Stability of elastic frames subjected to earthquake excitations

Dynamic stability of elastic multistorey frame structures subjected to vertical earthquake ground accelerations is studied. Different stationary, non-stationary, white and non-white random models for earthquake strong motion are considered. The concepts of mean-square and almost-sure stability are reviewed and the corresponding stability theorems are presented. Several general criteria regarding the dynamic stability of the equilibrium state of multistorey frames subjected to random excitations are developed. A few examples concerning the stability of single and multi-degree-of-freedom structures under earthquake excitations are presented. The stability of motion of frames under combined horizontal–vertical acceleration is also briefly discussed.     

Performance evaluation of a novel rotational damper for structural reinforcement steel frames subjected to lateral excitations

In this study,a novel rotational damper called a Rotational Friction Viscoelastic Damper(RFVD) is introduced.Some viscoelastic pads are added to the Rotational Friction Damper(RFD) in addition to the friction discs used in this conventional device.Consequently,the amount of energy dissipated by the damper increases in low excitation frequencies.In fact,the input energy to the structure is simultaneously dissipated in the form of friction and heat by frictional discs and viscoelastic pads.In order to compare the performance of this novel damper with the earlier types,a set of experiments were carried out.According to the test results,the RFVD showed a better performance in dissipating input energy to the structure when compared to the RFD.The seismic behavior of steel frames equipped with these dampers was also numerically evaluated based on a nonlinear time history analysis.The numerical results verifi ed the performance of the dampers in increasing the energy dissipation and decreasing the energy input to the structural elements.In order to achieve the maximum dissipated energy,the dampers need to be installed in certain places called critical points in the structure.An appropriate approach is presented to properly fi nd these points.Finally,the performance of the RFVDs installed at these critical points was investigated in comparison to some other confi gurations and the validity of the suggested method in increasing the energy dissipation was confi rmed.     

多点激励下自锚式斜拉-悬吊协作体系桥地震反应分析

考虑地震动的空间变化效应,对自锚式斜拉-悬吊协作体系桥进行了随机地震反应分析。研究了P波、SH波和SV波作用下该协作体系内力和位移峰值响应的特点,对比分析了均匀一致地面动和多点非一致地面运动对其地震反应的影响,计算中由于虚拟激励法的引入,计算效率获得极大的提高。结果表明行波效应和部分相干效应对该类超大跨径桥梁地震反应有相当大的影响。     

基于NEESit的结构健康监测系统软件框架研究

为满足结构健康监测系统实际应用的需要,本文设计了一套基于NEESit的结构健康监测系统软件框架.在实际健康监测系统设计和实现的基础上研究了系统的集成技术,结合软件框架开发技术给出了本软件框架的设计和实现的方法,同时介绍了NEESit的组成和运行机制,并提出采用NEESit的相应功能模块来实现本软件框架.本软件框架具有良好的通用性,不仅可以用于各种健康监测系统的开发,同时还可以使实际结构与NEES进行数据共享、互相访问以及协同实验.     

A framework for dealing with uncertainty due to model structure error

Although uncertainty about structures of environmental models (conceptual uncertainty) is often acknowledged to be the main source of uncertainty in model predictions, it is rarely considered in environmental modelling. Rather, formal uncertainty analyses have traditionally focused on model parameters and input data as the principal source of uncertainty in model predictions. The traditional approach to model uncertainty analysis, which considers only a single conceptual model, may fail to adequately sample the relevant space of plausible conceptual models. As such, it is prone to modelling bias and underestimation of predictive uncertainty.     

Dynamic analysis of track nonlinear energy sinks subjected to simple and stochastice excitations

Track nonlinear energy sinks (track NESs) have been shown to be an effective and applicable strategy to mitigate structural response in recent years. However, previous studies on track NESs has mainly focused on demonstrating the benefits of track NESs through numerical simulations and experiments, with relatively little attention paid to the analytical understanding of the unique dynamics of track NESs. This study analyzes the responses of a track NES when subjected to impulsive and harmonic excitations by the harmonic balance method. Special attention is given to the cause and effect of the peaking behavior that is a prominent characteristic of the track NES's restoring force–displacement relationship. Analytical results reveal that the special energy–frequency characteristics of track NESs can be, at times, utilized to enhance the energy robustness that is absent in the conventional cubic NESs. Based on the analytical response expression, an equivalent linearization method (ELM) for the track NESs is developed for stochastic analysis. This ELM is numerically validated on the systems with strong nonlinearities. Stochastic optimization built on the ELM is performed to obtain design parameters of the track NES that can lead to minimum response variances of the primary structure. In particular, the proposed optimization procedure can be applied to seismic optimum design in which the seismic excitations are modeled as filtered white-noise ground motions. The analytical techniques provided in this study lay the groundwork for the practical implementation of track NESs as a robust and effective control strategy for engineering structures.     

Stochastic analysis of structures and piping systems subjected to stationary multiple support excitations

A stochastic method has been developed for seismic analysis of structures and piping systems subjected to multiple support excitations. In either the time or the frequency domain, mean and extreme values of structural and piping system response can be found, including the effects of cross-correlations of modal response and cross-correlations of multiple support excitations. Stationary white noise and stationary filtered white noise ground excitations are used. A computer program has been developed to carry out the stochastic seismic analysis. Results for a realistic nuclear power plant structure and piping system with and without modal cross-correlations and support excitation cross-correlations are compared. From these results, it is concluded that neglecting cross-correlations can lead to large errors. The stochastic method reported is shown to be more accurate than the response spectrum method and more economical than the time-history method; therefore, it is recommended for seismic analysis of nuclear power plants.     

Dynamic response analysis of a multiple-beam structure subjected to a moving load

In this study, the dynamic response of an elastically connected multi-beam structure subjected to a moving load with elastic boundary conditions is investigated. The boundary conditions and properties of each beam vary, and the difficulty of solving the motion equation is reduced by using a Fourier series plus three special transformations. By examining a high-speed railway (HSR) with mixed boundary conditions, the rationality for the newly proposed method is verified, the difference in simulated multiple-beam models with different beam numbers is explored, and the influence of material parameters and load speed on the dynamic response of multiple-beam structures is examined. Results suggest that the number of beams in the model should be as close to the actual beam number as possible. Models with an appropriate beam number can be used to describe in detail the dynamic response of the structure. Neglecting the track-structure can overestimate the resonant speed of a high-speed railway, simply-supported beam bridge. The effective interval of foundation stiffness (EIFS) can provide a reference for future engineering designs.

     

A parametric study on the axial behaviour of elastomeric isolators in multi-span bridges subjected to horizontal seismic excitations

This paper investigates the potential tensile loads and buckling effects on rubber-steel laminated bearings on bridges. These isolation bearings are typically used to support the deck on the piers and the abutments and reduce the effects of seismic loads and thermal effects on bridges. When positive means of fixing of the bearings to the deck and substructures are provided using bolts, the isolators are exposed to the possibility of tensile loads that may not meet the code limits. The uplift potential is increased when the bearings are placed eccentrically with respect to the pier axis such as in multi-span simply supported bridge decks. This particular isolator configuration may also result in excessive compressive loads, leading to bearing buckling or in the attainment of other unfavourable limit states for the bearings. In this paper, an extended computer-aided study is conducted on typical isolated bridge systems with multi-span simply-supported deck spans, showing that elastomeric bearings might undergo tensile stresses or exhibit buckling effects under certain design situations. It is shown that these unfavourable conditions can be avoided with the rational design of the bearing properties and in particular of the shape factor, which is the geometrical parameter controlling the axial bearing stiffness and capacity for a given shear stiffness. Alternatively, the unfavourable conditions could be reduced by reducing the flexural stiffness of the continuity slab.     

Effects of balanced impact damper in structures subjected to walking and vertical seismic excitations

This study investigates whether a balanced impact damper (BID) with a vertically suspended impact body colliding with shock absorbing rubber can suppress vibrations of a floor slab subjected to walking and vertical seismic excitations. The impact body is suspended by coil springs to sustain its deadweight and centralize it within the gap, and collides with the stopper when its amplitude exceeds the specified gap width. The stopper is covered by a shock‐absorbing rubber made of polyurethane gel. The installed BID was evaluated in a single degree‐of‐freedom model of a floor slab subjected to vertical excitations. Simulations revealed that the installed BID properly controls the vibrations. Next, the effects of the BID installed on a steel plate were investigated in shaking table tests. The BID effectively suppressed vertical vibrations of the plate subjected to sinusoidal waves, seismic motions, and walking excitations. In addition, the shaking table tests were accurately simulated by the developed mathematical model of the damper. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sloshing behaviours of rectangular and cylindrical liquid tanks subjected to harmonic and seismic excitations

A numerical and experimental study on the sloshing behaviours of cylindrical and rectangular liquid tanks is addressed. A three‐dimensional boundary element method for space with the second‐order Taylor series expansion in time is established to simulate the sloshing phenomenon and its related physical quantities inside a liquid tank subjected to horizontal harmonic oscillations or recorded earthquake excitations. The small‐scale model experiments are carried out to verify some results of numerical methods in this study. The comparisons between numerical and experimental results show that the numerical method is reliable for both kinds of ground excitations. Finally, the water wave and the base shear force of a rectangular tank due to harmonic excitation are also presented at different frequencies. A huge cylindrical water tank subjected to a recorded earthquake excitation is used for application and discussion. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A demographic approach to monitoring the health of coral reefs

Inshore coral reefs adjacent to the wet tropics in North Queensland, Australia, are regularly exposed to flood plumes from coastal river systems. Changes in the nature of these plumes have been linked to the declining health of coral reefs in the region. The effect of flood plumes on the health of inshore corals was investigated by quantifying aspects of the demography of populations of corymbose and digitate Acropora at three groups of Island reefs along a gradient of exposure and decreasing water quality (High Island >Frankland's >Fitzroy). The size-structures of colonies, the rates of sexual recruitment, and the growth and survival of juveniles, all varied among the Island reefs. Juvenile and adult sized colonies were far more abundant at the Fitzroy Island reefs, than at the High or Frankland Island reefs that were more exposed to flood plumes. Additionally, there were up to eight times as many sexual recruits at the Fitzroy Island reefs, compared with the High Island reefs. However, the rates of growth and survival of the juvenile sized corals at the Fitzroy Island reefs were lower than at the more exposed reefs. The comparatively low abundance of adult corals at the exposed reefs is most likely due to their histories of disturbance from crown-of-thorns and coral bleaching, but the lack of subsequent recovery due to their low levels of larval recruitment. If a stock-recruitment relationship is typical for these groups of reefs, then the low rates of recruitment may be linked to the low density of adult colonies. Alternately, direct or indirect effects of chronic exposure to poor water quality may have resulted in less suitable substrata for larval settlement. We discuss these results and provide examples of how information about population structure and dynamics can be used in simple matrix models to quantify the current and future health of populations of corals under various scenarios.     

Dynamic analysis of train–bridge system subjected to non‐uniform seismic excitations

Based on the theory of dynamic wheel–rail interactions, a dynamic model of coupled train–bridge system subjected to earthquakes is established, in which the non‐uniform characteristics of the seismic wave input from different foundations are considered. The bridge model is based on the modal comprehension analysis technique. Each vehicle is modelled with 31 degrees of freedom. The seismic loads are imposed on the bridge by using the influence matrix and exerted on the vehicles through the dynamic wheel–rail interaction relationships. The normal wheel–rail interaction is tackled by using the Hertzian contact theory, and the tangent wheel–rail interaction by the Kalker linear theory and the Shen–Hedrick–Elkins theory. A computer code is developed. A case study is performed to a continuous bridge on the planned Beijing–Shanghai high‐speed railway in China. Through input of typical seismic waves with different propagation velocities to the train–bridge system, the histories of the train running through the bridge are simulated and the dynamic responses of the bridge and the vehicles are calculated. The influences of train speed and seismic wave propagation velocity on the dynamic responses of the bridge–vehicle system are studied. The critical train speeds are proposed for running safety on high‐speed railway bridges under earthquakes of various intensities. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic simulation of beam-like structure with a crack subjected to a random moving mass oscillator

In this paper,dynamic simulation of a beam-like structure with a transverse open crack subjected to a random moving mass oscillator is investigated.The simultaneous effect of a crack and a random oscillator has not been addressed up to now.The crack in the beam at different locations and with different depths is considered as one group of damage,each as an individual imperfection.In addition,bearing immobility is considered as another type of problem in the beam.Mass, stiffness,damping and velocity of th...     

地震信息通信网络系统在地震监测预报中的应用

地震信息通信网络系统的建立是防震减灾技术系统建设中的重要内容 ,本文结合实际工作 ,就计算机通信网络系统的构成、主要技术性能以及在实施过程中需要解决的一些技术问题进行探讨 ,同时对网络系统在地震监测预报工作中的应用情况作一简要介绍     

LMS‐based structural health monitoring of a non‐linear rocking structure

A structure's health or level of damage can be monitored by identifying changes in structural or modal parameters. This research directly identifies changes in structural stiffness due to modelling error or damage for a post‐tensioned pre‐cast reinforced concrete frame building with rocking beam column connections and added damping and stiffness (ADAS) elements. A structural health monitoring (SHM) method based on adaptive least mean squares (LMS) filtering theory is presented that identifies changes from a simple baseline model of the structure. This method is able to track changes in the stiffness matrix, identifying when the building is (1) rocking, (2) moving in a hybrid rocking–elastic regime, or (3) responding linearly. Results are compared for two different LMS‐based SHM methods using an L ₂ error norm metric. In addition, two baseline models of the structure, one using tangential stiffness and the second a more accurate bi‐linear stiffness model, are employed. The impact of baseline model complexity is then delineated. The LMS‐based methods are able to track the non‐linearity of the system to within 15% using this metric, with the error due primarily to filter convergence rates as the structural response changes regimes while undergoing the El Centro ground motion record. The use of a bi‐linear baseline model for the SHM problem is shown to result in error metrics that are at least 50% lower than those for the tangential baseline model. Errors of 5–15% with this L ₂ error norm are fairly stringent compared to the greater than 2 × changes in stiffness undergone by the structure, however, in practice the usefulness of the results is dependent on the resolution required by the user. The impact of sampling rate is shown to be negligible over the range of 200–1000Hz, along with the choice of LMS‐based SHM method. The choice of baseline model and its level of knowledge about the actual structure is seen to be the dominant factor in achieving good results. The methods presented require 2.8–14.0 Mcycles of computation and therefore could easily be implemented in real time. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

近断层地震动作用下隔震结构的优化设计

首先讨论了近断层脉冲型地震动的特点,并以台湾集集地震实际脉冲型近震记录为地震动输入,应用含潜在约束策略的序列二次规划算法,对安装铅芯橡胶隔震支座的钢筋混凝土框架隔震结构的隔震器参数和上部结构构件截面几何尺寸进行一体化优化设计,然后输入E l Centro(1940)、Taft(1952)地震波对优化后的隔震结构进行地震反应分析。计算结果表明,对考虑脉冲型近断层地震动作用的隔震结构进行参数优化设计后,该隔震结构能同时满足脉冲型和普通非脉冲型近震作用的结构设计需求。     

A Paddock to reef monitoring and modelling framework for the Great Barrier Reef: Paddock and catchment component

Targets for improvements in water quality entering the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) have been set through the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan (Reef Plan). To measure and report on progress towards the targets set a program has been established that combines monitoring and modelling at paddock through to catchment and reef scales; the Paddock to Reef Integrated Monitoring, Modelling and Reporting Program (Paddock to Reef Program). This program aims to provide evidence of links between land management activities, water quality and reef health. Five lines of evidence are used: the effectiveness of management practices to improve water quality; the prevalence of management practice adoption and change in catchment indicators; long-term monitoring of catchment water quality; paddock & catchment modelling to provide a relative assessment of progress towards meeting targets; and finally marine monitoring of GBR water quality and reef ecosystem health. This paper outlines the first four lines of evidence.     

偏心水平荷载下内藏钢桁架开洞混凝土核心筒抗震研究

对两个1/6缩尺的开洞核心筒结构模型进行了偏心水平荷载作用下的低周反复荷载试验研究,其中包括一个普通开洞混凝土核心筒和一个内藏钢桁架开洞混凝土组合核心筒。在试验的基础上,对比分析了两个试件的承载力、刚度、延性、滞回特性、耗能能力、破坏特征以及抗震机理。试验研究表明,在偏心水平荷载作用下,内藏钢桁架开洞混凝土组合核心筒比普通开洞混凝土核心筒抗震能力显著提高。