• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.289-304
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• 2022

During strong ground motions, adjacent structures with insufficient separation distances collide with each other causing considerable architectural and structural damage or collapse of the whole structure. Generally, existing design procedures for determining the separation distance between adjacent buildings subjected to structural pounding are based on approximations of the buildings' peak relative displacement. These procedures are based on unknown safety levels. This paper attempts to evaluate the influence of foundation flexibility on the structural seismic response by considering the variability in the system and uncertainties in the ground motion characteristics through comprehensive numerical simulations. Actually, the aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of foundation flexibility on probabilistic evaluation of structural pounding. A Hertz-damp pounding force model has been considered in order to effectively capture impact forces during collisions. In total, 5.25 million time-history analyses were performed over the adopted models using an ensemble of 25 ground motions as seismic input within OpenSees software. The results of the study indicate that the soil-structure interaction significantly influences the pounding-involved responses of adjacent structures during earthquakes and generally increases the pounding probability.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.365-372
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• 2019

Post-earthquake crisis management is a key capability for a country to be able to recover after a major seismic event. Instrumental seismic data transmitted and processed in a very short time can contribute to better management of the emergency and can give insights on the earthquake's impact on a specific area. Romania is a country with a high seismic hazard, mostly due to the Vrancea intermediate-depth earthquakes. The elastic acceleration response spectrum of a seismic motion provides important information on the level of maximum acceleration the buildings were subjected to. Based on new data analysis and knowledge advancements, the acceleration elastic response spectrum for horizontal ground components recommended by the Romanian seismic codes has been evolving over the last six decades. This study aims to propose a framework for post-earthquake warning based on code spectrum exceedances. A comprehensive background analysis was undertaken using strong motion data from previous earthquakes corroborated with observational damage, to prove the method's applicability. Moreover, a case-study for two densely populated Romanian cities (Focsani and Bucharest) is presented, using data from a $5.5M_W$ earthquake (October 28, 2018) and considering the evolution of the three generations of code-based spectral levels for the two cities. Data recorded in free-field and in buildings were analyzed and has confirmed that no structural damage occurred within the two cities. For future strong seismic events, this tool can provide useful information on the effect of the earthquake on structures in the most exposed areas.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.72 no.3
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• pp.395-408
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• 2019

Engineered structures built in seismic-prone areas are affected by aftershocks in addition to mainshocks. Although aftershocks generally are lower in magnitude than that of the mainshocks, some aftershocks may have higher intensities; thus, structures should be able to withstand the effect of strong aftershocks as well. This seismic scenario arises for far-field mainshock along with near-field aftershocks. In this study, four 2D reinforced concrete (RC) frames with different numbers of stories were designed in accordance with the current Iranian seismic design code. As a way to evaluate the seismic response of the case-study RC frames, the inter-story drift ratio (IDR) demand, the residual inter-story drift ratio (RIDR) demand, the Park-Ang damage index, and the period elongation ratio can be useful engineering demand parameters for evaluating their seismic performance under mainshock-aftershock sequences. The frame models were analyzed under a set of far-field mainshock, near-fault aftershocks seismic sequences using nonlinear dynamic time-history analysis to investigate the relationship among IDR, RIDR, Park-Ang damage index and period ratio experienced by the frames. The results indicate that the growth of IDR, RIDR, Park-Ang damage index, and period ratio in high-rise and short structures under near-fault aftershocks were significant. It is evident that engineers should consider the effects of near-fault aftershocks on damaged frames that experience far-field mainshocks as well.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2003.03a
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• pp.709-716
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• 2003

Flexible pipes (corrugated polyethylene pipes) are normally used for underground power distribution grids. In this paper, dynamic analysis was carried out through FEM in order to investigate the structural behaviour of pipes subjected to seismic loads. The burial depth and the number of pipes were major parameters in the numerical analysis to determine the response of pipes. The results show that the displacement of pipes under given conditions are all satisfactory in comparison of the allowable strain criteria -maximum 3.5 %.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.859-887
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• 2015

Structural health monitoring (SHM) has gained in popularity in recent years since it can assess the performance and condition of instrumented structures in real time and provide valuable information to the asset's manager and owner. Operational modal analysis plays an important role in SHM and it involves the determination of natural frequencies, damping ratios and mode shapes of a constructed structure based on measured dynamic data. This paper presents the operational modal analysis and seismic response characterization of the Tsing Ma Suspension Bridge of 2,160 m long subjected to different earthquake events. Three kinds of events, i.e., short-distance, middle-distance and long-distance earthquakes are taken into account. A fast Bayesian modal identification method is used to carry out the operational modal analysis. The modal properties of the bridge are identified and compared by use of the field monitoring data acquired before and after the earthquake for each type of the events. Research emphasis is given on identifying the predominant modes of the seismic responses in the deck during short-distance, middle-distance and long-distance earthquakes, respectively, and characterizing the response pattern of various structural portions (deck, towers, main cables, etc.) under different types of earthquakes. Since the bridge is over 2,000 m long, the seismic wave would arrive at the tower/anchorage basements of the two side spans at different time instants. The behaviors of structural dynamic responses on the Tsing Yi side span and on the Ma Wan side span under each type of the earthquake events are compared. The results obtained from this study would be beneficial to the seismic design of future long-span bridges to be built around Hong Kong (e.g., the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge).

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.117-140
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• 2012

The proposed research includes a comprehensive study on the seismic vulnerability assessment of typical building types, representative of the structural materials, the seismic codes and the construction techniques of Southern Europe. A damage database is created after the elaboration of the results of the observational data obtained from post-earthquake surveys carried out in the area struck by the September 7, 1999 Athens earthquake, a near field seismic event in an extended urban region. The observational database comprises 180.945 buildings which developed damage of varying degree, type and extent. The dataset is elaborated in order to gather useful information about the structural parameters influence on the seismic vulnerability and their correlation to the type and degree of building damages in near field earthquakes. The damage calibration of the observational data was based on label - damage provided by Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (EPPO) in Greece and referred to the qualitative characterization for the recording of damage in post-earthquake surveys. Important conclusions are drawn on the parameters that influence the seismic response based on the wide homogeneous database which adds to the reliability of the collected information and reduces the scatter on the produced results.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.447-462
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• 2020

In this paper, a simplified seismic design method for low-rise dual frame-steel plate shear wall (SPSW) structures is proposed in the framework of performance-based seismic design. The dynamic response of a low-rise structure is mainly dominated by the first-mode and the structural system can be simplified to an equivalent single degree-of-freedom (SDOF) oscillator. The dual frame-SPSW structure was decomposed into a frame system and a SPSW system and they were simplified to an equivalent F-SDOF (SDOF for frame) oscillator and an equivalent S-SDOF (SDOF for SPSW) oscillator, respectively. The analytical models of F-SDOF and S-SDOF oscillators were constructed based on the OpenSees platform. The equivalent SDOF oscillator (D-SDOF, dual SDOF) for the frame-SPSW system was developed by combining the F-SDOF and S-SDOF oscillators in parallel. By employing the lateral force resistance coefficients and seismic demands of D-SDOF oscillator, the design approach of SPSW systems was developed. A 7-story frame-SPSW system was adopted to verify the feasibility and demonstrate the design process of the simplified method. The results also show the seismic demands derived by the equivalent dual SDOF oscillator have a good consistence with that by the frame-SPSW structure.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.82-88
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• 2010

The purpose of this research is a seismic capacity evaluation and strengthening of existing railway station buildings, which were constructed before the seismic design code activated. The seismic capacity of 2nd story RC station building is evaluated by using nonlinear time-history analysis. Analysis results are checked by story drift ratio and story shear, which are described in design code. As a result, the story shears are exceeding the base shear of the design code, the appropriate seismic strengthening methods are needed. To improve the seismic capacity, metallic dampers are used. Evaluation parameters are metallic damper shape and damper installation methods. Dampers are installed in four places in X and Y directions of station buildings. By reviewing of time-history analysis results, the metallic damper, which is installed inverted K-brace type, shows a better seismic performance than other damper shape and installation methods.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.179-191
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• 2002

This paper presents a systematic approach to the seismic nonlinear analysis and retrofit strategies for existing bridges with isolation system using retrofit slate function newly proposed in this study. A seismic retrofit scheme using sliding base isolation system was presented to reduce the seismic hazard for bridge structures. In this study, two types of isolation systems such as lead bearings and sliding isolators were used. The behavior of sliding isolators was modeled by a triaxial interaction model. And three types of earthquakes such as El Centro, San Fernando, and the artificial were used as earthquake ground excitations. Seismic response analyses of the bridge before and after retrofit were effectively carried out by using a three-dimensional nonlinear seismic analysis program, IDARC-Bridge. Also, this paper proposes a retrofit state function for easily representing the efficiency of a retrofit scheme.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.295-305
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• 2011

In this study, a seismic behavior of electrical cabinet system in Nuclear Power Plants(NPPs) was evaluated by the shaking table test. A 480V Motor Control Centers(MCCs) was selected for the shaking table test, and a real MCC cabinet for the Korea Nuclear Power Plant site was rented by manufactured company. For the shaking table tests, three kinds of seismic input motions were used, which were a US NRC Reg. guide 1.60 design spectrum, a UHS spectrum and PAB 165' floor response spectrum(FRS). Especially, the UHS input motion was selected for an evaluation of structural seismic amplification effects, three directional accelerations were measured at three points outside on the cabinet system and also that of the incabinet response amplification, accelerations were measure at two points which were mounted in electrical equipment such as relay. Seismic amplification effect is determined at the outside and inside of a cabinet as input seismic motion, and compared to the results which are calculated by analytical method based on NUREG/CR-5203.