• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2019

Fragility analysis is an effective tool that is frequently used for seismic risk assessment of bridges. There are three different approaches to derive a fragility curve: experimental, empirical and analytical. Both experimental and empirical methods to derive fragility curve are based on past earthquake reports and expert opinions which are not suitable for all bridges. Therefore, analytical fragility analysis becomes important. Nonlinear time history analysis is commonly used which is the most reliable method for determining probabilistic demand models. In this study, to determine the probabilistic demand models of bridges, time history analyses were performed considering both material and geometrical nonlinearities. Serviceability limit states for three different service velocities were considered as a performance goal. Also, support displacements, component yielding and collapse limits were taken into account. Both serviceability and component fragility were derived by using maximum likely hood methods. Finally, the seismic performance and critical members of the bridge were probabilistically determined and clearly presented.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.847-867
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• 2014

There are continuous efforts to mitigate structural losses from earthquakes and manage risk through seismic risk assessment; seismic fragility curves are widely accepted as an essential tool of such efforts. Seismic fragility curves can be classified into four groups based on how they are derived: empirical, judgmental, analytical, and hybrid. Analytical fragility curves are the most widely used and can be further categorized into two subgroups, depending on whether an analytical function or simulation method is used. Although both methods have shown decent performances for many seismic fragility problems, they often oversimplify the given problems in reliability or structural analyses owing to their built-in assumptions. In this paper, a new method is proposed for the development of seismic fragility curves. Integration with sophisticated software packages for reliability analysis (FERUM) and structural analysis (ZEUS-NL) allows the new method to obtain more accurate seismic fragility curves for less computational cost. Because the proposed method performs reliability analysis using the first-order reliability method, it provides component probabilities as well as useful byproducts and allows further fragility analysis at the system level. The new method was applied to a numerical example of a 2D frame structure, and the results were compared with those by Monte Carlo simulation. The method was found to generate seismic fragility curves more accurately and efficiently. Also, the effect of system reliability analysis on the development of seismic fragility curves was investigated using the given numerical example and its necessity was discussed.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.175-182
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• 2008

In performing a risk analysis of structure for earthquake, it is imperative to identify the vulnerability of structures associated with various stages of damage. And the earthquake resisting capability is needed for structures like bridge. So the damage analysis of bridges with or without isolator for earthquake effects is necessary. In this paper, the risk analysis of seismic isolated LRB bridges considering earthquake effects such as PGA, PGV, SA, SV, and SI is performed using fragility curves to assure the earthquake resisting capability of the structures. And, the stability of fragility curve is investigated with respect to elastic modulus.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.13 no.2 s.54
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• pp.145-152
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• 2009

In performing a risk analysis on structure for earthquake, it is imperative to identify the vulnerability of structures associated with various stages of damage. And the earthquake resisting capability is needed for structures like bridge. So the damage analysis of bridges with or without isolator for earthquake effects is necessary. In this paper, the risk analysis of seismic isolated LRB bridges considering earthquake effects such as PGA, PGV, SA, SV, and SI is performed using fragility curves to assure the earthquake resisting capability of the structures. And, the stability of fragility curve is investigated with respect to input earthquake.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.249-261
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• 2020

Seismic loss estimation studies require fragility curves which are usually derived using ground motion datasets. Ground motion records can be either in the form of recorded or simulated time histories compatible with regional seismicity. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the use of alternative ground motion datasets (simulated and real) on the fragility curves. Simulated dataset is prepared considering regional seismicity parameters corresponding to Erzincan using the stochastic finite-fault technique. In addition, regionally compatible records are chosen from the NGA-West2 ground motion database to form the real dataset. The paper additionally studies the effects of hazard variability and two different fragility curve derivation approaches on the generated fragility curves. As the final step for verification purposes, damage states estimated for the fragility curves derived using alternative approaches are compared with the observed damage levels from the 1992 Erzincan (Turkey) earthquake (Mw=6.6). In order to accomplish all these steps, a set of representative masonry buildings from Erzincan region are analyzed using simplified structural models. The results reveal that regionally simulated ground motions can be used alternatively in fragility analyses and damage estimation studies.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.183-189
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• 2019

In this study, it has been tried to prepare an analytical fragility curves for isolated straight continues highway bridges by considering different spectral intensity measures. A three-span concrete isolated bridge has been selected and the seismic performance of the bridge has been improved by Lead Rubber Bearing (LRB). Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) is applied to the bridge in longitudinal direction. A suite of 14 earthquake ground motions from medium to sever motions are scaled and used for nonlinear time history analysis. Fragility function considers the relationship of earthquake intensity measures (IM) and probability of exceeding certain Damage State (DS). A full three dimensional finite element model of the isolated bridge has been developed and analyzed. A wide range of different intensity measures are selected and the optimal intensity measure which has the less dispersion is proposed.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.99-123
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• 2015

In this study, structural vulnerability of reinforced concrete moment resisting frames (RC-MRFs) by considering the Iran-specific characteristics is investigated to manage the earthquake risk in terms of multicomponent seismic excitations. Low and medium rise RC-MRFs, which constitute approximately 80-90% of the total buildings stock in Iran, are focused in this fragility-based assessment. The seismic design of 3-12 story RC-MRFs are carried out according to the Iranian Code of Practice for Seismic Resistant Design of Buildings (Standard No. 2800), and the analytical models are formed accordingly in open source nonlinear platforms. Frame structures are categorized in three subclasses according to the specific characteristics of construction practice and the observed seismic performance after major earthquakes in Iran. Both far and near fields' ground motions have been considered in the fragility estimation. An optimal intensity measure (IM) called Sa, avg and beta probability distribution were used to obtain reliable fragility-based database for earthquake damage and loss estimation of RC buildings stock in urban areas of Iran. Nonlinear incremental dynamic analyses by means of lumped-parameter based structural models have been simulated and performed to extract the fragility curves. Approximate confidence bounds are developed to represent the epistemic uncertainties inherent in the fragility estimations. Consequently, it's shown that including vertical ground motion in the analysis is highly recommended for reliable seismic assessment of RC buildings.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.75-83
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• 2003

The ultimate goal of this research is to improve highway system performance in earthquakes by evaluating the effectiveness of retrofitting bridges with column jacketing. The objective of the study is to determine if steel jacketing increases the ductility capacity of bridge columns and hence improves the fragility characteristics of the bridge. Analytical fragility curves are used to adjust the empirical fragility curves obtained for the unretrofitted bridges using seismic damage data collected following past earthquakes. The adjustment was carried out by increasing the median values of the empirical curves through comparison with the median values of the corresponding fragility curves obtained analytically, both before and after being retrofit.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.379-393
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to first evaluate the seismic behavior of ageing arch bridges by using the Intensity Measure - based demand and DCFD format, which is referred to as the fragility-hazard format. Then, an investigation is performed for their seismic vulnerability. Analytical models are created for bridges concerning different features and these models are subjected to Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) analysis using a set of 22 earthquake records. The hazard curve and results of IDA analysis are employed to evaluate the return period of exceeding the limit states in the IM-based probabilistic performance-based context. Subsequently, the fragility-hazard format is used to assess factored demand, factored capacity, and the ratio of the factored demand to the factored capacity of the models with respect to different performance objectives. Finally, the vulnerability curves are obtained for the investigated bridges in terms of the loss ratio. The results revealed that decreasing the span length of the unreinforced arch bridges leads to the increase in the return period of exceeding various limit states and factored capacity and decrease in the displacement demand, the probability of failure, the factored demand, as well as the factored demand to factored capacity ratios, loss ratio, and seismic vulnerability. Finally, it is derived that the probability of the need for rehabilitation increases by an increase in the span length of the models.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 2018

This study presents the reliability-based analysis of nonlinear structures using the analytical fragility curves excited by random earthquake loads. The stochastic method of ground motion simulation is combined with the random vibration theory to compute structural failure probability. The formulation of structural failure probability using random vibration theory, based on only the frequency information of the excitation, provides an important basis for structural analysis in places where there is a lack of sufficient recorded ground motions. The importance of frequency content of ground motions on probability of structural failure is studied for different levels of the nonlinear behavior of structures. The set of simulated ground motion for this study is based on the results of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis. It is demonstrated that the scenario events identified by the seismic risk differ from those obtained by the disaggregation of seismic hazard. The validity of the presented procedure is evaluated by Monte-Carlo simulation.