• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.1091-1114
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• 2015

The adequacy of a number of advanced earthquake Intensity Measures (IMs) to predict the structural damage of earthquake resistant 3D R/C buildings is investigated in the present paper. To achieve this purpose three symmetric in plan and three asymmetric 5-storey R/C buildings are analyzed by nonlinear time history analysis using 74 bidirectional earthquake records. The two horizontal accelerograms of each ground motion are applied along the structural axes of the buildings and the structural damage is expressed in terms of the maximum and average interstorey drift as well as the overall structural damage index. For each individual pair of accelerograms the values of the aforementioned seismic damage measures are determined. Then, they are correlated with several strong motion scalar IMs that take into account both earthquake and structural characteristics. The research identified certain IMs which exhibit strong correlation with the seismic damage measures of the studied buildings. However, the degree of correlation between IMs and the seismic damage depends on the damage measure adopted. Furthermore, it is confirmed that the widely used spectral acceleration at the fundamental period of the structure is a relatively good IM for medium rise R/C buildings that possess small structural eccentricity.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.563-576
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• 2021

The rocking foundation is effective for reducing structural seismic demand and avoiding overdesign of the foundation. It is crucial to evaluate the performance of rocking foundations because they cause plastic hinging in the soil. In this study, to derive optimized ground motion intensity measures (IMs) for rocking foundations, the efficiency of IMs correlated with engineering demand parameters (EDPs) was estimated through the coefficient determination using a physical modeling database for rocking shallow foundations. Foundation deformations, the structural horizontal drift ratio, and contribution in drift from foundation rotation and sliding were selected as crucial EDPs for the evaluation of rocking foundation systems. Among 15 different IMs, the peak ground velocity exhibited the most efficient parameters correlated with the EDPs, and it was discovered to be an efficient ground motion IM for predicting the seismic performance of rocking foundations. For vector regression, which uses two IMs to present the EDPs, the IMs indicating time features improved the efficiency of the regression curves, but the correlation was poor when these are used independently. Moreover, the ratio of the column-hinging base shear coefficient to the rocking base shear coefficient showed obvious trends for the accurate assessment of the seismic performance of rocking foundation-structure systems.

• 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.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.221-230
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• 2017

One of the important phases of probabilistic performance-based methodology is establishing appropriate probabilistic seismic demand models (PSDMs). These demand models relate ground motion intensity measures (IMs) to demand measures (DMs). The objective of this paper is selection of the optimal IMs in probabilistic seismic demand analysis (PSDA) of the RC high-rise buildings. In selection process features such as: efficiency, practically, proficiency and sufficiency are considered. RC high-rise buildings with core wall structural system are selected as a case study building class with the three characteristic heights: 20-storey, 30-storey and 40-storey. In order to determine the most optimal IMs, 720 nonlinear time-history analyses are conducted for 60 ground motion records with a wide range of magnitudes and distances to source, and for various soil types, thus taking into account uncertainties during ground motion selection. The non-linear 3D models of the case study buildings are constructed. A detailed regression analysis and statistical processing of results are performed and appropriate PSDMs for the RC high-rise building are derived. Analyzing a large number of results it are adopted conclusions on the optimality of individual ground motion IMs for the RC high-rise building.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.873-889
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• 2015

In civil engineering, probabilistic seismic risk assessment is used to predict the economic damage to a lifeline system of possible future earthquakes. The results are used to plan mitigation measures and to strengthen the structures where necessary. Instead, after an earthquake public authorities need mathematical models that compute: the damage caused by the earthquake to the individual vulnerable components and links, and the global behavior of the lifeline system. In this study, a framework that was developed and used for prediction purpose is modified to assess the consequences of an earthquake in quasi real-time after such earthquake happened. This is possible because nowadays entire seismic regions are instrumented with tight networks of strong motion stations, which provide and broadcast accurate intensity measure maps of the event to the public within minutes. The framework uses the broadcasted map and calculates the damage to the lifeline system and its component in quasi real-time. The results give the authorities the most likely status of the system. This helps emergency personnel to deal with the damage and to prioritize visual inspections and repairs. A highway transportation network is used as a test bed but any lifeline system can be analyzed.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.629-637
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• 2018

In recent years, selection of strong ground motion records by means of intensity measures representing the spectral shape of the earthquake excitation has been studied by many researchers. These studies indicate the adequacy of this record selection approach in reduction of the scattering of seismic responses. In present study, this method has been studied more in depth to reveal the sufficiency of the spectral shape in predicting structural seismic responses such as the plastic deformation and the dissipated hysteresis energy which are associated with cumulative properties of the selected records. For this purpose, after selecting the records based on the spectral shape, the correlation of some seismic responses and strong ground motion duration of earthquake records are explored. Findings indicate strong correlation of some structural responses with the significant duration of the records. This fact implies that the spectral shape could not reflect all characteristics of the strong ground motion and emphasizes the importance of additional criteria along with the spectral shape in the record selection.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.443-452
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• 2018

In this paper the new intensity measures (IMs) for probabilistic seismic analysis of RC high-rise buildings with core wall structural system are proposed. The existing IMs are analysed and the new optimal ones are presented. The newly proposed IMs are based on the existing ones which: 1) comprise a wider range of frequency velocity spectrum content and 2) are defined as the integral along the velocity spectrum. In analysis characteristics of optimal IMs such as: efficiency, practicality, proficiency and sufficiency are considered. As prototype buildings, RC high-rise buildings with core wall structural system and with characteristic heights: 20-storey, 30-storey and 40-storey, are selected. The non-linear 3D models of the prototype buildings are constructed. 720 non-linear time-history analyses are conducted for 60 ground motion records with a wide range of magnitudes, distances to source and various soil types. Statistical processing of results and detailed regression analysis are performed and appropriate demand models which relate IMs to demand measures (DMs), are obtained. The conducted analysis has shown that the newly proposed IMs can efficiently predict the DMs with minimum dispersion and satisfactory practicality as compared to the other commonly used IMs (e.g., PGA and $S_a(T_1)$). The newly proposed IMs overcome difficulties in calculating of integral along the velocity spectrum and present adequate replacement for IMs which comprise a wider range of frequency velocity spectrum content.

• 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 Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.397-404
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• 2012

Fragility curves show the probability of a system reaching a limit state as a function of some measure of seismic intensity. To obtain fragility curves of six and twelve story staggered wall structures with middle corridor, incremental dynamic analyses were carried out using twenty two pairs of earthquake records, and their failure probabilities for various intensity of seismic load were investigated. The performances of staggered wall structures with added columns along the central corridor and the structures with their first story walls replaced by columns were compared with those of the regular staggered wall structures. Based on the analysis results it was concluded that staggered wall structures with central columns have the largest safety margin for the same level of seismic load.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.279-283
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• 2022

The seismic analytic collapse fragility of soil nail wall structures with a shotcrete concrete covering is investigated in this paper. The finite element modeling process has been well described. The fragility function evaluates the link between ground motion intensities and the likelihood of reaching a specific level of damage. The soil nail wall has been subjected to incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) from medium to strong ground vibrations. The nonlinear dynamic analysis of the soil nail wall uses a set of 20 earthquake ground motions with varying PGAs. PGD is utilized as an intensity measure, the numerical findings demonstrate that the soil nailing wall reaction is particularly sensitive to earthquake intensity measure (IM).