Spring tube braces for seismic isolation of buildings

A new low-cost seismic isolation system based on spring tube bracings has been proposed and studied at the Structural and Earthquake Engineering Laboratory of Istanbul Technical University. Multiple compression-type springs are positioned in a special cylindrical tube to obtain a symmetrical response in tension and compression-type axial loading. An isolation floor, which consists of pin-ended steel columns and spring tube bracings, is constructed at the foundation level or any intermediate level of the building. An experimental campaign with three stages was completed to evaluate the capability of the system. First, the behavior of the spring tubes subjected to axial displacement reversals with varying frequencies was determined. In the second phase, the isolation floor was assessed in the quasi-static tests. Finally, a ¼ scaled 3D steel frame was tested on the shake table using actual acceleration records. The transmitted acceleration to the floor levels is greatly diminished because of the isolation story, which effects longer period and higher damping. There are no stability and self-centering problems in the isolation floor.     

Feeding behavior in Caribbean surgeonfishes varies across fish size,algal abundance,and habitat characteristics

Feeding behavior of coral reef fishes often determines their species‐specific ecological roles. We studied the two most common Caribbean surgeonfishes (Acanthurus coeruleus and Acanthurus tractus) to examine their species‐specific grazing rates and feeding preferences and how these differed with environmental context. We quantified the feeding activity of both surgeonfishes at four spur and groove reefs in the Florida Keys, USA, that varied in fish abundance, rugosity, algal community composition, and sediment loading. Overall, A. tractus fed twice as fast as A. coeruleus. Both species selected for turf algae but avoided feeding on turf algae that had become laden with sediment. Selectivity for upright macroalgae was more complex with A. tractus targeting Dictyota spp., while A. coeruleus avoided Dictyota spp. relative to the alga's abundance. Both species selected for epiphytes growing on other organisms such as macroalgae and sponges. However, several of these feeding patterns changed with ontogeny. For example, larger individuals of both species fed more frequently on long, sediment‐laden algal turf and less frequently on Dictyota spp. compared to smaller sized individuals. In addition, A. tractus also increased its preference for upright calcareous algae as they attained larger sizes. Overall, the disparity in feeding preferences of surgeonfishes likely indicates subtle differences in species‐specific ecological roles. Both A. coeruleus and A. tractus likely prevent development of turf algae and thus maintain algal communities in the early stages of succession. Additionally, A. tractus may also help reduce macroalgal abundance by targeting common macroalgal species.     

Vertical spatial correlation length based on standard penetration tests

The spatial correlation length (SCL), or the scale of fluctuation, is a parameter for describing the spatial variability of soil and one of the important parameters used in random field theory. Studies reporting the spatial correlation length based on real field data of offshore/nearshore sea bottom soils are rather limited in the literature, so in this study, the vertical spatial correlation length is determined using site investigation data from two sites of the southern coast of Turkey. Based on quite extensive data, the vertical spatial correlation length is estimated using four different autocovariance functions. The values are within typical ranges reported in the literature for similar soil groups, both onshore and offshore. It is also noted that the widely-used exponential function almost always gives the lowest value of spatial correlation length. The results of this study add to the database of spatial correlation lengths based on real data and could be useful for future studies on reliability assessment of offshore foundations using random finite element method.     

An example of cluster analysis applied to a large geologic data set: Aerial radiometric data from Copper Mountain, Wyoming

One objective of the aerial radiometric surveys flown as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program was to ascertain the spatial distribution of near-surface radioelement abundances on a regional scale. Some method for identifying groups of observations with similar -ray spectral signatures and radioelement concentration values was therefore required. It is shown in this paper that cluster analysis can identify such groups with or without a priori knowledge of the geology of an area. An approach that combines principal components analysis with convergentk-means cluster analysis is used to classify 6991 observations (each observation comprising three radiometric variables) from the Precambrian rocks of the Copper Mountain, Wyoming area. This method is compared with a convergentk-means analysis that utilizes available geologic knowledge. Both methods identify four clusters. Three of the clusters represent background values for the Precambrian rocks of the area, and the fourth represents outliers (anomalously high²¹⁴Bi). A segmentation of the data corresponding to geologic reality as interpreted by other methods has been achieved by perceptive quantitative analysis of aerial radiometric data. The techniques employed are composites of classical clustering methods designed to handle the special problems presented by large data sets.     

Direct interpretation of magnetotelluric sounding data based on the frequency-normalized impedance function

An important aspect of any non-linear inversion method is the generation of a suitable or good initial model as this controls the rate of convergence and accuracy of the result. To overcome the problem, a numerical method is presented for direct interpretation of magnetotelluric sounding data based on the frequency-normalized impedance (FNI) function. The expressions used to calculate the parameters are developed, first for a two-layer case under the assumption that deeper layers do not contribute to the early part of the FNI curve, and they are then generalized for an n -layer situation. The parameters of the first layer are computed by using successive sample values and the final estimate is obtained from the arithmetic mean of selected values by excluding unacceptable results in the logarithmic space. The top layer is then removed using a reduction equation. The repetition of the procedure on successive branches of the FNI function gives successive layer parameters, the resistivity of the substratum being obtained at the final step, when the reduction equation becomes equal to the square root of that resistivity.   The proposed method can be used as a complementary method for iterative inversion as it creates an initial guess which is close to the optimal solution. The solution produced by the direct interpretation may also be modified by the interpreter to incorporate prior geological information before being input to iterative interpretation schemes.     

A numerical method for the solution of a line source under a free surface

A modified source-and-dipole type singularity panel method is proposed to calculate the flow properties for an oscillating arbitrary body in the presence of a free surface. The technique is based on Green's identity whereby the boundary value problem is expressed as a boundary integral equation which is solved numerically. The free-space Green function is used in the integral equation. To demonstrate the feasibility of the method, the problem of a pulsating submerged line source under a free surface is treated and results are compared with the exact solution.An excellent agreement with the theory is obtained for panel density of about ten panels per wavelength and paneled water surface length of two wavelengths with very low computing times, indicating the feasibility of the method for unsteady water wave problems.     

Application of a panel method to hydrodynamics of underwater vehicles

A low-order singularity panel method based on Green's formulation is used to predict the hydrodynamics characteristics of underwater vehicles. The low-order modeling employs constant strength sources and doublets, and the body surface is modeled by quadrilaterals. The method is first applied to predicting the force and moment coefficients of underwater vehicles for the body-alone and finned configurations. Hydrodynamic coefficients of added mass and added moment of inertia are also calculated by modifying the code. Results for several two and three-dimensional bodies show the usefulness of the method for predicting the added mass and added moment of inertia.     

Assessment of rockfall hazard around Afyon Castle,Turkey

The Afyon Castle is a tourist destination and a historical site in the City of Afyon in Turkey. The Castle is located on a steep hill, with a height of 226 m. In close proximity to the Castle there are settlements. The hill consists of trachitic andesite. The rock contains columnar joints and flow layering. Owing to these discontinuities, blocks of varying sizes had fallen down. The settlement areas near the Castle are now in danger because of the rockfall risk. In this study, rockfall analysis was carried out along nine profiles of the hill. Fall-out distance, bounce height, kinetic energy and velocity of the rocks along each profile were investigated. The results of the analyses were evaluated, and the areas delineated as susceptible to rockfall risk are highlighted. Remedial measures including rock bolts and protective fences were suggested on the basis of the field observations and the rockfall risk evaluation.     

Seismic velocity and Poisson’s ratio tomography of the crust beneath southwest Anatolia: an insight into the occurrence of large earthquakes

The western part of Anatolia is one of the most seismically and tectonically active continental regions in the world, and much of it has been undergoing NS-directed extensional deformation since the Early Miocene. In this study, we determine 3-D tomographic images of the crust under the southwestern part of the North Anatolian Fault Zone by inverting a large number of arrival time data of P and S waves. From the obtained P- and S-wave velocity models, we estimated the Poisson’s ratio structures for a more reliable interpretation of the obtained anomalies. Our tomographic results confirmed the major tectonic features detected by previous studies and revealed new structural heterogeneities related to the active seismotectonics of the studied area. High P-wave velocity anomalies are recognized near the surface, while at deeper crustal layers, low P-wave velocities are widely distributed. The crustal S-wave velocity and Poisson’s ratio exhibit more structural heterogeneities compared to the P-wave velocity structure. Microearthquake activity is intense along highly heterogeneous zones in the southwestern part, which is characterized by low to high P-wave velocity, low S-wave velocity, and high Poisson’s ratio anomalies. Large earthquakes are also concentrated in zones dominated by low velocities and low to high Poisson’s ratios. Results of the checkerboard and synthetic tests indicate that the imaged anomalies are reliable features down to a depth of 25 km. Moreover, they are consistent with many geological and geophysical results obtained by other researchers along the southwestern part of the North Anatolian Fault Zone. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Seismic response assessment of a stiff structure

Seismic response of a lightly reinforced stiff shear‐wall structure subjected to ground motions grouped as near‐ or far‐field according to their distance to causative faults is investigated. A model structure that had earlier been studied both experimentally and analytically in the context of a co‐ordinated research project is re‐examined. The structure is a five‐storey lightly reinforced shear‐wall model subjected analytically to 55 ground motion records from firm soil sites. Several response parameters are obtained by linear and non‐linear analyses. Additional analyses are performed to ascertain the validity and range of applicability of current approximate displacement‐based analysis procedures. The procedures considered in this study are found to be inadequate in representing the anticipated response of the structure employed here regardless of the type of excitation, so modifications are suggested for improved results. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.