• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.279-291
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• 2024

The "Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral (KIGAM) Quake" is a web-based open platform developed for publicly serving seismological data from 61 stations operated by KIGAM in Korea. The service provides meta-information related to observatory sites, sensors, and recorders necessary for utilizing the seismological data, as well as mainly observed continuous and strong-motion waveforms. The data is available through both the web and International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks (FDSN) web services (open API), a unified data-providing interface in seismology. The platform aims to strengthen its open nature by offering a signal processing function for strong ground motions that can be controlled by user requests. The processed results can be downloaded in ASCII format, designed to meet the increased demands and accessibility in the earthquake engineering field. The platform also offers earthquake research information produced by KIGAM, such as recent major earthquake source information and academic annual report of earthquakes. Additionally, a site flat file was constructed for the geotechnical characteristics of 61 KIGAM station (KGNET) sites based on direct investigations and estimations.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.695-710
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• 2014

This paper presents a theoretical and computational approach to solve inelastic structures subjected to overloads. Current practice in structural design is based on elastic analysis followed by limit strength design. Whereas this approach typically results in safe strength design, it does not always guarantee satisfactory performance at the service level because the internal stiffness distribution of the structure changes from the service to the ultimate strength state. A significant variation of relative stiffnesses between the two states may result in unwanted cracking at the service level with expensive repairs, while, under certain circumstances, early failure may occur due to unexpected internal moment reversals. To address these concerns, a new inelastic model is presented here that is based on the nonlinear material response and the interaction relation between axial forces and bending moments of a beam-column element. The model is simple, reasonably accurate, and computationally efficient. It is easy to implement in standard structural analysis codes, and avoids the complexities of expensive alternative analyses based on 2D and 3D finite-element computations using solid elements.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.109-120
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• 2017

The behavior of moment resistant steel structures depends on both the beam-column connections and columns foundations connections. Obviously, if the connections can meet the adequate ductility and resistance against lateral loads, the seismic capacity of these structures will be linked practically to the performance of these connections. The shape memory alloys (SMAs) have been most recently used as a means of energy dissipation in buildings. The main approach adopted by researchers in the use of such alloys is firstly bracing, and secondly connecting the beams to columns. Additionally, the behavior of these alloys is modeled in software applications rarely involving equivalent torsional springs and column-foundation connections. This paper attempts to introduce the shape memory alloys and their applications in steel structural connections, proposing a new steel column-foundation connection, not merely a theoretical model but practically a realistic and applicable model in structures. Moreover, it entails the same functionality as macro modeling software based on real behavior, which can use different materials to establish a connection between the columns and foundations. In this paper, the suggested steel column-foundation connection was introduced. Moreover, exploring the seismic dynamic behavior under cyclic loading protocols and the famous earthquake records with different materials such as steel and interconnection equipment by superelastic shape memory alloys have been investigated. Then, the results were compared to demonstrate that such connections are ideal against the seismic behavior and energy dissipation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.653-669
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• 2016

Recent earthquakes worldwide show that a significant portion of the earthquake shaking happens in the vertical direction. This phenomenon has raised significant interests to consider the vertical ground motion during the seismic design and assessment of the structures. Strong vertical ground motions can alter the axial forces in the columns, which might affect the shear capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) members. This is particularly important for non-ductile RC frames, which are very vulnerable to earthquake-induced collapse. This paper presents the detailed nonlinear dynamic analysis to quantify the collapse risk of non-ductile RC frame structures with varying heights. An array of non-ductile RC frame architype buildings located in Los Angeles, California were designed according to the 1967 uniform building code. The seismic responses of the architype buildings subjected to concurrent horizontal and vertical ground motions were analyzed. A comprehensive array of ground motions was selected from the PEER NGA-WEST2 and Iran Strong Motions Network database. Detailed nonlinear dynamic analyses were performed to quantify the collapse fragility curves and collapse margin ratios (CMRs) of the architype buildings. The results show that the vertical ground motions have significant impact on both the local and global responses of non-ductile RC moment frames. Hence, it is crucial to include the combined vertical and horizontal shaking during the seismic design and assessment of non-ductile RC moment frames.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.21-38
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• 2016

Many studies have been carried out to investigate the important factors in calculating the realistic entropy amount of water distribution networks, but none of them have considered both mechanical and hydraulic characteristics of the networks. Also, the entropy difference in various networks has not been calculated exactly. Therefore, this study suggested a modified entropy function to calculate the informational entropy of water distribution networks so that the order of demand nodes and entropy difference among various networks could be calculated by taking into account both mechanical and hydraulic characteristics of the network. This modification was performed through defining a coefficient in the entropy function as the amount of outflow at each node to all dissipated power in the network. Hence, a more realistic method for calculating entropy was presented by considering both mechanical and hydraulic characteristics of network while keeping simplicity. The efficiency of the suggested method was evaluated by calculating the entropy of some sample water networks using the modified function.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

This article is all about using the MR damper with an external lever system for mitigation torsional and transitional lateral displacements by using of PID control algorithm. The torsional modes are so destructive and can be varied during an earthquake therefore, using a semi-active control system mostly recommended for them. In this paper the corner lateral displacement of each floor obtains and then it equivalents in a solid member and it connects to an MR damper, which relies to a rigid structure to reduce the response. An MR damper is a semi-active control system, which can absorb a lot of energy by injecting current to it. This amount of current is very low and needs low power supply, but it increases the amount of damper force, rather than inactive systems like viscous dampers. This paper will show the appropriate algorithm for current injection into MR damper when the eccentricity of the load is changed by using of Bouc-Wen and Bingham's methods and illustrates the coincidence of them.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.103-118
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• 2017

In vertical seismic isolation (VSI), a building is partitioned intentionally by vertical layers into two dynamically different substructures for seismic response reduction. Initially, a 1-story frame was partitioned into two substructures, interconnected by viscous and visco-elastic links, and seismic responses of the original and the vertically isolated structures (VIS) were obtained, considering a large number of stiffness and mass ratios of substructures with respect to the original structure. Color contour graphs were defined for presentation and investigation of large amounts of output results. Dynamic characteristics of the isolated structures were studied by considering the non-classical damping of the system, and then the effects of viscous and visco-elastic link parameters on the modal damping ratios were discussed. On this basis, three states of mass isolation, interactional state, and control mass were differentiated. Response history analyses were performed by Runge-Kutta numerical method. In these analyses, interaction of isolation ratios and link parameters, on response control of VIS was studied and the appropriate ranges for link parameters as well as the optimal ranges for isolation ratios were suggested. Results show that by using the VSI technique, seismic response reduction up to 50% in flexible substructure and even more in stiff substructure is achievable.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.201-216
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• 2014

In this paper the vulnerability of the confined masonry buildings is evaluated analytically. The proposed approach includes the nonlinear dynamic analysis of the two-story confined masonry buildings with common plan as a reference structure. In this approach the damage level is calculated based on the probability of exceedance of loss vs a specified ground motion in the form of fragility curves. The fragility curves of confined masonry wall buildings are presented in two levels of limit states corresponding to elastic and maximum strength versus PGA based on analytical method. In this regard the randomness of parameters indicating the characteristics of the building structure as well as ground motion is considered as likely uncertainties. In order to develop the analytical fragility curves the proposed analytical models of confined masonry walls in a previous investigation of the authors, are used to specify the damage indices and responses of the structure. In order to obtain damage indices a series of pushover analyses are performed, and to identify the seismic demand a series of nonlinear dynamic analysis are conducted. Finally by considering various mechanical and geometric parameters of masonry walls and numerous accelerograms, the fragility curves with assuming a log normal distribution of data are derived based on capacity and demand of building structures in a probabilistic approach.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.863-875
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• 2020

After medium or strong earthquakes, damage in the reduced portion of RBS connections occurs due to plastic deformations. The purpose of this paper is to numerically and experimentally investigate the reduced depth section connection as a replaceable fuse. In this regard, three commonly used rigid connections with RBS, a replaceable fuse with RBS, and a replaceable fuse with Reduced Depth Section (RDS-F) were evaluated. All specimens were subjected to quasi-static cyclic load until failure. Although the final strength of the RDS-F is lower than that of the other two, laboratory results showed that it had the maximum ductility among the three samples. The numerical models of all three laboratory samples were constructed in ABAQUS, and the results were verified with great accuracy. The results of more than 28 numerical analyses showed that the RDS-F sample is more ductile than the other specimens. Moreover, the thickness of the web and the plastic section modulus increasing, the final strength would be equal to the other specimens. Therefore, the modified RDS-F with replaceability after an earthquake can be a better alternative for RBS connections.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.121-129
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• 2012

All contemporary seismic Codes have adopted smooth design acceleration response spectra, which have derived by statistical analysis of many elastic response spectra of natural accelerograms. The above smooth design spectra are characterized by two main branches, an horizontal branch that is 2.5 times higher than the peak ground acceleration, and a declining parabolic branch. According to Eurocode EN/1998, the period range of the horizontal, flat branch is extended from 0.1 s, for rock soils, up to 0.8 s for softer ones. However, from many natural recorded accelerograms of important earthquakes, the real spectral amplification factor appears to be much higher than 2.5 and this means that the spectrum leads to an unsafe seismic design of the structures. This point is an issue open to question and it is the object of the present study. In the present paper, the spectral amplification factor of the smooth design acceleration spectra is re-calculated on the grounds of a known "reliability index" for a desired probability of exceedance. As a pilot scheme, the seismic area of Greece is chosen, as it is the most seismically hazardous area in Europe. The accelerograms of the 82 most important earthquakes, which have occurred in Greece during the last 38 years, are used. The soil categories are taken into account according to EN/1998. The results that have been concluded from these data are compared with the results obtained from other strong earthquakes reported in the World literature.