Influence of ground motion spatial variation,site condition and SSI on the required separation distances of bridge structures to avoid seismic pounding

It is commonly understood that earthquake ground excitations at multiple supports of large dimensional structures are not the same. These ground motion spatial variations may significantly influence the structural responses. Similarly, the interaction between the foundation and the surrounding soil during earthquake shaking also affects the dynamic response of the structure. Most previous studies on ground motion spatial variation effects on structural responses neglected soil–structure interaction (SSI) effect. This paper studies the combined effects of ground motion spatial variation, local site amplification and SSI on bridge responses, and estimates the required separation distances that modular expansion joints must provide to avoid seismic pounding. It is an extension of a previous study (Earthquake Engng Struct. Dyn. 2010; 39 (3):303–323), in which combined ground motion spatial variation and local site amplification effects on bridge responses were investigated. The present paper focuses on the simultaneous effect of SSI and ground motion spatial variation on structural responses. The soil surrounding the pile foundation is modelled by frequency‐dependent springs and dashpots in the horizontal and rotational directions. The peak structural responses are estimated by using the standard random vibration method. The minimum total gap between two adjacent bridge decks or between bridge deck and adjacent abutment to prevent seismic pounding is estimated. Numerical results show that SSI significantly affects the structural responses, and cannot be neglected. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Response of indeterminate two-span beam to spatially varying seismic excitation

In order to examine the effect of the spatial variation of ground motion on the response of an indeterminate structure, the stochastic responses of a two-span beam to spatially varying support excitations are analysed. A space-time earthquake ground motion model that accounts for both coherency decay and seismic wave propagation is used to specify the support motions, and the results are compared with those for various simplified excitations that are commonly used in practice. The response is computed through a linear random vibration approach with the structure being modelled by finite elements. The results of the study indicate that, even for moderate lengths, the effect of the spatial variation of ground motion can be significant. The assumption of fully coherent support motions (same excitations at all supports or delayed excitations allowing only for wave propagation) may be overconservative for some beams and unconservative for others.     

Response of multiply supported rigid plate to spatially correlated seismic excitations

The ground motions produced by an earthquake at the multiple support points of large structures can differ considerably. In this study, the quasi-static, the dynamic and the total structural responses of a multiply supported rigid plate to spatially varying multiple ground motion inputs are analysed. The results, together with those obtained by neglecting ground motion phase shifts and those by neglecting ground motion coherency losses, are compared with the corresponding structural responses to a single input. The comparisons show that the single input method overestimates translational responses and underestimates rotational responses. They also show that the responses are sometimes overestimated and sometimes underestimated by neglecting the coherency loss effects between the multiple ground motion excitations.     

Numerical study of characteristics of underground blast induced surface ground motion and their effect on above-ground structures. Part II. Effects on structural responses

Studies of structural responses and damage to high-frequency blast motion are very limited. Current practice uses some empirical allowable ground vibration limits in assessing structural performance. These empirical limits overlook the physical parameters that govern structural response and damage, such as the ground motion characteristics and inherent structural properties. This paper studies the response of RC frame structures to numerically simulated underground blast-induced ground motions. The structural response and damage characteristics of frame structures to ground motions of different frequencies are investigated first. The effects of blast ground motion spatial variations and soil–structure interaction on structural responses are also studied. A suitable discrete model that gives accurate response prediction is determined. A damage index defined based on the accumulated plastic hinge rotation is used to predict structural damage level. Numerical results indicated that both the low structural vibration modes (global modes) and the first elemental vibration mode (local) might govern the dynamic structural responses depending on the ground motion frequency and structural response parameters under consideration. Both ground motion spatial variations and soil–structure interaction effects are prominent. Neglecting them might yield inaccurate structural response prediction. The overall structural response and damage are highly ground motion frequency dependent. Numerical results of structural damage are also compared with some test results obtained in a previous study and with code specifications. Discussions on the adequacy of the code allowable ground vibration limits on RC frame structures are also made.     

Spatial ground motion effect on relative displacement of adjacent building structures

This paper analyses earthquake ground motion spatial variation effects on relative linear elastic response of adjacent building structures. It studies the relative importance of ground motion spatial variations and dynamic characteristics of adjacent structures in causing relative responses. Random vibration method is used in the study. It is found that, besides ground-acceleration-induced dynamic responses, quasi-static responses induced by spatially varying ground displacements also contribute significantly to the relative structural responses. The effects of spatial ground motions are very pronounced to the relative displacements of adjacent low-rise structures, and to those of high-rise adjacent structures with similar vibration characteristics. The effect of vibration properties of adjacent structures are, however, more significant to those of high-rise adjacent structures if they poses noticeably different vibration periods. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

结构动力分析中多点激励问题的研究综述

针对结构多点激励问题的研究现状,分别介绍了地震动时空变化性、多点激励分析基本方法、地震动记录校正以及多点激励对结构的影响.首先阐述了地震动时空变化性及主要表现形式,并提出了最不利行波概念;其次介绍了多点激励分析的基本方法,并指出了3种确定性方法的优缺点和适用性;然后论述了多点激励对地震动时程的基本要求:地震动加速度记录的校正问题;接着简要介绍了多点激励对结构的复杂影响,并指出这种影响取决于拟静力反应项和动反应项的相互关系.最后,对结构多点激励分析有关问题提出了展望和建议.     

地震动空间效应对大跨度桥梁非线性地震响应的影响

由于大跨度桥梁的桥墩间距离较大,其地震响应分析应考虑地震动输入的空间效应。本文建立了多点激励下大跨度桥梁地震响应分析方法,采用损伤塑性本构模型模拟混凝土材料特性,考虑地震动空间效应对大跨度连续刚构桥进行非线性地震响应分析,从而分析地震动空间效应对大跨度桥梁地震响应的影响。研究表明:考虑行波激励或多点激励时桥梁地震响应较一致激励而言有所差异,考虑地震动空间效应时可能会夸大或减小桥梁结构的动力响应;多点激励时桥梁地震响应会随视波速的改变而变化。由此得出结论,对于大跨度桥梁地震响应分析应合理的考虑地震动空间效应。     

Ground motion spatial variability effects on seismic response control of cable-stayed bridges

The spatial variability of input ground motion at supporting foundations plays a key role in the structural response of cable-stayed bridges (CSBs); therefore, spatial variation effects should be included in the analysis and design of effective vibration control systems. The control of CSBs represents a challenging and unique problem, with many complexities in modeling, control design and implementation, since the control system should be designed not only to mitigate the dynamic component of the structural response but also to counteract the effects of the pseudo-static component of the response. The spatial variability effects on the feasibility and efficiency of seismic control systems for the vibration control of CSBs are investigated in this paper. The assumption of uniform earthquake motion along the entire bridge may result in quantitative and qualitative differences in seismic response as compared with those produced by uniform motion at all supports. A systematic comparison of passive and active system performance in reducing the structural responses is performed, focusing on the effect of the spatially varying earthquake ground motion on the seismic response of a benchmark CSB model with different control strategies, and demonstrates the importance of accounting for the spatial variability of excitations.     

非一致激励条件下非线性工程场地地震动相干函数研究

将土非线性分析的等效线性化方法与随机工程波动散射问题的求解方法相结合,建立了开放系统中非一致激励条件下考虑岩土介质非线性的工程场地地震动随机场数值模拟方法并研究了介质非线性对场地地震动相干性的影响。分析结果表明：与不考虑非线性相比,在地震过程中,场地土介质的非线性改变了复杂场地的局部特性从而导致场地地震动空间相干性的变化,因此有必要在场地地震动相干函数的分析中考虑场地介质非线性特性对地震动相干性的影响。     

大跨度空间网格结构在地震行波作用下的响应

本文对地震行波三向正交分量分别独立作用和联合作用下的大跨度空间网格结构的地震响应（包括结构控制点的位移，杆件内力，柱底弯矩等）进行了数值分析，结果表明，与一致地震振动相比，地震动的行波效应可使大跨度空间网格结构的控制点位移增大21%，柱脚弯矩增大79%，杆件内力增大100%，因此，在大跨度空间结构的抗震分析中必须进行详细的抗震分析。     

Engineering analyses of smart 1 array accelerograms

Presented are the results of engineering analyses of selected accelerograms recorded by the SMART 1 strong motion array in Taiwan which is described in a companion paper by B. A. Bolt, Y. B. Tsai, K. Yeh and M. K. Hsu, entitled Earthquake Strong Motions Recorded by a Large Near-source Array of Digital Seismographs. These analyses include (1) transformations to principal axes, (2) generation of Fourier amplitude spectra, (3) development of generalized response spectrum ratios for characterizing multi-support excitations and (4) moving window analyses in the time and frequency domains for studying the spatial variations of recorded ground motions.     

面向设计应用的地震动空间相干函数模型

本文对现有的常用地震动空间相干模型进行了总结,提出了一个新的面向工程抗震设计应用的形式统一的地震动空间相干函数模型,在此基础上推导出了多点地震反应谱和功率谱计算所需要的振型组合系数的解析表达式,避免了耗费时间的数值积分运算。本文模型与计算方法使多点地震激励下结构响应的计算时间减低至积分方法的1/20以下,使多点地震反应谱方法和多点地震功率谱方法在计算时间方面实用化。     

A parametric study of the required seating length for bridge decks during earthquake

During the recent major earthquakes, some bridges suffered severe damage due to the pull-off-and-drop collapse of their decks. This is due to the large differential movements of the adjacent spans of bridges during strong shaking compared to the seating lengths provided. The differential movements are primarily due to the different vibration properties of adjacent spans and non-uniform ground excitations at the bridge supports. This paper analyses the effects of various bridge and ground motion parameters on the required seating lengths for bridge decks to prevent the pull-off-and-drop collapse. The random vibration method is used in the analysis. A two-span bridge model with different span lengths and vibration frequencies and subjected to various spatially varying ground excitations is analysed. Non-uniform spatial ground motions are modelled by the filtered Tajimi–Kanai power spectral density function and an empirical coherency function. Ground motions with different intensities, different cross-correlations and different site conditions are considered in the study. The required seating lengths for bridge decks are calculated. Numerical results are presented and discussed with respect to different bridge vibration and ground motion properties. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Random vibration analysis of long-span structures subjected to spatially varying ground motions

On the basis of the pseudo-excitation method (PEM), a random vibration methodology is formulated for the seismic analysis of multi-supported structures subjected to spatially varying ground motions. The ground motion spatial variability consists of the wave passage, incoherence and site–response effects. Advantages of this method are that less computation effort is required and that the cross-correlations both between normal modes and between excitations are automatically included. Random seismic responses of a realistic long-span bridge due to the wave passage, incoherence and site–response effects are extensively investigated. It is shown that all these effects have significant influence on the seismic response of the structure.     

Influence of irregular topography and random soil properties on coherency loss of spatial seismic ground motions

Coherency functions are used to describe the spatial variation of seismic ground motions at multiple supports of long span structures. Many coherency function models have been proposed based on theoretical derivation or measured spatial ground motion time histories at dense seismographic arrays. Most of them are suitable for modelling spatial ground motions on flat‐lying alluvial sites. It has been found that these coherency functions are not appropriate for modelling spatial variations of ground motions at sites with irregular topography (Struct. Saf. 1991; 10 (1):1–13). This paper investigates the influence of layered irregular sites and random soil properties on coherency functions of spatial ground motions on ground surface. Ground motion time histories at different locations on ground surface of the irregular site are generated based on the combined spectral representation method and one‐dimensional wave propagation theory. Random soil properties, including shear modulus, density and damping ratio of each layer, are assumed to follow normal distributions, and are modelled by the independent one‐dimensional random fields in the vertical direction. Monte‐Carlo simulations are employed to model the effect of random variations of soil properties on the simulated surface ground motion time histories. The coherency function is estimated from the simulated ground motion time histories. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the proposed method. Numerical results show that coherency function directly relates to the spectral ratio of two local sites, and the influence of randomly varying soil properties at a canyon site on coherency functions of spatial surface ground motions cannot be neglected. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

大跨度空间网格结构多维多点随机地震反应分析

本文建立了三维正交地震动多点激励下大跨度空间网格结构的随机地震反应分析方法,依据现行抗震设计规范的有关规定,确定了平稳随机地震动功率谱密度的模型参数。数值仿真分析了一柱距80m的正方形平板网架分别在一维地震动或三维地震动的一致激励、行波激励和考虑部分相干效应的随机激励下的地震反应。结果表明:考虑地震动的空间效应会很大程度地改变结构杆件的内力,其中控制杆件的内力增幅达到30%;地震动的行波效应对结构杆件内力的影响比随机地震动的部分相干效应的影响更大;三维地震作用比一维地震作用下结构杆件的内力大。由此得出结论,对于大跨度空间网格结构,必须进行多维多点地震激励下的随机地震反应分析。     

Shaking table test and numerical simulation of an isolated cylindrical latticed shell under multiple-support excitations

In order to study the influence of the ground motion spatial effect on the seismic response of large span spatial structures with isolation bearings, a single-layer cylindrical latticed shell scale model with a similarity ratio of 1/10 was constructed. An earthquake simulation shaking table test on the response under multiple-support excitations was performed with the high-position seismic isolation method using high damping rubber(HDR) bearings. Small-amplitude sinusoidal waves and seismic wave records with various spectral characteristics were applied to the model. The dynamic characteristics of the model and the seismic isolation effect on it were analyzed at varying apparent wave velocities, namely infinitely great, 1000 m/s, 500 m/s and 250 m/s. Besides, numerical simulations were carried out by Matlab software. According to the comparison results, the numerical results agreed well with the experimental data. Moreover, the results showed that the latticed shell roof exhibited a translational motion as a rigid body after the installation of the HDR bearings with a much lower natural frequency, higher damping ratio and only 1/2～1/8 of the acceleration response peak values. Meanwhile, the structural responses and the bearing deformations at the output end of the seismic waves were greatly increased under multiple-support excitations.     

Response spectrum analysis of structures subjected to spatially varying motions

An important aspect of earthquake loads exerted on extended structures, or structures founded on several foundations, is the spatial variability of the seismic motion. Hence, a rigorous earthquake resistant design of lifeline structures should account for the spatial character of the seismic input, at least in an approximate way. A procedure is proposed which enables addressing the problem of multiply supported structures, subjected to imperfectly correlated seismic excitations, by means of an extension to the response spectrum method. A modified response spectrum model is developed for the design of extended facilities subjected to single and multicomponent ground motion. The modification procedure is based on adjusting each spectral value of the given design response spectrum by means of a correction factor, which depends on the structural properties and on the characteristics of the wave propagation phenomenon. Finally, the theoretical model is validated through digital simulation of seismic ground motion, whereby model predictions are found to be in good agreement with exact results.     

Dynamic soil–structure interaction effects on the seismic response of suspension bridges

A stochastic approach has been formulated for the linear analysis of suspension bridges subjected to earthquake excitations. The transfer functions of various responses have been formulated while including the effects of dynamic Soil–Structure Interaction (SSI) via the use of the fixed-base modes of the structure. The excitation has been characterized by the ‘equivalent stationary’ processes corresponding to the free-field motions at each support and by an assumed coherency function between these motions. The proposed formulation considers the non-stationarity in the structural response due to sudden application of excitation by considering (i) the time-dependent frequency response functions, and (ii) the order statistics formulation for the peak factors in evolutionary response processes. The formulation has been illustrated by analysing the seismic response of the Golden Gate Bridge at San Francisco for two example excitations conforming to USNRC-specified design spectra. The significance of various governing parameters on the dynamic soil–structure interaction effects on the seismic response of suspension bridges has also been studied. It has been found that the contribution of the vertical component of ground motion to the bridge response increases with increasing soil compliance. Also, the extent to which the spatial variation of ground motion affects the bridge response depends on how significant the SSI effects are. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Characteristics of horizontal ground motion measures along principal directions

<正>Ground motion records are often used to develop ground motion prediction equations(GMPEs) for a randomly oriented horizontal component,and to assess the principal directions of ground motions based on the Arias intensity tensor or the orientation of the major response axis.The former is needed for seismic hazard assessment,whereas the latter can be important for assessing structural responses under multi-directional excitations.However,a comprehensive investigation of the pseudo-spectral acceleration(PSA) and of GMPEs conditioned on different axes is currently lacking.This study investigates the principal directions of strong ground motions and their relation to the orientation of the major response axis, statistics of the PSA along the principal directions on the horizontal plane,and correlation of the PSA along the principal directions on the horizontal plane.For these,three sets of strong ground motion records,including intraplate California earthquakes,inslab Mexican earthquakes,and interface Mexican earthquakes,are used.The results indicate that one of the principal directions could be considered as quasi-vertical.By focusing on seismic excitations on the horizontal plane,the statistics of the angles between the major response axis and the major principal axis are obtained;GMPEs along the principal axes are provided and compared with those obtained for a randomly oriented horizontal component;and statistical analysis of residuals associated with GMPEs along the principal directions is carried out.