Shaking table tests on seismic response of steel braced frames with column uplift

Previous studies have suggested that rocking vibration accompanied by uplift motion might reduce the seismic damage to buildings subjected to severe earthquake motions. This paper reports on the use of shaking table tests and numerical analyses to evaluate and compare the seismic response of base‐plate‐yielding rocking systems with columns allowed to uplift with that of fixed‐base systems. The study is performed using half‐scale three‐storey, 1 × 2 bay braced steel frames with a total height of 5.3 m. Base plates that yield due to column tension were installed at the base of each column. Two types of base plates with different thicknesses are investigated. The earthquake ground motion used for the tests and analyses is the record of the 1940 El Centro NS component with the time scale shortened by a factor of 1/√2. The maximum input acceleration is scaled to examine the structural response at various earthquake intensities. The column base shears in the rocking frames with column uplift are reduced by up to 52% as compared to the fixed‐base frames. Conversely, the maximum roof displacements of the fixed and rocking frames are about the same. It is also noted that the effect of the vertical impact on the column associated with touchdown of the base plate is small because the difference in tensile and compressive forces is primarily due to the self‐limiting tensile force in the column caused by yielding of the base plate. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe U-Pb ages of the Latest Oligocene-Early Miocene rift-related Hidaka high-temperature metamorphism in Hokkaido, northern Japan

Abstract   In order to define the timing of granulite facies metamorphism, sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U-Pb analyses were performed on zircons of three pelitic granulites from the lower metamorphic sequence of the Hidaka Metamorphic Belt, southern central Hokkaido, Japan. Both rounded and prismatic zircons were found in the granulite samples. The rounded zircons had thin (10–20 µm) concentric overgrowth rims on detrital cores, while the prismatic zircons did not have detrital cores. Both the overgrowth rims on the rounded zircons and the entire prismatic zircons were formed under granulite facies metamorphism and consistently yield Latest Oligocene–Early Miocene ages (23.7 ± 0.4 Ma to 17.2 ± 0.5 Ma; ²⁰⁶Pb/ ²³⁸U ages ( n  = 31) with low Th/U ratios, mostly <0.1). The internal structure of zircons and their SHRIMP U-Pb ages provide strong evidence in support of the granulite facies event occurring during the Latest Oligocene-Early Miocene. The detrital cores of rounded zircons show a huge variety of ages; Mesoarchean to Paleoproterozoic, Paleozoic to Mesozoic and Paleogene. The interior and marginal portions of the Eurasian continent including cratonic areas are suggested for their source provenances. These wide variations in age suggest that the protolith of the granulites of the lower metamorphic sequence were deposited near the trench of the Eurasian continental margin during Paleogene. The protolith of the lower metamorphic sequence of the Hidaka metamorphic belt was thrust under the upper metamorphic sequence, which had already been metamorphosed in early Paleogene. The Latest Oligocene-Early Miocene Hidaka high-temperature metamorphic event is presumed to have been caused by asthenospheric upwelling during back-arc rifting of the Kuril and Japan basins.     

Paleoseismic events and the 1596 Keicho-Fushimi large earthquake produced by a slip on the Gosukebashi fault at the eastern Rokko Mountains,Japan

Field surveys and trench excavation investigations revealed that there were at least four large seismic events produced by slips on the Gosukebashi fault in the Holocene in the southeastern Rokko Mountains of Japan. The characteristics of deformed topographies and three-dimensionally excavated exposures show that this fault is a right-lateral strike–slip fault having an average slip rate of 1.0 mm/year, with a reverse displacement component. The principle indicators of past faulting events are: (i) termination of secondary faults; (ii) sedimentary deposits related to faulting; and (iii) injection veins of fault gouge related to seismic faulting in the fractured zone. Radiocarbon dates indicate that the events occurred pre-1660 BC , 1660 BC –220 AD , from ～ 30–220 to 600 AD and 15th century AD . The youngest event is probably associated with the large 1596 AD Keicho-Fushimi earthquake which occurred in the area around Kyoto and Kobe Cities. The second younger event is probably correlated with the 416 AD Yamato earthquake, which is the oldest historic earthquake in Japanese historic records. The results of trench surveys show that the horizontal displacement produced by an individual event is ～ 1.5 m, and the recurrence of seismic event intervals is ～ 1200 years in the Gosukebashi fault.     

Center to limb variation of the intensity of the photospheric faculae

Center to limb variation of the excess brightness of photospheric facular granules was observed at 530 nm with a balloon-borne telescope of 10 cm aperture. Facular granules are found to be 9.2% and 16.2% brighter than the adjacent quiet region at cos = 0.65 and 0.50 respectively, being the angle between the Sun's normal and the line of sight. This observation, together with our earlier result (Hirayama, 1978), leads to facular models which are 600 K hotter than the photosphere if the diameter of facular granules is assumed to be 600 km, and 1000 K hotter if 150 km is assumed instead. It was also found that the soft X-ray bright points as observed with the Skylab do not correspond spatially to the photospheric facular granules near the polar region.     

Interpretation of the infrared polarization of Venus

A contradiction in the sulfuric acid cloud hypothesis of Venus, i.e., nondetection of 4.8 μm polarization by Landau (1975), is examined on the basis of the multiple scattering calculations for the cloud model of Hansen and Hovenier (1974) including an internal heat source. Results show that the polarized thermal component cannot depolarize the scattered sunlight, and therefore a large polarization of about 13% is expected at a phase angle of 110° and wavelength of 4.8 μm, in contrast with Landau's measurements. Our computations are, however, in agreement with the measurements by S. Sato et al. (in “Proceedings, 10th Lunar and Planetary Symposium,” pp. 179–182. Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science, University of Tokyo, July 11–13, 1977).     

Quaternary folding of the eastern Tian Shan, northwest China

The Tian Shan, east–west trending more than 2000 km, is one of most active intracontinental mountain building belts that resulted from India–Eurasia collision during Cenozoic. In this study, Quaternary folding related to intracontinental mountain building of the Tian Shan orogenic belt is documented based on geologic interpretation and analyses of the satellite remote sensing images [Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM)/Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) and India Remote Sensing (IRS) Pan] combined with field geologic and geomorphic observations and seismic reflection profiles. Analyses of spatial–temporal features of Quaternary folded structure indicate that the early Quaternary folds are widely distributed in both piedmont and intermontane basins, whereas the late Quaternary active folds are mainly concentrated on the northern range-fronts. Field observations indicate that Quaternary folds are mainly characterized by fault-related folding. The formation and migration of Quaternary folding are likely related to decollement surfaces beneath the fold-and-fault zone as revealed by seismic reflection profiles. Moreover, analysis of growth strata indicates that the Quaternary folding began in late stage of early Pleistocene (2.1–1.2 Ma). Finally, tectonic evolution model of the Quaternary deformation in the Tian Shan is presented. This model shows that the Quaternary folding and faulting gradually migrate toward the range-fronts due to the continuous compression related to India–Eurasia collision during Quaternary time. As a result, the high topographic relief of the Tian Shan was formed.     

Origin of scattered disk resonant TNOs: Evidence for an ancient excited Kuiper belt of 50 AU radius

Resonance occupation of trans-neptunian objects (TNOs) in the scattered disk (>48 AU) was investigated by integrating the orbits of 85 observed members for 4 Gyr. Twenty seven TNOs were locked in the 9:4, 16:7, 7:3, 12:5, 5:2, 8:3, 3:1, 4:1, 11:2, and 27:4 resonances. We then explored mechanisms for the origin of the resonant structure in the scattered disk, in particular the long-term 9:4, 5:2, and 8:3 resonant TNOs (median 4 Gyr), by performing large scale simulations involving Neptune scattering and planetary migration over an initially excited planetesimals disk (wide range of eccentricities and inclinations). To explain the formation of Gyr-resident populations in such distant resonances, our results suggest the existence of a primordial planetesimal disk of at least 45-50 AU radius that suffered a dynamical perturbation leading to 0.1-0.3 or greater eccentricities and a range of inclinations up to ∼20° during early stages of the Solar System history, before planetary migration.     

Discovery of Jurassic ammonoids from the Shyok suture zone to the northeast of Chang La Pass, Ladakh, northwest India and its tectonic significance

Abstract   Callovian (late Middle Jurassic) ammonoids Macrocephalites and Jeanneticeras were recovered from the Shyok suture zone, northeast of Chang La Pass, Ladakh, northwest India. They are the first reliable Jurassic fossils and the oldest chronologic data from the Shyok suture zone. The ammonoid-bearing Jurassic strata, newly defined as the Tsoltak Formation, consist largely of terrigenous mudstone with thin sandstone beds and were probably a part of the continental basement to the Cretaceous Ladakh Arc.     

Tsunami Assessment for Risk Management at Nuclear Power Facilities in Japan

The present study focuses on evaluation of the maximum and minimum water levels caused by tsunamis as risk factors for operation and management at nuclear power facilities along the coastal area of Japan. Tsunamis generated by submarine earthquakes are examined, basing literature reviews and databases of information on historical tsunami events and run-up heights. For simulation of water level along the coast, a numerical calculation system should be designed with computational regions covering a particular site. Also the calculation system should be verified by comparison of historical and calculated tsunami heights. At the beginning of the tsunami assessment, the standard faults, their locations, mechanisms and maximum magnitudes should be carefully estimated by considering historical earthquake-induced tsunamis and seismo-tectonics at each area. Secondly, the range of errors in the model parameters should be considered since earthquakes and tsunamis are natural phenomena that involve natural variability as well as errors in estimating parameters. For these reasons, uncertainty-induced errors should be taken into account in the process of tsunami assessment with parametric study of the tsunami source model. The element tsunamis calculated by the standard fault models with the errors would be given for the design. Then, the design tsunami can be selected among the element tsunamis with the most significant impact, maximum and minimum water levels, on the site, bearing in mind the possible errors in the numerical calculation system. Finally, the design tsunami is verified by comparison with the run-up heights of historical tsunamis, ensuring that the design tsunami is selected as the highest of all historical and possible future tsunamis at the site.