• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.421-443
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• 2016

When conducting seismic assessment of an asymmetric building, it is essential to carry out three-dimensional analysis considering all the possible directions of seismic input. For this purpose, the author proposed a simplified procedure is to predict the largest peak seismic response of an asymmetric building subjected to horizontal bidirectional ground motion acting in an arbitrary angle of incidence in previous study. This simplified procedure has been applied to torsionally stiff (TS) asymmetric buildings with regular elevation. However, the suitability of this procedure to estimate the peak response of an asymmetric building with vertical irregularity, such as an asymmetric building with setback, has not been assessed. In this article, the pushover-based simplified procedure is applied to estimate the peak response of asymmetric buildings with bidirectional setback. Nonlinear dynamic (time-history) analysis of two six-storey asymmetric buildings with bidirectional setback and designed according to strong-column weak beam concept is carried out considering various directions of seismic input, and the results compared with those estimated by the proposed method. The largest peak displacement estimated by the simplified method agrees well with the envelope of the dynamic analysis response. The suitability assessment of the simplified procedure to analysed building models is made as well based on pushover analysis results.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.541-561
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• 2014

This paper approaches the issue of seismic vulnerability assessment strategies for facade walls of traditional masonry buildings through the development of a methodology and its subsequent application to over 600 building facades from the old building stock of the historic city centre of Coimbra. Using the post-earthquake damage assessment of masonry buildings in L'Aquila, Italy, an analytical function was developed and calibrated to estimate the mean damage grade for masonry facade walls. Having defined the vulnerability function for facade walls, damage scenarios were calculated and subsequently used in the development of an emergency planning tool and in the elaboration of an access route proposal for the case study of the historic city centre of Coimbra. Finally, the methodology was pre-validated through the comparison of a set of results obtained from its application and also resourcing to a widely accepted mechanical method on the description of the out-of-plane behaviour of facade walls.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.41-52
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• 2002

In the companion paper, nonlinear finite element analysis procedures are presented for the seismic damage evaluation of RC bridge piers. This paper defines a damage index based on the predicted hysteretic behavior of a RC bridge pier. Damage indices aim to provide a means of quantifying numerically the damage in RC bridge piers sustained under earthquake loading. The proposed numerical method is applied to RC bridge piers tested by other, and compared to existing damage indices. The proposed numerical method gives a realistic prediction of damage throughout the loading cycles for several test specimens investigated.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.9 no.5 s.45
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• pp.63-74
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to assess the seismic performance of reinforced concrete bridge columns using inelastic finite element analysis. The accuracy and objectivity of the assessment process may be enhanced by the use of sophisticated nonlinear finite element analysis program. A computer program, named RCAHEST (Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology), for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures was used. Damage index aims to provide a means of quantifying numerically the damage in reinforced concrete bridge columns sustained under earthquake loading. The proposed numerical method for the seismic performance assessment of reinforced concrete bridge columns is verified by comparison with reliable experimental results.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.3 s.49
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• pp.21-33
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to assess the seismic performance of reinforced concrete bridge columns using nonlinear finite element analysis. The accuracy and objectivity of the assessment process may be enhanced by the use of sophisticated nonlinear finite element analysis program. A computer program, named RCAHEST (Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology), for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures was used. Damage index aims to provide a means of quantifying numerically the damage in reinforced concrete bridge columns sustained under earthquake loading. The proposed numerical method for the seismic performance assessment of reinforced concrete bridge columns is verified by comparison with reliable experimental results.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.339-352
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• 2022

Due to the large volume and generally as a public building, the damage of large-span space structures under various non-conventional loads will cause greater economic losses, casualties, and social impacts, etc. Therefore, it is particularly important to evaluate the seismic performance of large-span space structures. This paper taked a multipurpose sports center as an example and considered its synergistic deformation based on the method of equivalent damping ratio. Furthermore, The ABAQUS software was used to analyze the time-history and energy response of the multipurpose sports center under the action of rare earthquakes, and proposed a quantitative damage index to assess the overall damage of the structure. Finally, the research results indicated that the maximum inter-story drift ratio of the multipurpose sports center under the action of rare earthquakes was less than its limit value. The frame beams presented different degrees of damage, but the key members were basically in an elastic state. The bearing capacity did not reach the limit value, which satisfied the intended seismic performance target. This study taked an actual case as an example and proposed a relevant damage evaluation system, which provided some reference for the analysis of the seismic performance of large-span space structures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.86 no.4
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• pp.547-571
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• 2023

To deeply probe the actual earthquake level and fragility of typical reinforced concrete (RC) structures under multiple intensity grades, considering diachronic measurement building stock samples and actual observations of representative catastrophic earth shocks in China from 1990 to 2010, RC structures were divided into traditional RC structures (TRCs) and bottom reinforced concrete frame seismic wall masonry (BFM) structures, and the empirical damage characteristics and mechanisms were analysed. A great deal of statistics and induction were developed on the historical experience investigation data of 59 typical catastrophic earthquakes in 9 provinces of China. The database and fragility matrix prediction model were established with TRCs of 4,122.5284×104 m² and 5,844 buildings and BFMs of 5,872 buildings as empirical seismic damage samples. By employing the methods of structural damage probability and statistics, nonlinear prediction of seismic vulnerability, and numerical and applied functional analysis, the comparison matrix of actual fragility probability prediction of TRC and BFM in multiple intensity regions under the latest version of China's macrointensity standard was established. A novel nonlinear regression prediction model of seismic vulnerability was proposed, and prediction models considering the seismic damage ratio and transcendental probability parameters were constructed. The time-varying vulnerability comparative model of the sample database was developed according to the different periods of multiple earthquakes. The new calculation method of the average fragility prediction index (AFPI) matrix parameter model has been proposed to predict the seismic fragility of an areal RC structure.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.609-629
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• 2012

This study deals with the assessment of low and mid rise multi-story buildings made of stone and /or brick, composite steel and masonry slabs from the sixties, known to be vulnerable to seismic hazard using the "vulnerability index" method based on buildings survey following Ain Temouchent (1999) and Boumerdes (2003) earthquakes, from where vulnerability curves are constructed using the translation method. The results obtained for the case study confirm what has been observed in situ.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.155-165
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• 2018

Methods based on nonlinear static analysis as simple tools could be used for the seismic analysis and assessment of structures. In the present study, capability of the N2 method as a well-known nonlinear analysis procedure examines for the estimation of the damage index of multi-storey reinforced concrete frames. In the implemented framework, equivalent single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) models are utilized for the global damage estimation of multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) systems. This method does not require high computational analysis and subsequently decreases the required time of seismic design and assessment process. To develop the methodology, RC frames with period range from 0.4 to 2.0 s under 40 records are studied. The effectiveness of proposed technique is evaluated through numerical study under near- and far-field earthquake ground motions. Finally, the results of developed models are compared with two other simplified schemes along with nonlinear time history analysis results of multi-storey frames. To improve the accuracy of damage estimation, a modified relation is presented based on the N2 method results for near- and far-field earthquakes.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.106-115
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• 2011

This study proposed a new methodology for seismic capacity evaluation of low-rise reinforced concrete (RC) buildings based on non-linear required spectrum. In order to verify the reliability of the proposed method, relationships between results obtained using the proposed method and the non-linear dynamic analyses were investigated. Compared with the seismic protection index (Es=0.6) defined in the Japanese Standard, the applicability of the method was also estimated. Research results indicate that the method proposed in this study compares reasonably well with the detailed evaluation methods. Using the seismic evaluation method developed in this study, the seismic capacity category and earthquake damage degree of low-rise RC buildings corresponding to a specific earthquake level can be effectively estimated.