• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.401-409
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• 2020

Seismic fragility assessments include a procedure to combine the random variables of response and capacity to produce the relationship between failure probability and seismic intensity. The evaluation of the failure probability of simultaneous multiple failures of two or more components assumes that the failure probability of each component is independent of those of the others. However, a correlation is expected to exist because several random factors have the same cause. The multiple-failure probability can differ depending on this correlation and may be unconservative without considering the seismic correlation. Therefore, a practical methodology for fragility assessment should be evaluated using the seismic correlation and correlation coefficient for each random variable. In this study, several random variables were selected for numerical evaluation of the correlation coefficient. The correlation coefficient was then compared with each variable and the combined variables. The correlation coefficient using simplified and complex models were also compared to determine and analyze the differences between each of the approaches.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.245-251
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• 2018

In this paper, we address some issues in existing seismic hazard closed-form equations and present a novel seismic hazard equation form to overcome these issues. The presented equation form is based on higher-order polynomials, which can well describe the seismic hazard information with relatively high non-linearity. The accuracy of the proposed form is illustrated not only in the seismic hazard data itself but also in estimating the annual probability of failure (APF) of the structural systems. For this purpose, the information on seismic hazard is used in representative areas of the United States (West : Los Angeles, Central : Memphis and Kansas, East : Charleston). Examples regarding the APF estimation are the analyses of existing platform structure and nuclear power plant problems. As a result of the numerical example analyses, it is confirmed that the higher-order-polynomial-based hazard form presented in this paper could predict the APF values of the two example structure systems as well as the given seismic hazard data relatively accurately compared with the existing closed-form hazard equations. Therefore, in the future, it is expected that we can derive a new improved APF function by combining the proposed hazard formula with the existing fragility equation.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.339-355
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• 2006

A procedure to retrofit existing essential facilities subjected to seismic excitation is proposed. The main features of this procedure are to reduce maximum acceleration and associated forces in buildings subjected to seismic excitation by reducing their strength (weakening). The weakening retrofit, which is an opposite strategy to strengthening, is particularly suitable for buildings having overstressed components and foundation supports or having weak brittle components. However, by weakening the structure large deformations are expected. Supplementaldamping devices however can control the deformations within desirable limits. The structure retrofitted with this strategy will have, therefore, a reduction in the acceleration response and a reduction in the deformations, depending on the amount of additional damping introduced in the structure. An illustration of the above strategy is presented here through an evaluation of the inelastic response of the structure through a nonlinear dynamic analysis. The results are compared with different retrofit techniques. A parametric analysis has also been carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the retrofitting method using different combination of the performance thresholds in accelerations and displacements through fragility analysis.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.7
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• pp.2396-2406
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• 2021

The Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center has been developing a performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) methodology, which is based on explicit determination of performance, e.g., monetary losses, in a probabilistic manner where uncertainties in earthquake ground motion, structural response, damage estimation, and losses are explicitly considered. To carry out the PEER PBEE procedure for a component of the nuclear power plant (NPP) such as the cable tray system, hazard curve and spectra were defined for two hazard levels of the ground motions, namely, operation basis earthquake, and safe shutdown earthquake. Accordingly, two sets of spectral compatible ground motions were selected for dynamic analysis of the cable tray system. In general, the PBEE analysis of the cable tray in NPP was introduced where the resulting floor motions from the time history analysis (THA) of the NPP structure should be used as the input motion to the cable tray. However, for simplicity, a finite element model of the cable tray was developed for THA under the effect of the selected ground motions. Based on the structural analysis results, fragility curves were generated in terms of specific engineering demand parameters. Loss analysis was performed considering monetary losses corresponding to the predefined damage states. Then, overall losses were evaluated for different damage groups using the PEER PBEE methodology.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.661-668
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• 2019

Seismic vulnerability assessment is a useful tool for rational safety analysis and planning of large and complex structural systems; it can deal with the effects of uncertainties on the performance of significant structural systems. In this study, an efficient dynamic reliability approach, probability density evolution methodology (PDEM), is proposed for seismic vulnerability analysis of earth dams. The PDEM provides the failure probability of different limit states for various levels of ground motion intensity as well as the mean value, standard deviation and probability density function of the performance metric of the earth dam. Combining the seismic reliability with three different performance levels related to the displacement of the earth dam, the seismic fragility curves are constructed without them being limited to a specific functional form. Furthermore, considering the seismic fragility analysis is a significant procedure in the seismic probabilistic risk assessment of structures, the seismic vulnerability results obtained by the dynamic reliability approach are combined with the results of probabilistic seismic hazard and seismic loss analysis to present and address the PDEM-based seismic probabilistic risk assessment framework by a simulated case study of an earth dam.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.743-754
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• 2020

This study provides an insight of the nonlinear behavior of the Offshore Wind Turbine (OWT) structure using the distributed plasticity approach. The fiber section beam-column element is applied to construct the finite element model. The accuracy of the proposed model is verified using linear analysis via the comparison of the dynamic characteristics. For collapse risk assessment of OWT, the nonlinear effects considering the earthquake Incident Angle (IA) have been evaluated first. Then, the Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) has been executed using a set of 20 near-fault records. Lastly, fragility curves are developed to evaluate the vulnerability of structures for different limit states. Attained results justify the accuracy of the proposed approach for the structural response against the ground motions and other environmental loads. It indicates that effects of static wind and wave loads along with the earthquake loads should be considered during the risk assessment of the OWT structure.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.147-162
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• 2020

This paper presents a novel precast energy dissipation shear wall (PEDSW) structure system that using mild steel dampers as dry connectors at the vertical joints to connect adjacent wall panels. Analytical studies are systematically conducted to investigate the seismic performance of the proposed PEDSW under sequence-type ground motions. During earthquake events, earthquake sequences have the potential to cause severe damage to structures and threaten life safety. To date, the damage probability of engineering structures under earthquake sequence has not been included in structural design codes. In this study, numerical simulations on single-story PEDSW are carried out to validate the feasibility and reliability of using mild steel dampers to connect the precast shear walls. The seismic responses of the PEDSW and cast-in-place shear wall (CIPSW) are comparatively studied based on nonlinear time-history analyses, and the effectiveness of the proposed high-rise PEDSW is demonstrated. Next, the foreshock-mainshock-aftershock type earthquake sequences are constructed, and the seismic response and fragility curves of the PEDSW under single mainshock and earthquake sequences are analyzed and compared. Finally, the fragility analysis of PEDSW structure under earthquake sequences is performed. The influences of scaling factor of the aftershocks (foreshocks) to the mainshocks on the fragility of the PEDSW structure under different damage states are investigated. The numerical results reveal that neglecting the effect of earthquake sequence can lead to underestimated seismic responses and fragilities, which may result in unsafe design schemes of PEDSW structures.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.171-180
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• 2011

As a great earthquake hit east Japan recently, the interests for the necessity of earthquake resistant design and earthquake resistance ability of existent structures are much increased. The damage or collapse of a bridge, as a social overhead capital structure affects socially and economically. Thus the evaluation of earthquake resistance ability of these structures is very important. The reviewing methods for earthquake resistance ability are mostly deterministic. Although the deterministic methods are fit for the evaluation of safety of each member, they are not practical for the whole structure. For the evaluation of structural safety for earthquake, the method for the evaluation of fragility or damage is needed for some stages of damage. In this paper, fragility curves of steel box bridge using RFPB bearing for PGA, PGV, SA, SV, SI are constructed, and these are compared with the cases of FPB.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.149-158
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• 2024

Piloti-type structures with vertical irregularity are vulnerable to earthquakes due to the soft structure of the first story. Structural characteristics of buildings can significantly affect the seismic loss function, calculated based on seismic fragility, and therefore need to be considered. This study investigated the effects of the number of stories and core locations on the seismic loss function of piloti-type buildings in Korea. Twelve analytical models were developed considering two variations: three stories (4-story, 5-story, and 6-story) and four core locations (center core, x-eccentric core, y-eccentric core, and xy-eccentric core). The interstory drift ratio and peak floor acceleration were assessed through incremental dynamic analysis using 44 earthquake records, and seismic fragility was derived. Seismic loss functions were calculated and compared using the derived seismic fragility and repair cost ratio of each component. The results indicate that the seismic loss function increases with more stories and when the core is eccentrically located in the piloti-type structure model. Therefore, the uncertainty due to the number of stories and core location should be considered when deriving the seismic loss function of piloti-type structures.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.733-751
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• 2013

Near field ground motions have caused several structural damages in recent decades. As a result, seismic codes are being updated with related requirements. In this paper a comparative study on the seismic behavior of concentrically braced frames (CBFs) designed based on different seismic codes is performed. Reliability of various frames with different heights and bracing types are analyzed based on the results of "Incremental Dynamic Analysis" (IDA) under near field ground motions. Fragility curves corresponding to IO (Immediate Occupancy) and CP (Collapse Prevention) limit states are extracted based on IDA curves. Results imply that, frames designed based on the near field seismic design criteria of UBC-97 are more reliable under near field ground motions and their failure probability is less comparing to others.