• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.29-44
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• 2010

Vertical vibration tests were conducted using model footings of different size and mass resting on the surface of finite sand layer with different height to width ratios which was underlain by either rigid concrete base, under both dry and saturated condition. The effect of saturation on the damping ratio of finite sand stratum underlain by a rigid base has been verified and compared with the results obtained for the case of finite dry sand stratum underlain by the rigid base. Comparison of results of the experimental study showed that the damping in both the cases is less than 10%. The damping ratio obtained for finite saturated sand stratum is marginally lower than that obtained on finite dry sand stratum at H/B ratio of 0.5. The difference between the two cases becomes significant when the H/B ratio increases to 3.0, indicating the significant influence of soil moisture on damping ratio of foundation- soil system with increase in the thickness of the finite sand stratum. Comparison of the predicted damping ratio for a homogeneous sand stratum with the experimental damping ratio obtained corresponding to the height to width ratio of 3.0 of the finite sand stratum underlain by the rigid concrete base indicates a significant reduction in damping ratio of the foundation-soil system for both the cases.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.379-389
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• 2016

This study intends to evaluate the conservativeness of the fixed-base analysis as compared to the soil-structure interaction (SSI) analysis for the seismically isolated model of a nuclear power plant in Korea. To that goal, the boundary reaction method (BRM), combining frequency-domain and time-domain analyses in a twofold process, is adopted for the SSI analysis considering the nonlinearity of the seismic base isolation. The program KIESSI-3D is used for computing the reaction forces in the frequency domain and the program MIDAS/Civil is applied for the nonlinear time-domain analysis. The BRM numerical model is verified by comparing the results of the frequency-domain analysis and time-domain analysis for the soil-structure system with an equivalent linear base isolation model. Moreover, the displacement response of the base isolation and the horizontal response at the top of the structure obtained by the nonlinear SSI analysis using BRM are compared with those obtained by the fixed-base analysis. The comparison reveals that the fixed-base analysis provides conservative peak deformation for the base isolation but is not particularly conservative in term of the floor response spectrum of the superstructure.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.311-321
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• 2013

In this study, to have a better judgment on the structural performance, the effects of dynamic Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI) on seismic behaviour and lateral structural response of mid-rise moment resisting building frames are studied using Finite Difference Method. Three types of mid-rise structures, including 5, 10, and 15 storey buildings are selected in conjunction with three soil types with the shear wave velocities less than 600m/s, representing soil classes $C_e$, $D_e$ and $E_e$, according to Australian Standard AS 1170.4. The above mentioned frames have been analysed under two different boundary conditions: (i) fixed-base (no soil-structure interaction), and (ii) flexible-base (considering soil-structure interaction). The results of the analyses in terms of structural lateral displacements and drifts for the above mentioned boundary conditions have been compared and discussed. It is concluded that the dynamic soil-structure interaction plays a considerable role in seismic behaviour of mid-rise building frames including substantial increase in the lateral deflections and inter-storey drifts and changing the performance level of the structures from life safe to near collapse or total collapse. Thus, considering soil-structure interaction effects in the seismic design of mid-rise moment resisting building frames, particularly when resting on soft soil deposit, is essential.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.663-680
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• 2012

Previous major earthquakes revealed that most damage of the buried segmented pipelines occurs at the joints of the pipelines. It has been proven that the differential motions between the pipe segments are one of the primary reasons that results in the damage (Zerva et al. 1986, O'Roueke and Liu 1999). This paper studies the combined influences of ground motion spatial variations and local soil conditions on the seismic responses of buried segmented pipelines. The heterogeneous soil deposits surrounding the pipelines are assumed resting on an elastic half-space (base rock). The spatially varying base rock motions are modelled by the filtered Tajimi-Kanai power spectral density function and an empirical coherency loss function. Local site amplification effect is derived based on the one-dimensional wave propagation theory by assuming the base rock motions consist of out-of-plane SH wave or combined in-plane P and SV waves propagating into the site with an assumed incident angle. The differential axial and lateral displacements between the pipeline segments are stochastically formulated in the frequency domain. The influences of ground motion spatial variations, local soil conditions, wave incident angle and stiffness of the joint are investigated in detail. Numerical results show that ground motion spatial variations and local soil conditions can significantly influence the differential displacements between the pipeline segments.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.27-47
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• 2015

In this study, the accuracy and reliability of fully nonlinear method against equivalent linear method for dynamic analysis of soil-structure interaction is investigated comparing the predicted results of both numerical procedures with the results of experimental shaking table tests. An enhanced numerical soil-structure model has been developed which treats the behaviour of the soil and the structure with equal rigour. The soil-structural model comprises a 15 storey structural model resting on a soft soil inside a laminar soil container. The structural model was analysed under three different conditions: (i) fixed base model performing conventional time history dynamic analysis, (ii) flexible base model (considering full soil-structure interaction) conducting equivalent linear dynamic analysis, and (iii) flexible base model performing fully nonlinear dynamic analysis. The results of the above mentioned three cases in terms of lateral storey deflections and inter-storey drifts are determined and compared with the experimental results of shaking table tests. Comparing the experimental results with the numerical analysis predictions, it is noted that equivalent linear method of dynamic analysis underestimates the inelastic seismic response of mid-rise moment resisting building frames resting on soft soils in comparison to the fully nonlinear dynamic analysis method. Thus, inelastic design procedure, using equivalent linear method, cannot adequately guarantee the structural safety for mid-rise building frames resting on soft soils. However, results obtained from the fully nonlinear method of analysis fit the experimental results reasonably well. Therefore, this method is recommended to be used by practicing engineers.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.193-205
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• 2021

The importance of forests and trees in climate change mitigation and soil nutrient cycling cannot be overemphasized. This study assessed the above-ground carbon stock of two exotic and two indigenous tree species - Gmelina arborea, Tectona grandis, Khaya grandifoliola and Nauclea diderrichii and their litter impact on soil nutrient content of an arboretum within the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Data were collected from equal sample plots from the four species' compartments. Tree growth variables including total height, diameter at breast height, crown height, crown diameter and merchantable height were measured for the estimation of above-ground carbon stock. Soil samples were collected from a depth of 0-30 cm from each compartment and analyzed for particle size distribution, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable bases, exchangeable acidity, cation exchange capacity, base saturation, pH, Manganese, Iron, Copper and Zinc. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test for significant difference (p<0.05) in the carbon contents of the four species and the soil nutrient contents of the different species' compartments. Pearson correlation was used to assess the relationships between the carbon contents, growth parameters and soil parameters. The highest and lowest carbon stock per hectare was observed for G. arborea (151.52 t.ha^-1) and K. grandifoliola (45.45 t.ha^-1) respectively. Cation exchange capacity and base saturation were highest and lowest for soil under G. arborea and K. grandifoliola respectively. The pH was highest and lowest for soil under G. arborea and T. grandis respectively. Carbon stock correlated positively with dbh, crown diameter, merchantable height and Zn and negatively with base saturation. The study revealed that G. arborea and N. diderrichii can effectively be used for reforestation and afforestation programmes aimed at climate change mitigation across Nigeria. Therefore, policies to encourage and enhance their planting should be encouraged.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.33-44
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• 2018

Base-isolated nuclear power plant (BI-NPP) structures are founded on expanded basemat as a flexible floating nuclear island, are still lacking the recommendation of the consideration of incoherent motion effect. The effect of incoherent earthquake motion on the seismic response of BI-NPP structure has been investigated herein. The incoherency of the ground motions is applied by using an isotropic frequency-dependent spatial correlation function to perform the conditional simulation of the reference design spectrum compatible ground motion in time domain. Time history analysis of two structural models with 486 and 5 equivalent lead plug rubber bearing (LRB) base-isolators have been done under uniform excitation and multiple point excitation. two different cases have been considered: 1) Incoherent motion generated for soft soil and 2) Incoherent motion generated for hard rock soil. The results show that the incoherent motions reduce acceleration and the lateral displacement responses and the reduction is noticeable at soft soil site and higher frequencies.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.99-106
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• 1999

In this study a base-isolated liquid storage tank subjected to seismic ground motion is numerically simulated on frequency , domain considering three-dimensional liquid-structure-soil interaction. A hybrid formulation which combines the versatility of finite elements for tank structure and the efficiency of boundary elements for liquid and soil region is adopted for efficient modeling. The base-isolation system using the effective stiffness and damping ratio is also included in this formulation. in order to demonstrate the accuracy and validity of the developed solution the numerical results were compared with the reference solutions in each interaction problem. The effects of the liquid filling ratio and the stiffness of base-isolation system on the behavior of the liquid storage tanks are analyzed.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.239-255
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• 2017

Various centrifuge model tests on the pile foundations were performed to investigate fundamental characteristics of a pile-soil-foundation system recently, but it is hard to find numerical analysis results of a pile foundation system considering the nonlinear behavior of soil layers due to the dynamic excitations. Numerical analyses for a pile-soil system were carried out to verify the experimental results of centrifuge model tests. Centrifuge model tests were performed at the laboratory applying 1.5 Hz sinusoidal base input motions, and nonlinear numerical analyses were performed utilizing a finite element program of P3DASS in the frequency domain and applying the same input motions with the intensities of 0.05 g~0.38 g. Nonlinear soil properties of soil elements were defined by Ramberg-Osgood soil model for the nonlinear dynamic analyses. Nonlinear numerical analyses with the P3DASS program were helpful to predict the trend of experimental responses of a centrifuge model efficiently, even though there were some difficulties in processing analytical results and to find out unintended deficits in measured experimental data. Also nonlinear soil properties of elements in the system can be estimated adequately using an analytical program to compare them with experimental results.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.667-675
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• 2020

The current study compares the effect of structure-soil-structure interaction (SSSI) on the dynamic responses of adjacent buildings and isolated structures including soil-structure interaction (SSI) with the responses of fixed-base structures. Structural responses such as the relative acceleration, displacement, drift and shear force were considered under earthquake ground motion excitation. For this purpose, 5-, 10- and 15-story structures with 2-bay moment resisting frames resting on shallow foundations were modeled as a group of buildings in soft soil media. Viscous lateral boundaries and interface elements were applied to the soil model to simulate semi-infinite soil media, frictional contact and probable slip under seismic excitation. The direct method was employed for fully nonlinear time-history dynamic analysis in OpenSees using 3D finite element soil-structure models with different building positions. The results showed that the responses of the grouped structures were strongly influenced by the adjacent structures. The responses were as much as 4 times greater for drift and 2.3 times greater for shear force than the responses of fixed-base models.