• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.289-297
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• 2011

The explicit finite element method is an essential tool for solving large problems with severe nonlinear characteristics, but its results can be difficult to interpret. In particular, it can be impossible to evaluate its acceleration responses because of severe discontinuity, extreme noise or aliasing. We suggest a new post-processing method for transient responses and their response spectra. We propose smoothing methods using a Gaussian kernel without in depth knowledge of the complex frequency characteristics; such methods are successfully used in the filtering of digital signals. This smoothing can be done by measuring the velocity results and monitoring the response spectra. Gaussian kernel smoothing gives a better smoothness and representation of the peak values than other approaches do. The floor response spectra can be derived using smoothed accelerations for the design.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.192-205
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• 2020

Seismic design practices and seismic response analyses of civil structures and nuclear power plants (NPPs) have conventionally used the peak ground acceleration (PGA) or spectral acceleration (S_a) as an intensity measure (IM) of an earthquake. However, there are many other earthquake IMs that were proposed by various researchers. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between seismic responses of NPP components and 23 earthquake IMs and identify the best IMs for correlating with damage of NPP structures. Particularly, low- and high-frequency ground motion records are separately accounted in correlation analyses. An advanced power reactor NPP in Korea, APR1400, is selected for numerical analyses where containment and auxiliary buildings are modeled using SAP2000. Floor displacements and accelerations are monitored for the non- and base-isolated NPP structures while shear deformations of the base isolator are additionally monitored for the base-isolated NPP. A series of Pearson's correlation coefficients are calculated to recognize the correlation between each of the 23 earthquake IMs and responses of NPP structures. The numerical results demonstrate that there is a significant difference in the correlation between earthquake IMs and seismic responses of non-isolated NPP structures considering low- and high-frequency ground motion groups. Meanwhile, a trivial discrepancy of the correlation is observed in the case of the base-isolated NPP subjected to the two groups of ground motions. Moreover, a selection of PGA or S_a for seismic response analyses of NPP structures in the high-frequency seismic regions may not be the best option. Additionally, a set of fragility curves are thereafter developed for the base-isolated NPP based on the shear deformation of lead rubber bearing (LRB) with respect to the strongly correlated IMs. The results reveal that the probability of damage to the structure is higher for low-frequency earthquakes compared with that of high-frequency ground motions.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.105-116
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• 2022

Seismic demand on nonstructural components (NSCs) is highly dependent on the coupled behavior of a combined supporting structure-NSC system. Because of the inherent complexities of the problem, many of the affecting factors are inevitably neglected or simplified based on engineering judgments in current seismic design codes. However, a systematic analysis of the key affecting factors should establish reasonable seismic design provisions for NSCs. In this study, an idealized 2-DOF model simulating the coupled structure-NSC system was constructed to analyze the parameters that affect the response of NSCs comprehensively. The analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of structure-NSC mass ratio, structure, and NSC nonlinearities on the peak component acceleration. Also, the appropriateness of component ductility factor (R_p) given by current codes was discussed based on the required ductility capacity of NSCs. It was observed that the responses of NSCs on the coupled system were significantly affected by the mass ratio, resulting in lower accelerations than the floor spectrum-based response, which neglected the interaction effects. Also, the component amplification factor (a_p) in current provisions tended to underestimate the dynamic amplification of NSCs with a mass ratio of less than 15%. The nonlinearity of NSCs decreased the component responses. In some cases, the code-specified R_p caused nonlinear deformation far beyond the ductility capacity of NSCs, and a practically unacceptable level of ductility was required for short-period NSCs to achieve the assigned amount of response reduction.