Pounding of buildings in series during earthquakes

A simplified model of several adjacent buildings in a block is used to study the pounding of such buildings due to strong earthquakes. Considerable structural damage and even some collapses have sometimes been attributed to this effect. Each structure is modelled as a S.D.O.F. system and pounding is simulated using impact elements. A parametric investigation of this problem shows that the end structures experience almost always substantial increases in their response while for ‘interior’ structures the opposite often happens. This may explain why high percentages of corner buildings have collapsed in some earthquakes.     

Pounding of structures modelled as non‐linear impacts of two oscillators

A new formulation is proposed to model pounding between two adjacent structures, with natural periods T₁ and T₂ and damping ratios ζ₁ and ζ₂ under harmonic earthquake excitation, as non‐linear Hertzian impact between two single‐degree‐of‐freedom oscillators. For the case of rigid impacts, a special case of our analytical solution has been given by Davis (‘Pounding of buildings modelled by an impact oscillator’ Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics, 1992; 21 :253–274) for an oscillator pounding on a stationary barrier. Our analytical predictions for rigid impacts agree qualitatively with our numerical simulations for non‐rigid impacts. When the difference in natural periods between the two oscillators increases, the impact velocity also increases drastically. The impact velocity spectrum is, however, relatively insensitive to the standoff distance. The maximum relative impact velocity of the coupled system can occur at an excitation period T_n^* which is either between those of the two oscillators or less than both of them, depending on the ratios T₁/T₂ and ζ₁/ζ₂. Although the pounding force between two oscillators has been primarily modelled by the Hertz contact law, parametric studies show that the maximum relative impact velocity is not very sensitive to changes in the contact parameters. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

双向地震作用下互通式斜交桥梁地震响应及碰撞效应分析

斜交桥梁由于其不规则的结构形式使其受力规律与规则桥梁相比具有特殊性和复杂性,在地震作用下梁体的平动与转动存在弯扭耦合效应,导致结构动力响应分析复杂。针对斜交桥梁的结构特点,建立包含桩土相互作用的三维有限元模型,在考虑水平双向地震作用下,采用反应谱法及时程分析法对京包高速公路某互通式斜交桥梁进行地震反应分析。结果表明:互通式简支斜交桥梁的地震响应受地震动输入方向的影响较大,在考虑碰撞效应后,碰撞涉及结构部位的地震位移显著增加,地震内力也出现较大差异,即说明在斜交桥梁抗震设计时有必要适当考虑地震动输入方向和梁端与墩台及相邻梁端的碰撞效应。     

考虑双向碰撞效应的连续斜交桥地震响应研究

为研究双向碰撞效应对连续斜交桥地震响应的影响,采用Kelvin-Voigt模型模拟桥台伸缩缝处的纵向碰撞现象,采用简化滞回模型模拟挡块与主梁的横向碰撞过程,针对某三跨连续斜交桥进行参数对比研究。研究表明,双向碰撞对主梁横向位移的影响远比纵向位移大,其中桥台间隙对主梁平面转角的影响最大,且平面转角随桥台间隙的增大而减小;横向碰撞对墩柱曲率变形的影响远比纵向碰撞大,其中挡块强度的影响特别大,当挡块强度由0%增至50%时,墩柱纵、横向曲率均值分别增大13.43倍、7.21倍。随着斜交角的增大,梁端纵向位移不断增大,横向位移和平面转角则先增后减;墩底纵向曲率不断增大,横向曲率经历先增后减\,再增的过程;纵向碰撞效应先减弱后增强,而横向碰撞效应则先增强后减弱。由于横向碰撞对墩柱的影响远大于纵向碰撞,因此在斜交角为15°～45°时,宜设法降低横向碰撞效应。     

Pounding of superstructure segments in isolated elevated bridge during earthquakes

Past severe earthquakes indicate that pounding may cause considerable damage or even lead to collapse of colliding structures. The aim of this paper is to present an analysis of pounding between superstructure segments of an isolated elevated bridge induced by the propagating seismic wave. High-damping rubber bearings (HDRBs), used as isolation devices, are modelled by proposed non-linear formulation and the significance of the bearings model for pounding is indicated. The results of the study show that pounding leads to the increase or decrease of the forces acting on piers, depending on the gap size between superstructure segments. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing the impact of distributed snow water equivalent calibration and assimilation of Copernicus snow water equivalent on modelled snow and streamflow performance

Accuracy of the Copernicus snow water equivalent (SWE) product and the impact of SWE calibration and assimilation on modelled SWE and streamflow was evaluated. Daily snowpack measurements were made at 12 locations from 2016 to 2019 across a 4104 km² mixed-forest basin in the Great Lakes region of central Ontario, Canada. Sub-basin daily SWE calculated from these sites, observed discharge, and lake levels were used to calibrate a hydrologic model developed using the Raven modelling framework. Copernicus SWE was bias corrected during the melt period using mean bias subtraction and was compared to daily basin average SWE calculated from the measured data. Bias corrected Copernicus SWE was assimilated into the models using a range of parameters and the parameterizations from the model calibration. The bias corrected Copernicus product agreed well with measured data and provided a good estimate of mean basin SWE demonstrating that the product shows promise for hydrology applications within the study region. Calibration to spatially distributed SWE substantially improved the basin scale SWE estimate while only slightly degrading the flow simulation demonstrating the value of including SWE in a multi-objective calibration formulation. The particle filter experiments yielded the best SWE estimation but moderately degraded the flow simulation. The particle filter experiments constrained by the calibrated snow parameters produced similar results to the experiments using the upper and lower bounds indicating that, in this study, model calibration prior to assimilation was not valuable. The calibrated models exhibited varying levels of skill in estimating SWE but demonstrated similar streamflow performance. This indicates that basin outlet streamflow can be accurately estimated using a model with a poor representation of distributed SWE. This may be sufficient for applications where estimating flow is the primary water management objective. However, in applications where understanding the physical processes of snow accumulation, melt and streamflow generation are important, such as assessing the impact of climate change on water resources, accurate representations of SWE are required and can be improved via multi-objective calibration or data assimilation, as demonstrated in this study.     

Pounding force assessment in performance‐based design of bridges

Bridges with deck supported on either sliding or elastomeric bearings are very common in mid‐seismicity regions. Their main seismic vulnerabilities are related to the pounding of the deck against abutments or between the different deck elements. A simplified model of the longitudinal behavior of those bridges will allow to characterize the reaction forces developed during pounding using the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center framework formula. In order to ensure the general applicability of the results obtained, a large number of system parameter combinations will be considered. The heart of the formula is the identification of suitable intermediate variables. First, the pseudo acceleration spectral value for the fundamental period of the system (Sa(T_s)) will be used as an intensity measure (IM). This IM will result in a very large non‐explained variability of the engineering demand parameter. A portion of this variability will be proved to be related to the relative content of high‐frequency energy in the input motion. Two vector‐valued IMs including a second parameter taking this energy content into account will then be considered. For both of them, a suitable form for the conditional intensity dependence of the response will be obtained. The question of which one to choose will also be analyzed. Finally, additional issues related to the IM will be studied: its applicability to pulse‐type records, the validity of scaling records and the sufficiency of the IM. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

行波激励下考虑结构碰撞的非规则桥梁抗震性能研究

基于动力学基本原理,建立非规则桥梁的多自由度动力简化模型,根据拉格朗日方程推导简化模型的动力方程,结合龙格—库塔方法,采用自编程序研究行波激励下非规则桥梁综合考虑支座摩擦滑移、结构碰撞等非线性因素作用时的抗震性能。结果表明,行波效应和碰撞效应的共同作用可使矮墩的弯矩需求增大;行波激励可使板式橡胶支座位移增大,地震波最后到达的桥墩其上方支座位移峰值增加最为明显;相比高墩,地震作用下矮墩上部的板式橡胶支座易发生滑动。因此非规则桥梁进行防碰撞设计时应考虑行波激励及支座摩擦,找出相邻结构的最大碰撞力,以指导设计。     

Plastic debris ingestion by marine catfish: an unexpected fisheries impact

Plastic marine debris is a pervasive type of pollution. River basins and estuaries are a source of plastics pollution for coastal waters and oceans. Estuarine fauna is therefore exposed to chronic plastic pollution. Three important catfish species [Cathorops spixii (N = 60), Cathorops agassizii (N = 60) and Sciades herzbergii (N = 62)] from South Western Atlantic estuaries were investigated in a tropical estuary of the Brazilian Northeast in relation to their accidental ingestion of plastic marine debris. Individuals from all three species had ingested plastics. In C. spixii and C. agassizii, 18% and 33% of individuals had plastic debris in their stomachs, respectively. S. herzbergii showed 18% of individuals were contaminated. All ontogenetic phases (juveniles, sub-adults and adults) were contaminated. Nylon fragments from cables used in fishery activities (subsistence, artisanal and commercial) played a major role in this contamination. These catfish spend their entire life cycles within the estuary and are an important feeding resource for larger, economically important, species. It is not yet possible to quantify the scale and depth of the consequences of this type of pollution. However, plastics are well known threat to living resources in this and other estuaries. Conservation actions will need to from now onto take plastics pollution into consideration.     

Performance-based assessment of an innovative braced tube system for tall buildings

In this paper, an innovative seismic lateral force resisting system for tall buildings is introduced. In this system, a novel supplemental part, ribbed bracing system (RBSyst), is attached to Braced Tube System, creating a modified BTS. RBSyst is a supplemental part which is attached to the conventional bracing members to eliminate buckling problem. The behavior of RBSyst under tensile force is similar to that of the conventional braces. However, in compression, it prevents the braces from buckling by length reduction. In order to evaluate the efficiency of this new BTS system by performance-based assessment, two typical 40-story tall buildings with different story modules equipped with this proposed bracing system are modeled numerically. Then, the seismic behavior of these 3-dimensional models are evaluated by nonlinear time history analysis under maximum considered earthquakes and service-level earthquakes. The results of the analysis demonstrate that the performance of the tall buildings equipped with this new BTS system is within the acceptable limits under both service-level and maximum considered earthquake ground motions. Additionally, it is shown that RBSyst part can effectively enhance the seismic behavior of BTS systems.     

形状记忆合金橡胶对高架桥梁碰撞减震效果的试验研究

地震作用下,高架桥梁相邻主梁间的碰撞会引起结构位移和加速度响应增大、应力提高,导致混凝土开裂、脱落和伸缩缝被挤压破坏,甚至引发桥梁落梁和倒塌等,因此采取减轻或者避免桥梁结构在地震作用下碰撞的措施显得尤为必要。设计制备了具有变形自恢复能力的形状记忆合金橡胶碰撞缓冲器,通过桥梁地震碰撞的振动台试验,研究了形状记忆合金橡胶缓冲器对桥梁碰撞的控制效果,提出了碰撞缓冲器吸能效率和结构自身耗能控制率指标。研究表明,形状记忆合金橡胶碰撞缓冲器具有稳定的吸能效率,能够大幅度降低桥梁结构碰撞加速度和碰撞力,这对于提高城市交通网络的地震安全性能具有重要意义。     

Control of the seismic response of a composite tall building modelled by two interconnected shear beams

The possibility of controlling the seismic response of tall buildings by use of a structural system consisting of a stiff and lightly damped external structure and a very flexible and moderately damped internal structure connected by stiff links at a few elevations is explored. Optimal damping values for the internal structure are obtained by consideration of the response on the composite structure in the vicinity of its fundamental mode. The resulting optimal damping values depend on the relative stiffness of both structures. Numerical results in the frequency and time domain are used to illustrate the advantages of such a system for seismic excitation. The possibility of using flexible links between the internal and external structures to moderate the required reduction of stiffness in the internal structure is also explored. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental investigation of adjacent buildings connected by fluid damper

Dynamic characteristic and harmonic response of adjacent buildings connected by fluid damper were experimentally investigated using model buildings and fluid damper. Two building models were constructed as two three-storey shear buildings of different natural frequencies. Model fluid damper connecting the two buildings was designed as linear viscous damper of which damping coefficient could be adjusted. The two buildings without fluid dampers connected were first tested to obtain their individual dynamic characteristics and responses to harmonic excitation. The tests were then carried out to determine modal damping ratios of the adjacent buildings connected by the fluid damper of different damping coefficients and at different locations. Optimal damper damping coefficient and location for achieving the maximum modal damping ratio were thus found. The measured modal damping ratios and harmonic responses of the building-fluid damper system were finally compared with those from the individual buildings. The comparison showed that the fluid damper of proper parameter could significantly increase the modal damping ratio and tremendously reduce the dynamic response of both buildings. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quick algorithms for computing either displacement,velocity or acceleration of an oscillator

Accurate and efficient algorithms are derived for computing any desired response quantity of a single-degree-of-freedom linear oscillator subjected to an arbitrary forcing function. These algorithms are based on linear interpolation of the excitation between discrete points sampled uniformly in time. In the special case of the undamped oscillator, the displacement algorithm is equivalent to a previously published algorithm for this situation which was derived using a finite element approach. However, contrary to the claim made by the authors of this latter algorithm, it does not give an exact solution of the equation of undamped motion for an arbitrary forcing function.     

Lognormal distribution of the observed and modelled neutral thermospheric densities

For analyzing measurements of any kind, it is important to estimate the probability distribution of the measurement errors. When modelling the observations using least-squares fitting, the distribution of the errors plays a vital role in choosing the merit function to be minimized, as unnormally distributed errors (e.g. outliers, or displaying asymmetry around the mean) may substantially skew a least-squares fit of estimated model parameters. Using the CACTUS accelerometer data covering heights of 230–750 km, we will show that the statistical relationship between the commonly used semi-empirical models of neutral thermospheric density (MSIS, DTM) and the observed densities is consistent with lognormal distribution, i.e. the logarithm of the ratio of the measurements to the predictions is approximately normally distributed. This experimental fact may be applied in modelling the neutral thermospheric density. bezdek@asu.cas.cz     

An attempt of real-time structural response assessment by an interferometric approach: A tailor-made earthquake early warning for buildings

Earthquake early warning systems (EEWS) are considered an effective and viable tool for seismic risk reduction in cities. Innovative directions for the development of novel EEWS include designing new methods for structure specific EEWS, where regional and on-site networks of seismic stations and seismological and earthquake-engineering knowledge and experience are combined. Furthermore, the design of novel EEWS can nowadays take advantage of recent technological advances involving the development of low-cost networks of wireless accelerometric stations. In this work we present a first attempt at designing a structure specific EEW procedure, which is based on the analysis of early P-wave signals recorded by wireless accelerometers placed at different levels of a structure. The procedure exploits the interferometric analysis of the recorded P-wave signals to obtain the response of the structure with respect to an impulsive input signal. This latter piece of information can be combined with an estimation of the incoming event size in order to obtain a real-time early assessment of the structural response at the different structure's levels. The procedure, named Tailor-made Earthquake Early Warning (TEEW), is composed of four steps: (1) The early event characterization through the inversion of the accelerometer spectra recorded at the base of the structure, (2) the early building response estimation through the deconvolution of P-wave signals recorded at selected levels of the structure, (3) the estimation of the expected shaking at the different levels through the convolution of the results from steps (1) and (2), and (4) a simple decisional rule based on the exceedance of a threshold value of the early estimation of the inter-story drift (i.e. the relative horizontal displacement of two adjacent floors in a building, expressed as a percentage of the story height separating the two adjacent floors) to determine whether or not to issue an alarm.A first test of the TEEW procedure is presented using recordings of three aftershocks of the L'Aquila sequence in 2009 that have been collected at the city hall of Navelli, Italy.     

Protecting vibration-sensitive contents: an investigation of floor accelerations in seismically isolated buildings

For the public welfare and safety, buildings such as hospitals, industrial facilities, and technology centers need to remain functional at all times; even during and after major earthquakes. The values of these buildings themselves may be insignificant when compared to the cost of loss of operations and business continuity. Seismic isolation aims to protect both the integrity and the contents of a structure. Since the tolerable acceleration levels are relatively low for continued services of vibration-sensitive high-tech contents, a better understanding of acceleration response behaviors of seismically isolated buildings is necessary. In an effort to shed light to this issue, following are investigated via bi-directional time history analyses of seismically isolated benchmark buildings subject to historical earthquakes: (i) the distribution of peak floor accelerations of seismically isolated buildings subject to seismic excitations in order to find out which floors are likely to sustain the largest accelerations; (ii) the influence of equivalent linear modeling of isolation systems on the floor accelerations in order to find out the range of possible errors introduced by this type of modeling; (iii) the role of superstructure damping in reducing floor accelerations of seismically isolated buildings with flexible superstructures in order to find out whether increasing the superstructure damping helps reducing floor accelerations notably. Influences of isolation system characteristics and superstructure flexibility are both taken into account.     

多维地震输入下曲线匝道桥梁伸缩缝碰撞响应

针对曲线匝道桥梁伸缩缝地震碰撞破坏现象,依托某市多层互通式立交体系中一座独立、单支、多联、曲线、箱梁匝道桥,用Kelvin接触单元模拟了伸缩缝处地震和碰撞效应,建立了全桥空间动力分析模型。利用非线性时程分析法,分别输入单维(X方向、Y方向)和多维共8种地震动工况,分析了曲线匝道桥梁伸缩缝的地震碰撞响应差异。结果表明:曲线匝道桥梁由于曲率的影响,不同方向地震动响应存在耦合效应,其伸缩缝碰撞响应的最不利值应考虑多维地震输入工况,并用碰撞力和碰撞位移双指标控制伸缩缝的地震碰撞响应。     

寿命周期成本法评价城市建筑物地震风险

寿命周期成本（LCC）法是应用于地震灾害风险控制研究的新方法,其与折现现金流（DCF）法的整合可以有效地评价资产价值,比较研究地震风险控制与抗震减灾对策的投资效果,有助于选择地震风险控制的最佳方案。探讨了LCC法以及其与DCF法评价建筑物地震灾害风险的数学模型、解析方法及其在评价建筑物地震灾害风险中的应用。LCC法评价城市建筑物地震灾害风险有坚实的理论基础和广阔的应用前景。     

两结构高效阻尼控制体系试验研究

本文通过模拟地震动振动台试验，研究了两个相邻结构模型的地震响应，结构模型采用一种高效阻尼装置(High Efficient Damper for Multi—Structure System即HEDMS)连接。非线性时程分析与振动台试验结果都证明了该阻尼装置能高效发挥软钢阻尼器的耗能能力，从而显著减轻两结构模型的地震响应。同时，研究还指出了进行阻尼装置设计时应该注意的一些问题。