Torsional mechanisms in ductile building systems

It is postulated that in order to estimate torsional effects on the seismic response of ductile building structures, the associated plastic mechanism to be developed in the three-dimensional system should be identified. The proposed approach is very different from that embodied in building codes. Inelastic structures are classified as either torsionally unrestrained or restrained. It is shown that clearly defined mechanisms that are to be mobilized, enable the acceptable system ductility demand to be estimated. This should ensure that the corresponding demands imposed on critical translatory elements of the system do not exceed their established displacement ductility capacity. To this end familiar quantities, such as element yield displacement and stiffness, are redefined. Comparisons are made of the intents of existing codified design approaches and those emphasising the role of imposed inelastic displacements. A simple treatment of the consequences of earthquake-induced inelastic skew displacements is also addressed. The primary aim of the paper is to offer very simple concepts, based on easily identifiable plastic mechanisms, to be utilized in structural design rather than advancement in analyses. Detailed design applications of these concepts are described elsewhere. The approach is an extension of the deterministic philosophy of capacity design, now used in some countries. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

2013年四川芦山7.0级地震烈度遥感评估

2013年4月20日四川芦山MS7.0级地震发生后,在灾区应急获取了多种高分辨率航空和无人机遥感影像,并快速解译提取了灾区建筑物震害信息.采用地震烈度遥感定量评估方法,利用2008年汶川8.0级地震等震后震害遥感解译和现场调查研究确定的经验震害遥感定量评估模型,获得了芦山地震灾区126个主要居民点的地震烈度遥感评估结果,并据此圈画了地震烈度分布遥感评估图.结果显示,本次地震Ⅸ度区面积约150km2,Ⅷ度区面积约900km2.该结果在第一时间(4月21日晚)提供给了中国地震局地震现场应急指挥部.对比分析显示,地震烈度遥感快速评估结果与中国地震局4月25日公布的地震烈度图,以及与笔者在现场实地进行的建筑物震害详细调查结果基础上评定的地震烈度具有较高的一致性.表明强烈地震发生后,借助于快速获取的灾区高分辨率遥感影像,可以快速估计地震烈度分布,对地震灾区灾情估计和抗震救灾工作具有十分重要的参考意义.     

Damage response of multistorey r/c buildings with different structural systems subjected to seismic motion of arbitrary orientation

In the present study the combined influence of seismic orientation and a number of parameters characterizing the structural system of Reinforced Concrete (R/C) buildings on the level of expected damages are examined. For the purposes of the above investigation eight medium‐rise buildings are designed on the basis of the current seismic codes. The structural characteristics examined are the ratio of the base shear received by the structural walls, the ratio of horizontal stiffness in two orthogonal directions and the structural eccentricity. Then, the buildings are analyzed by nonlinear time response analysis using 100 bidirectional earthquake ground motions. The two horizontal accelerograms of each ground motion are applied along horizontal orthogonal axes, forming 72 different angles with the structural axes. The structural damage is expressed in terms of the Park and Ang damage index. The results of the analyses revealed that the damage level of the buildings is strongly affected by the incident angle of the ground motion. The extent at which the orientation of the seismic records influences the damage response depends on the structural system and the distance of the record to the fault rupture. As a consequence, the common practice of applying the earthquake records along the structural axes can lead to significant underestimation of structural damage. Also, it was shown that the structural eccentricity can significantly differentiate the seismic damage level, as well as the impact of the earthquake orientation on the structural damage. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

技术应用综合物探方法在张家口某工程场地地震安全性评价中的应用研究

结合地质和遥感图像解译资料,以物探方法查找活断层是行之有效的方法。针对单一的物探方法在反演解释中具有多解性的弊端,本文提出以高密度电阻率法为主,浅层地震反射波法为辅的综合物探勘察组合模式。经实际钻探证明,这种综合物探模式对隐伏活断层的勘察是完全可行的,并具有较强的实用推广性。     

高密度电阻率法和激发极化法在抗旱找水定井位中的应用

针对河南省新乡市凤泉区严重缺水现状,利用高密度电阻率法、高密度电阻率法与激发极化对称四极测深组合在水文地质条件复杂的松散层和基岩干旱地区勘查地下水,结合水文地质资料和成井条件所定的井位,后经施工钻孔验证,定井成功率100%,解决了人、畜急需用水问题。通过以上两种方法结合或单一方法在该地区不同水文地质条件下的实际应用和应用效果分析,总结出针对该地区特定的水文地质条件选择高密度电阻率法、高密度电阻率法与激发极化法组合模式。密度电阻率法和激发极化法组合模式在该地区地下水勘查中的运用提高了地质解释的准确性和可靠性,值得在类似水文地质条件和地区推广应用。     

A framework for the seismic assessment of existing masonry buildings accounting for different sources of uncertainty

The current formulation of Eurocode 8 Part 3 and the Italian building code for the seismic assessment of existing buildings accounts for epistemic (knowledge‐based) uncertainties by means of the identification of knowledge levels with associated values of the so‐called confidence factors, applied only as a reduction of material strengths. This formulation does not always produce consistent results and it does not explicitly account for other sources of uncertainty. The paper proposes a probabilistic methodology for the quantification of appropriately defined factors, allowing consideration of the different sources of uncertainty involved in the seismic assessment of masonry buildings by means of nonlinear static analyses. This simple approach, also including an alternative formulation of the confidence factors related with material properties, allows to obtain results which are consistent with the acquired level of knowledge and correctly account for the different sources of uncertainty without requiring to carry out any stochastic nonlinear analysis. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1D System identification of a 54‐story steel frame building by seismic interferometry

A 54‐story steel, perimeter‐frame building in downtown Los Angeles, California, is identified by a wave method using records of the Northridge earthquake of 1994 (M_L = 6.4, R = 32 km). The building is represented as a layered shear beam and a torsional shaft, characterized by the corresponding velocities of vertically propagating waves through the structure. The previously introduced waveform inversion algorithm is applied, which fits in the least squares sense pulses in low‐pass filtered impulse response functions computed at different stories. This paper demonstrates that layered shear beam and torsional shaft models are valid for this building, within bands that include the first five modes of vibration for each of the North–South (NS), East–West (EW), and torsional responses (0–1.7 Hz for NS and EW, and 0–3.5 Hz for the torsional response). The observed pulse travel time from ground floor to penthouse level is τ ≈1.5 s for NS and EW and τ ≈ 0.9 s for the torsional responses. The identified equivalent uniform shear beam wave velocities are β_eq ≈ 140 m/s for NS and EW responses, and 260 m/s for torsion, and the apparent Q ≈ 25 for the NS and torsional, and ≈14 for the EW response. Across the layers, the wave velocity varied 90–170 m/s for the NS, 80–180 m/s for the EW, and 170–350 m/s for the torsional responses. The identification method is intended for use in structural health monitoring. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of the natural vibration frequencies of a historical masonry building accounting for SSI

The dynamic identification of a historical masonry palace located in Benevento (Italy) has been carried out. The case study is representative of many buildings located in historic Italian centres. Since the building has been instrumented by the Department of Civil Protection with a permanent dynamic monitoring system, some of the recorded data, acquired in various operating conditions have been analysed with basic instruments of the Operational Modal Analysis in order to identify the main eingenfrequencies and vibration modes of the structure. The experimental results have been compared to the numerical outcomes provided by a detailed three-dimensional Finite Element (FE) model of the building where Soil–Structure Interaction (SSI) has been taken into account. The comparison of experimental vs. numerical frequencies and vibration modes of the palace evidenced the role exerted by the subsoil on the dynamic response of the building.     

Dynamic responses of two buildings connected by viscoelastic dampers under bidirectional earthquake excitations

In this study,dynamic responses of two buildings connected by viscoelastic dampers under bidirectional excitations are extensively investigated.The two buildings are a 10-story building and a 16-story building,with the shorter building on the left.Viscoelastic dampers are installed at all fl oors of the shorter building.Equations of motion are formulated using a fractional derivative model to represent the viscoelastic dampers.Three cases are considered with mass eccentricities at 0,10% and-10% with respect to the dimensions of the buildings.The responses of the buildings are numerically predicted at different damper properties.The simulation results indicated that the maximum horizontal responses of the buildings without eccentricities are signifi cantly mitigated.However,torsional effects are adversely increased.For asymmetric buildings,the effectiveness of the connecting dampers is affected by building eccentricities.As a result,mass eccentricities must be taken into account in damper selection.When compared with vibrations induced by unidirectional excitations,bidirectional excitations can increase the responses of coupled asymmetric buildings.In addition,installing dampers only at the top fl oor of the shorter building may cause a sudden change in lateral stiffness of the taller building.Consequently,the story shear envelopes of the taller building are changed.     

Response reduction factor of irregular RC buildings in Kathmandu valley

Most current seismic design includes the nonlinear response of a structure through a response reduction factor(R). This allows the designer to use a linear elastic force-based approach while accounting for nonlinear behavior and deformation limits. In fact, the response reduction factor is used in modern seismic codes to scale down the elastic response of a structure. This study focuses on estimating the actual ‘R' value for engineered design/construction of reinforced concrete(RC) buildings in Kathmandu valley. The ductility and overstrength of representative RC buildings in Kathmandu are investigated. Nonlinear pushover analysis was performed on structural models in order to evaluate the seismic performance of buildings. Twelve representative engineered irregular buildings with a variety of characteristics located in the Kathmandu valley were selected and studied. Furthermore, the effects of overstrength on the ductility factor, beam column capacity ratio on the building ductility, and load path on the response reduction factor, are examined. Finally, the results are further analyzed and compared with different structural parameters of the buildings.