acceleration amplification factors along the dam height under conditions of full and empty reservoir are obtained from the test. The results indicate that the reservoir water have a stronger influence on the dynamic responses of dam. The measured natural frequency of the dam model under full reservoir is 21.7% lower than that of empty reservoir, and the acceleration amplification factor at dam crest under full reservoir is 18% larger than that under empty reservoir. Seismic dynamic analysis of the gravity dams with five different heights is performed with the Fluid-Structure Coupling Model (FSCM). The hydrodynamic pressures from Westergaard formula are overestimated in the lower part of the dam body and underestimated in its upper part to compare with those from the FSCM. The underestimation and overestimation are more significance with the increase of the dam height. The position of the maximum hydrodynamic pressure from the FSCM is raised with the increase of dam height. In view of the above, the Westergaard formula is modified with consideration in the influence of the height of dam, the elasticity of dam on the hydrodynamic pressure. The solutions of modified Westergaard formula are quite coincident with the hydrodynamic pressures in the model test and the previous report.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.451-456
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• 2012

In this study, a numerical analysis to evaluate the reduction of seismic load due to pile group was performed and compared the peak ground acceleration(PGA) measured at free-field and foundation. The special attention was given to the amplification of seismic acceleration on the foundation due to the pile effects. The analysis considering pile effects was carried out for 4, 8 and 12 piles with same condition by PLAXIS 2D Dynamics. Based on the analysis results, it is found that the overall reduction in seismic load due to foundation and reduction rates are similar irrespective of pile numbers. This study gives a possibility for effective design of piled foundation by reducing seismic load about 20~25%.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.175-189
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• 2019

The aim of the study is to show the results of complex shaking table experimental investigation focused on the response of two models of cylindrical steel tanks under mining tremors and moderate earthquakes, including the aspects of diagnosis of structural damage. Firstly, the impact and the sweep-sine tests have been carried out, so as to determine the dynamic properties of models filled with different levels of liquid. Then, the models have been subjected to seismic and paraseismic excitations. Finally, one fully filled structure has been tested after introducing two different types of damages, so as to verify the method of damage diagnosis. The results of the impact and the sweep-sine tests show that filling the models with liquid leads to substantial reduction in natural frequencies, due to gradually increasing overall mass. Moreover, the results of sweep-sine tests clearly indicate that the increase in the liquid level results in significant increase in the damping structural ratio, which is the effect of damping properties of liquid due to its sloshing. The results of seismic and paraseismic tests indicate that filling the tank with liquid leads initially to considerable reduction in values of acceleration (damping effect of liquid sloshing); however, beyond a certain level of water filling, this regularity is inverted and acceleration values increase (effect of increasing total mass of the structure). Moreover, comparison of the responses under mining tremors and moderate earthquakes indicate that the power amplification factor of the mining tremors may be larger than the seismic power amplification factor. Finally, the results of damage diagnosis of fully filled steel tank model indicate that the forms of the Fourier spectra, together with the frequency and power spectral density values, can be directly related to the specific type of structural damage. They show a decrease in the natural frequencies for the model with unscrewed support bolts (global type of damage), while cutting the welds (local type of damage) has resulted in significant increase in values of the power spectral density for higher vibration modes.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.133-143
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• 2022

The catastrophic earthquake-induced failure of slopes concentrically distributed at near-fault area, which indicated the special features of near-fault ground motions, i.e. horizontal pulse-like motion and large vertical component, should have great effect on these geo-disasters. We performed shaking table tests to investigate the effect of both horizontal pulse-like motion and vertical component on dynamic response of slope. Both unidirectional (i.e., horizontal or vertical motions) and bidirectional (i.e., horizontal and vertical components) motions are applied to soft rock slope model, and acceleration at different locations is reordered. The results show that the horizontal acceleration amplification factor (AAF) increases with height. Moreover, the horizontal AAF under unidirectional horizontal pulse-like excitations is larger than that subject to ordinary motion. The vertical AAF does not show an elevation amplification effect. The seismic response of slope under different bidirectional excitations is also different: (1) The horizontal AAF is roughly constant under horizontal pulse-like excitations with and without vertical waves, but (2) the horizontal AAF under ordinary bidirectional ground motions is larger than that under unidirectional ordinary motion. Above phenomena indicate that vertical component has limited effect on seismic response when the horizontal component is pulse-like ground motion, but it can greatly enhance seismic response of slope under ordinary horizontal motion. Moreover, the vertical AAF is enhanced by horizontal motion in both horizontal pulse-like and ordinary motion. Thence, we should pay enough attention to vertical ground motion, especially its horizontal component is ordinary ground motion.