Earthquake precursory signatures in electromagnetic radiation measurements in terms of day-to-day fractal spectral exponent variation: analysis of the eastern Aegean 13/04/2017–20/07/2017 seismic activity

The recent seismic activity in the eastern Aegean Sea, foregrounded by two major (M_L?=?6.1 and M_L?=?6.2) earthquakes occurring near Lesvos and Kos islands, respectively, is investigated in this work. Electromagnetic radiation measurements across different frequency bands and antenna orientations from a monitoring station in Agia Paraskevi, Lesvos Island, are analysed in order to reveal earthquake precursory signatures hidden in the electromagnetic data sequence. A straightforward, data-driven approach is employed in which day-to-day variations of the fractal characteristics of the measurements are adaptively monitored via a fractal spectral exponent similarity measure. The evolution of the fractal day-to-day variation in a 99-day period, which includes the two major earthquakes, shows a sustained, sudden increase lasting 1 to 4 days before every earthquake cluster of M_L?=?4.0 and above. Most importantly, this day-to-day variation subsides shortly after and remains relatively low during the absence of earthquakes, thus alleviating the emergence of false alarms.     

Fiber-based hysteretic model for simulating strength and stiffness deterioration of steel hollow structural section columns under cyclic loading

An efficient component model has been developed that captures strength and stiffness deterioration of steel hollow structural section (HSS) columns. The proposed model consists of two fiber-based segments at a member's ends along with an elastic segment in between. The fibers exhibit nonlinear uniaxial stress–strain behavior, which is explicitly defined by uniaxial monotonic tensile and cyclic round coupon tests. The postbuckling behavior of an HSS column is traced through a proposed uniaxial effective stress–strain constitutive formulation, which includes a softening branch in compression and an energy-based deterioration rule to trace the influence of cyclic deterioration in the inelastic cyclic straining. These may be inferred by uniaxial stub-column tests. The component model captures the coupling between the column axial force and flexural demands. Consistent model parameters for a number of steel materials used in the steel construction in North America and Japan are proposed along with the associated model calibration process. The efficiency of the proposed model in predicting the hysteretic behavior of HSS columns is demonstrated by comparisons with physical steel column tests subjected to various loading histories, including representative ones of ratcheting prior to earthquake-induced collapse. The proposed model is implemented in an open-source finite element software for nonlinear response history analysis of frame structures. The effectiveness of the proposed model in simulating dynamic instability of steel frame buildings is demonstrated through nonlinear response simulations of a four-story steel frame building, which was tested at full-scale through collapse. Limitations as well as suggestions for future work are discussed.     

Dynamics of a sliding-rocking block considering impact with an adjacent wall

A freestanding rigid block subjected to base excitation can exhibit complicated motion described by five response modes: rest, pure rocking, pure sliding, combined sliding-rocking, and free flight. Previous studies on the dynamics of a rocking block have assumed that the block does not interact with neighboring objects. However, there are many applications in which the block may start or come in contact with an adjacent boundary during its motion, for example, a bookcase or cabinet colliding with a partition wall in an earthquake. This paper investigates the dynamics of a sliding-rocking block considering impact with an adjacent wall. A model is developed in which the base and wall are assumed rigid, and impact is treated using the classical impulse and momentum principle. The model is verified by comparing its predictions in numerical simulations against those of an existing general-purpose rigid-body model in which impact is treated using a viscoelastic impact model. The developed model is used to investigate the effects of different parameters on the stability of a block subjected to analytical pulse excitations. It is found that wall placement (left or right) has a dominant effect on the shape of the overturning acceleration spectra for pulse excitations. In general, decreasing the gap distance, base friction coefficient, and wall coefficient of restitution enhance the stability of the block. Similar observations are made when evaluating the overturning probability of a block using earthquake floor motions.     

Conditional spectrum‐based ground motion record selection using average spectral acceleration

The use of a seismic intensity measure (IM) is paramount in decoupling seismic hazard and structural response estimation when assessing the performance of structures. For this to be valid, the IM needs to be sufficient;that is, the engineering demand parameter (EDP) response should be independent of other ground motion characteristics when conditioned on the IM. Whenever non‐trivial dependence is found, such as in the case of the IM being the first‐mode spectral acceleration, ground motion selection must be employed to generate sets of ground motion records that are consistent vis‐à‐vis the hazard conditioned on the IM. Conditional spectrum record selection is such a method for choosing records that are consistent with the site‐dependent spectral shape conditioned on the first‐mode spectral acceleration. Based on a single structural period, however the result may be suboptimal, or insufficient, for EDPs influenced by different period values, for example, peak interstory drifts or peak floor accelerations at different floors, potentially requiring different record suites for each. Recently, the log‐average spectral acceleration over a period range, AvgSA, has emerged as an improved scalar IM for building response estimation whose hazard can be evaluated using existing ground motion prediction equations. Herein, we present a recasting of conditional spectrum record selection that is based on AvgSA over a period range as the conditioning IM. This procedure ensures increased efficiency and sufficiency in simultaneously estimating multiple EDPs by means of a single IM. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Yield frequency spectra and seismic design of code‐compatible RC structures: an illustrative example

The seismic design of an eight‐story reinforced concrete space frame building is undertaken using a yield frequency spectra (YFS) performance‐based approach. YFS offer a visual representation of the entire range of a system's performance in terms of the mean annual frequency (MAF) of exceeding arbitrary global ductility or displacement levels versus the base shear strength. As such, the YFS framework can establish the required base shear and corresponding first‐mode period to satisfy arbitrary performance objectives for any structure that may be approximated by a single‐degree‐of‐freedom system with given yield displacement and capacity curve shape. For the eight‐story case study building, deformation checking is the governing limit state. A conventional code‐based design was performed using seismic intensities tied to the desired MAF for safety checking. Then, the YFS‐based approach was employed to redesign the resulting structure working backwards from the desired MAF of response (rather than intensity) to estimate an appropriate value of seismic intensity for use within a typical engineering design process. For this high‐seismicity and high‐importance midrise building, a stiffer system with higher base shear strength was thus derived. Moreover, performance assessment via incremental dynamic analysis showed that while the code‐design did not meet the required performance objective, the YFS‐based redesign needed only pushover analysis results to offer a near‐optimal design outcome. The rapid convergence of the method in a single design/analysis iteration emphasized its efficiency and practicability as a design aid for practical application. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Backscatter calibration of high-frequency multibeam echosounder using a reference single-beam system,on natural seafloor

The calibration of multibeam echosounders for backscatter measurements can be conducted efficiently and accurately using data from surveys over a reference natural area, implying appropriate measurements of the local absolute values of backscatter. Such a shallow area (20-m mean depth) has been defined and qualified in the Bay of Brest (France), and chosen as a reference area for multibeam systems operating at 200 and 300 kHz. The absolute reflectivity over the area was measured using a calibrated single-beam fishery echosounder (Simrad EK60) tilted at incidence angles varying between 0° and 60° with a step of 3°. This reference backscatter level is then compared to the average backscatter values obtained by a multibeam echosounder (here a Kongsberg EM 2040-D) at a close frequency and measured as a function of angle; the difference gives the angular bias applicable to the multibeam system for recorded level calibration. The method is validated by checking the single- and multibeam data obtained on other areas with sediment types different from the reference area.     

Fish fauna recovery in a newly re-flooded Mediterranean coastal lagoon

Drana Lagoon, located at the NW site of Evros River Delta, was drained in 1987 and re-flooded in 2004 within the framework of an integrated wetland restoration project. This study presents the results of a monitoring program of the lagoon's oceanographic, water quality and fish fauna characteristics, during the pre- and post-restoration period. Results depict the presence of high salinity water (up to 41) due to seawater intrusion, strong evaporation in its interior and inadequate freshwater inflows. Overall, nutrient levels were low depicting local changes. Tidal variability at the mouth was approximately 0.2 m, producing high velocity tidal currents (up to 0.75 m/s). Eleven fish fauna species were collected; seven species were caught in both the inlet channel and the lagoon during the pre-restoration period and nine species in the post-restoration period. Atherina boyeri (37.6%) and Pomatoschistus marmoratus (31.7%) dominated the lagoon during the post-restoration period. Most of the A. boyeri specimens (88.5%) were caught inside the lagoon, while P. marmoratus had an almost equal distribution in the inlet channel and the lagoon (56.3% and 43.7% respectively). The presence of species of the Mugilidae family (5.2% total average catches after lagoon re-flooding) was mainly in the inlet channel (12.6% of the average catches) and not inside the lagoon (only 1.3% of the average catches). The small number of fish species inhabiting the lagoon might be the result of the recent restoration or it could be related with the increased water flow observed at the lagoon mouth during the flood and ebb tidal phases, and also in the presence of a smooth bank in the concrete waterspout that connects the entrance channel with the lagoon. The limited presence of the Mugilidae juveniles inside the lagoon could be related to the prevailing tidal inlet dynamics (i.e. strong ebb flow at lagoon inlet), thus preventing the species to enter the lagoon. In order to restore the lagoon environment, careful and gradual steps should be undertaken under the basis of continuous monitoring of hydrologic, environmental and fisheries system's status.     

Band-Limited Analysis of Current Satellite-to-Satellite Tracking, Gradiometry and Combined Earth Gravity Models

Several satellite-only gravity models based on the analysis of satellite-to-satellite tracking (SST) data have become available in the course of the last decade. The realization of the satellite missions CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) and Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) enabled the practical implementation of two modes of the SST principle, namely the high–low and the low–low SST. Though similar in their fundamental idea, which is the indirect observation of the gravity field based on the position of two satellites orbiting the Earth, the different architecture and geometrical layout of these techniques capture different fingerprints of the observed field. In the last few years, satellite-only gravity models based on the analysis of satellite gravity gradiometry (SGG) data became available and led to a new insight into the gravity field. The implementation of the SGG principle became possible after the launch of Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE), the first gravitational gradiometry mission. Based on the principle of differential accelerometry, GOCE provides the gravitational gradients which can be used in gravity field retrieval as primary observations of the field at satellite altitude. In the present study, we consider some of the current satellite-only and combined gravity models based on the analysis of CHAMP, GRACE, GOCE, gravimetry and altimetry data. In order to perform a thorough analysis of the models, we present an overview of tools for their quality assessment both in an absolute and relative sense in terms of computing spectral quantities, such as correlation or smoothing coefficients per degree and per order, attempting to demonstrate possible non-isotropic features in the models. Furthermore, typical geodetic measures in computing second-order derivatives, such as degree and order variances and difference variances, have been also evaluated for the same models, using the combined model EGM2008 as reference. Apart from these standard spectral assessment quantities, a systematic spatial representation of the second derivatives at satellite altitude has been performed. The combination of the two analysis steps (spectral and spatial) permits a first detailed assessment of the models, focusing especially on the identification of characteristic interpretable bandwidths.     

Herbage Production and Species Richness in Sub-alpine Grasslands of Different Soil Parent Material in Northern Greece

Several abiotic and biotic factors were investigated as possible predictors of local species richness in two sub-alpine grasslands of Jenna and Belles Mountains in Northern Greece.For species richness modelling a hierarchical modelling framework based on generalized additive models was adopted.The two sub-alpine grasslands differed in aspect,altitude and soil parent material（volcanic origin,mostly trachyte,and andesite（TA） for Jenna and metamorphic rocks,mostly gneiss（G） for Belles）.12 fenced squared plots,16 m2 each,were used per grassland,where soil properties,herbage production,species presence and cover of grasses,legumes and forbs were estimated.Mean herbage production was significantly affected by slope and altitude,soil K content and floristic composition as expressed by an ordination axis.Soil p H,floristic composition and average herbage production were significant predictors of forbs and total species richness.For the former,soil N content and for the latter the occurrence of Agrostis capillaris,were also included as significant terms in the predictive model.Thepredictors for grasses species richness were N content,having a positive effect,and average herbage production.In all cases higher species richness was predicted for intermediate values of average herbage production.Differential responses were found between forbs and grasses.The predictors of their species richness were different while for the case of the common predictor（N） the responses of the two groups were also different（grasses species numbers increase and forbs species numbers decreased with increasing N）.Maximum species richness of grasses was observed at relatively low production levels while forbs species richness maximized at relatively high production levels.     

Integrated GIS and remote sensing analysis for landfill sitting in Western Crete,Greece

The assessment of the optimum landfill sitting requires multiple environmental data organized in a proper and efficient way to be effectively processed. Geographical information systems define an ideal tool for handling vast amounts of such kind of information combining multiple heterogeneous spatiotemporal data. Additionally, archive satellite remote sensing images set an ancillary approach to effective environmental monitoring of land surface within the areas of already established landfills and their surroundings (e.g. for calculation of crucial parameters such as vegetation indices). In this study, 17 environmental and anthropogenic factors were used to identify the most suitable sites for optimum landfill sitting in the western part of the island of Crete-Greece. The method used for the evaluation of all different factors is the analytical hierarchy process enhanced with fuzzy logic techniques. The results were compared with the already established landfills (legal/controlled and illegal/non-controlled) in the area of Chania prefecture and the results demonstrated that 75 % of the already (legal or illegal) established landfills of the prefecture are situated in extremely inappropriate areas from environmental point of view.