• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.319-325
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• 2021

The 2011 East Japan Earthquake caused accidents at a number of nuclear power plants in Fukushima, highlighting the need for a study on the seismic safety of multiple NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) units. In the case of nuclear power plants built on a site that shows a similar seismic response, there is at least a correlation between the seismic damage of structures, systems, and components (SSCs) of nuclear power plants. In this study, a probabilistic seismic safety assessment was performed for the loss of essential power events of twin units. To derive an appropriate seismic damage correlation coefficient, a probabilistic seismic response analysis was performed. Using the external event mensuration system program, we analyzed the seismic fragility and seismic risk by composing a failure tree of multiple loss of essential power events. Additionally, a comparative analysis was performed considering the seismic damage correlation between SSCs as completely independent and completely dependent.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.233-245
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• 2008

For historical masonry structures existing in the Mediterranean area, structural strengthening is of primary importance due to the continuous earthquake threat that is posed on them. Proper retrofitting of historical structures involves a thorough understanding of their structural pathology, before proceeding with any intervention measures. In this paper, a methodology is presented for the evaluation of the actual state of historical masonry structures, which can provide a useful tool for the seismic response assessment before and after the retrofitting. The methodology is mainly focused on the failure and vulnerability analysis of masonry structures using the finite element method. Using this methodology the retrofitting of historical structures with innovative techniques is investigated. The innovative technique presented here involves the exploitation of Shape Memory Alloy prestressed bars. This type of intervention is proposed because it ensures increased reversibility and minimization of interventions, in comparison with conventional retrofitting methods. In this paper, a case study is investigated for the demonstration of the proposed methodologies and techniques, which comprises a masonry Byzantine church and a masonry Cistern. Prestressed SMA alloy bars are placed into the load-bearing system of the structure. The seismic response of the non-retrofitted and the retrofitted finite element models are compared in terms of seismic energy dissipation and displacements diminution.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.2
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• pp.147-161
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• 2022

The Brace-Type Shear Fuse (BSF) device is a newly proposed steel damper with excellent cumulative ductility and stable energy dissipation. In consideration of the current situation where there are not many alternatives for transversal seismic devices used in long-span three-tower self-anchored bridges (TSSBs), this paper implements improved BSFs into the world's longest TSSB, named Jinan Fenghuang Yellow River Bridge. The new details of the BSF are developed for the TSSB, and the force-displacement hysteretic curves of the BSFs are obtained using finite element (FE) simulations. A three-dimensional refined finite element model for the research TSSB was established in SAP2000, and the effects of BSFs on dynamic characteristics and seismic response of the TSSB under different site conditions were investigated by the numerical simulation method. The results show that remarkable controlling effects of BSFs on seismic response of TSSBs under different site conditions were obtained. Compared with the case without BSFs, the TSSB installed with BSFs has mitigation ratios of the tower top displacement, lateral girder displacement, tower bending moment and tower shear force exceeding 95%, 78%, 330% and 346%, respectively. Meanwhile, BSFs have a sufficient restoring force mechanism with a minor post-earthquake residual displacement. The proposed BSFs exhibit good application prospects in long-span TSSBs.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.319-330
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• 2022

Retrofit of soft-story buildings due to seismic loads using Gap-Inclined-Brace (GIB) system is considered a new retrofit technique that aims to maintain both strength and stiffness of structure. In addition, it provides more ductility and less P-delta effect, and subsequently better performance is observed. In this paper, the effect of the eccentricity between GIB and the retrofitted column due to installation on the efficiency of the retrofitting system is studied. In addition, a modification in the determination method of GIB properties is introduced to reduce the eccentricity effect. Also, the effect of GIB system on the seismic response of mid-rise buildings with different heights considering soft-story at various heights has been studied. A numerical model is developed to study the impact of such system on the response of retrofitted soft-story buildings under the action of seismic loads. To achieve that goal, this model is used to perform a numerical investigation, by considering five case study scenarios represent several locations of soft-story of two mid-rise reinforced concrete buildings. At first, Non-linear static pushover analysis was carried out to develop the capacity curves for case studies. Then, Non-linear time history analyses using ten earthquake records with five peak ground accelerations is performed for each case study scenario before and after retrofitting with GIB. The results show that large GIB eccentricity reduce the ultimate lateral resistance and deformation capacity of the retrofitting system. Moreover, the higher the retrofitted building, the more deformation capacity is observed but without significant increase in ultimate lateral resistance.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 1993.10a
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• pp.267-272
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• 1993

Currently about 60 contries in the world require earthquake resistant structural design in case of multistory building constructions. In these cases the equivalent lateral force procedure is commonly adopted because of its simplicity and convenience. This procedure, however, is developed based mainly on the first vibration mode response of building structure. The dynamic analysis of tall building shows that the effect of higher modes of vibration on the response of the building can not be neglected. In this paper, the effect of higher modes of vibration on seismic response is evaluated through modal analysis of tall building structures. On the basis of evaluation results, an improved procedure is to be proposed for the extended application of the equivalent lateral force procedure.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.421-437
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• 2024

The soil nailing method entails the utilisation of nails to reinforce and stabilise a zone of soil mass. This is widely used for various applications due to its effective performance under various loading conditions. The seismic response of 6m high vertical soil-nailed cut in various site classes under dynamic excitations has been investigated in this study considering various lengths and inclinations of nails. The influence of frequency content of dynamic excitation on the response of structure has been assessed through finite element analysis using time history data of three different earthquakes. The seismic stability of the nailed cut in retaining soil in various sites under El Centro, Kobe and Trinidad earthquake ground motion is evaluated based on maximum acceleration response, maximum horizontal deformation, earth pressure distribution on the wall and maximum axial force mobilised in nails. The optimum nail inclination is identified as 15° and a minimum nail length ratio of 0.7 is essential for a stable vertical cut under dynamic excitations.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.19-27
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• 2001

In this seismic analyses of structures, it is well recognized that the effects of soil-structure interaction can not be ignored and seismic responses of a structure taking into account the stiffnesses of a foundation-soil system show the significant difference from those with a rigid base. However, current seismic analyses of apartment building structures were carried out with the rigid base ignoring the characteristics of the foundation and the properties of the underlying soil. In this study, seismic analyses of wall-slob type apartment buildings which have a particular structural type were carried out taking into account the soft soil layer comparing seismic response spectra of a flexible base with those of a rigid base and UBC-97. Low-rise or middle height wall-slab type apartment buildings built on the deep soft soil layer showed a rigid body motion with the reduced seismic responses due to the base isolation effect, indicating that it is considerably safe but uneconomical to utilize the design spectra of UB-97 for the seismic design of wall-slab type apartment buildings due to conservative design.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.3-15
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• 2001

Generally, it has been noted that underground structures have a consistent record of suffering much less damage than surface facilities during earthquakes; but it is still necessary to illustrate the dynamic response of tunnel structures subject to earthquake loadings and to provide the appropriate method for the seismic analysis of underground tunnel structures since many types of underground structures have been and will be constructed in countries situated within seismic zones. In this study, first, seismic analyses for underground tunnel structures are performed by using quasistatic analysis method and dynamic analysis method. Second, seismic analyses in tunnel portals are performed by using above methods. The results of seismic analyses for the tunnel structure show that the tunnel structure conforms to ground deformation and that seismic design by using the quasi-static analysis method is more conservative than that by using the dynamic analysis. The results of the dynamic FEM analysis for the tunnel structure show that the simplified 2-D FEM analysis using a sine wave rather than the 3-D FEM analysis can be adopted for seismic analysis. Finally, the results of the dynamic FEM analysis in tunnel portals show that the force acting on the lining is largest near to the tunnel portal when an earthquake wave propagates parallel to tunnel axis.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2021

Recently, various piloti structures have been constructed in Korea to secure residential and parking spaces. However, these piloti structures have been constructed in the form of protruding columns without walls to secure parking spaces on the first floor. In this form, when an earthquake occurs, the column is relatively easily damaged compared to general structures, and such damage can lead to the collapse of the structure. Therefore, in this study, a study on securing the safety of the piloti structure using the MPS (Multi Performance System) seismic isolation device was conducted. Nonlinear dynamic analysis according to the presence or absence of MPS seismic isolation device was performed on the existing piloti structure, and analysis results were compared and analyzed. Finally, each seismic performance evaluation was performed and the superiority of the MPS seismic isolation device was verified.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.779-807
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• 2016

Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) are essential tools in seismic hazard analysis. With the introduction of probabilistic approaches for the estimation of seismic response of structures, also known as, performance based earthquake engineering framework; new tasks are defined for response spectrum such as the reference criterion for effective structure-specific selection of ground motions for nonlinear time history analysis. One of the recent efforts to introduce a high quality databank of ground motions besides the corresponding selection scheme based on the broadband spectral consistency is the development of SIMBAD (Selected Input Motions for displacement-Based Assessment and Design), which is designed to improve the reliability of spectral values at all natural periods by removing noise with modern proposed approaches. In this paper, a new global GMPE is proposed by using selected ground motions from SIMBAD to improve the reliability of computed spectral shape indicators. To determine regression coefficients, 204 pairs of horizontal components from 35 earthquakes with magnitude ranging from Mw 5 to Mw 7.1 and epicentral distances lower than 40 km selected from SIMBAD are used. The proposed equation is compared with similar models both qualitatively and quantitatively. After the verification of model by several goodness-of-fit measures, the epsilon values as the spectral shape indicator are computed and the validity of available prediction equations for correlation of the pairs of epsilon values is examined. General consistency between predictions by new model and others, especially, in short periods is confirmed, while, at longer periods, there are meaningful differences between normalized residuals and correlation coefficients between pairs of them estimated by new model and those are computed by other empirical equations. A simple collapse assessment example indicate possible improvement in the correlation between collapse capacity and spectral shape indicators (${\varepsilon}$) up to 20% by selection of a more applicable GMPE for calculation of ${\varepsilon}$.