Component correlations in structure‐specific seismic loss estimation

This paper addresses correlations between multiple components in structure‐specific seismic loss estimation. To date, the consideration of such correlations has been limited by methodological tractability, increased computational demand, and a paucity of data for their computation. The effect of component correlations, which arises in various forms, is however a significant factor affecting the results of structure‐specific seismic loss estimation and therefore it is prudent that adequate consideration be given to their effect. This paper provides the details of a tractable and computationally efficient seismic loss estimation methodology in which correlations can be considered. Methods to determine the necessary correlations are discussed, particularly those that can be used in the absence of sufficient empirical data, for which values are suggested based on the judgement. The effects of various assumptions regarding correlations are illustrated via application to a case‐study office structure. It is observed that certain correlation assumptions can lead to errors in excess of 50% in the lognormal standard deviation in the loss given intensity and loss hazard relationships, while full consideration of partial correlations is 50 times more computationally expensive than other assumptions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flood-tide Delta Morphological Change at the Gippsland Lakes Artificial Entrance,Australia (1889–2009)

Analysis of historical survey and navigation charts, aerial imagery, and digital hydro-data (representing a time-series of 1889–2009) allows the morphological evolution of a flood-tide delta at the artificial entrance to the Gippsland Lakes (Victoria, Australia) to be visualised and quantified. Analysis shows that flood-tide delta growth has imposed progressively greater demands upon port managers for publicly funded maintenance dredging. This flood-tide delta growth corresponds with a progressive diminution of Gippsland Lakes catchment river discharge volumes, and dampening of flow variability, due to both regional precipitation pattern changes and changes in catchment water resource allocation. Future climate change predictions for the Gippsland Lakes catchment and coastal area suggest both further decreases in catchment river discharge, and changing sediment flux along this sector of the Ninety Mile Beach. Thus, scope for flood-tide delta nourishment will probably increase, as will the demand for mitigation of the inevitable effects upon entrance channel navigability. Information derived from the analysis of time-series bathymetry used for this study offers baseline information in support of stakeholder consensus building regarding options for maintaining navigability. Analysis points to the merit of considering (and testing via morphological modelling) alternative options for navigation channel maintenance than those in present practice. We argue that the circumstances prevailing at the artificial entrance call for consideration of engineered configuration changes practised elsewhere by entrance managers faced with similar issues.     

A 60-year record of rainfall from the sediments of Jinheung Pond,Jeongeup, Korea

This paper describes mean grain-size data from the ¹³⁷Cs- and ²¹⁰Pb-dated sediment core BS-3 (33-cm long) recovered from Jinheung Pond, located in the southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula. Grain-size analysis of the Jinheung Pond sediments shows a clear signal for changes in annual precipitation over the past 60 years. Instrumental records of annual precipitation (AP) and the annual summation of the precipitation of >50 mm per day (AP50), which reflects the energy available for sediment transport, correlate well with the mean grain-size distributions measured in the core. The most plausible mechanism for this response in mean grain size is variations in the annual amount and intensity of precipitation. Heavy precipitation enhances soil erosion over the catchment area and increases the transport capacity of streams and rivers. Thus, coarser mean grain size should reflect higher precipitation, and smaller mean grain size should reflect lower rainfall. In the data from core BS-3, however, grain-size peaks attributed to increased annual precipitation are not prominent. This is because a dam prevents removal of fine particles from the pond via the outflow. Therefore, the mean grain-size value represents somewhat larger sediments together with fine clays. The results of this study show that sediments of dammed lakes and ponds are well suited for high-resolution environmental investigations, especially for records of changes in precipitation over time.     

Understanding of the Common Land Model performance for water and energy fluxes in a farmland during the growing season in Korea

The Common Land Model (CLM) is one of the most widely used land surface models (LSMs) due to the practicality of its simple parameterization scheme and its versatility in embracing a variety of field datasets. The improved assessment of land surface water and energy fluxes using CLM can be an alternative approach for understanding the complex land–atmosphere interactions in data‐limited regions. The understanding of water and energy cycles in a farmland is crucial because it is a dominant land feature in Korea and Asia. However, the applications of CLM to farmland in Korea are in paucity. The simulations of water and energy fluxes by CLM were conducted against those from the tower‐based measurements during the growing season of 2006 at the Haenam site (a farmland site) in Korea without optimization. According to the International Geosphere–Biosphere Programme (IGBP) land cover classification, a homogeneous cropland was selected initially for this study. Although the simulated soil moisture had a similar pattern to that of the observed, the former was relatively drier (at 0·1 m³ m^?3) than the latter. The simulated net radiation showed good agreement with the observed, with a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 41 W m^?2, whereas relatively large discrepancies between the simulation and observation were found in sensible (RMSE of 66 W m^?2) and latent (RMSE of 60 W m^?2) heat fluxes. On the basis of the sensitivity analysis, soil moisture was more receptive to land cover and soil texture parameterizations when compared to soil temperature and turbulent fluxes. Despite the uncertainty in the predictive capability of CLM employed without optimization, the initial performance of CLM suggests usefulness in a data‐limited heterogeneous farmland in Korea. Further studies are required to identify the controls on water and energy fluxes with an improved parameterization. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

From the editors

<正>Dear JEEEV Contributors, Readers and Friends,This issue of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Vibration (Vol. 9, No. 3) includes five papers that were presented at the 4th     

High Purge Volume Sampling—A New Paradigm for Subslab Soil Gas Monitoring

Subslab soil gas sampling and analysis is a common line of evidence for assessing human health risks associated with subsurface vapor intrusion to indoor air for volatile organic compounds; however, conventional subslab sampling methods have generated data that show substantial spatial and temporal variability, which often makes the interpretation difficult. A new method of monitoring has been developed and tested that is based on a concept of integrating samples over a large volume of soil gas extracted from beneath the floor slab of a building to provide a spatially averaged subslab concentration. Regular field screening is also conducted to assess the trend of concentration as a function of the volume removed to provide insight into the spatial distribution of vapors at progressive distances away from the point of extraction. This approach minimizes the risk of failing to identify the areas of elevated soil vapor concentrations that may exist between discrete sample locations, and can provide information covering large buildings with fewer holes drilled through the floor. The new method also involves monitoring the extraction flow rate and transient vacuum response for mathematical analysis to help interpret the vapor concentration data and to support an optimal design for any subslab venting system that may be needed.     

From the editors

<正>Dear JEEEV Contributors,Readers and Friends,The world community was shocked and deeply saddened two years ago by the 512 disaster and massive losses in Sichuan caused by the Wenchuan earthquake.To commemorate     

Mechanical and low-cycle fatigue behavior of stainless reinforcing steel for earthquake engineering applications

Use of stainless reinforcing steel (SRS) in reinforced concrete (RC) structures is a promising solution to corrosion issues. However, for SRS to be used in seismic applications, several mechanical properties need to be investigated. These include specified and actual yield strengths, tensile strengths, uniform elongations and low-cycle fatigue behavior. Three types of SRSs (Talley S24100, Talley 316LN and Talley 2205) were tested and the results are reported in this paper. They were compared with the properties of A706 carbon reinforcing steel (RS), which is typical for seismic applications, and MMFX II, which is a high strength, corrosion resistant RS. Low-cycle fatigue tests of the RS coupons were conducted under strain control with constant amplitude to obtain strain life models of the steels. Test results show that the SRSs have slightly lower moduli of elasticity, higher uniform elongations before necking, and better low-cycle fatigue performance than A706 and MMFX II. All five types of RSs tested satisfy the requirements of the ACI 318 code on the lower limit of the tensile to yield strength ratio. Except Talley 2205, the other four types of RSs investigated meet the ACI 318 requirement that the actual yield strength does not exceed the specified yield strength by more than 18 ksi (124 MPa). Among the three types of SRSs tested, Talley S24100 possesses the highest uniform elongation before necking, and the best low-cycle fatigue performance.     

The Annual Characteristics of Rainwater HCHO in Guiyang City,Southwest of China

HCHO is ubiquitous and important chemical constitutes in the troposphere. The concentrations of the HCHO (aq) in the rainwater were measured in the Guiyang city, southeastern of China from May 2006 to April 2007 and 153 discrete samples were collected. Rainwater (N = 151) HCHO (aq) concentrations ranged from lower than method detection limit (MDL) to 40.2 µmol/L with a volume weighted mean value of 7.4 ± 8.8 µmol/L. The strong correlations between HCHO (aq) and HCOO^? (r = 0.69, n = 137), HCHO (aq) and nss‐ (r = 0.74, n = 137), HCHO (aq) and (r = 0.67, n = 137), HCHO (aq) and (r = 0.74, n = 133) suggest the significant influence of the anthropogenic input for the HCHO (aq) levels. The concentration levels of rainwater HCHO (aq) was inversely proportional to the amount of rainfall, indicating the below‐cloud process is the most important mechanism for rainwater HCHO (aq) scavenging processes. More than 70% of the HCHO (aq) wet deposition took place during the early stage of the rainfall. According to the air mass back‐trajectory analysis, the rainwater with industrial back‐trajectories coming from the north had the highest levels of HCHO (aq) while the rainwater with the green‐covered or marine back‐trajectories from the southeast had the lowest concentrations, and this indicate the HCHO (aq) originated from urban or industrial regions served as an important source of the rainwater. The annual HCHO (aq) wet deposition flux was calculated as 6.96 mmol/m² per year and the total deposition flux was estimated as 24.35 mmol/m² per year, 71.4% of which was dominated by dry deposition.