Shake table tests of unattached,asymmetric, dual‐body systems

Systems of unattached, or freestanding, structures are highly vulnerable to damage and/or collapse during an earthquake, as evidenced during numerous past events. This class of structural system includes statue–pedestal systems, multidrum columns, radiation shields, unreinforced masonry walls, and other mechanical and electrical equipment. While a number of studies have analyzed the response of the single rocking block, very few have tested the response of multiple block systems subjected to earthquakes. Therefore, this paper details an extensive shake table testing campaign in which the seismic response of a pair of stiff, unattached blocks, herein referred to as a dual‐body system, was evaluated. Experimental variables include the geometry, including asymmetry, of both top (tower) and bottom (pedestal) bodies, input motion, and the coefficient of friction beneath the system. Furthermore, the tower structures were tested both in dual‐body configurations as well as in single‐body configurations allowing an understanding of the effect of the pedestal. The tests indicate that the presence of a pedestal increases the likelihood of collapse and amplitude of rocking demands, in general. However, certain geometric and interface combinations yield a more stable tower in a dual‐body configuration compared to a single‐body configuration, because of the dependence of the pedestal response on the geometry of the tower. Furthermore, a low‐friction interface beneath the pedestal reduces demands on the tower. However, this low‐friction interface may still transfer long‐period contributions of the input motion to the tower, which may be detrimental to its response. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A probabilistic model for sediment entrainment:The role of bed irregularity

A generalized probabilistic model is developed in this study to predict sediment entrainment under the incipient motion, rolling, and pickup modes. A novelty of the proposed model is that it incorporates in its formulation the probability density function of the bed shear stress, instead of the near-bed velocity fluctuations, to account for the effects of both flow turbulence and bed surface irregularity on sediment entrainment. The proposed model incorporates in its formulation the collective effects of three para-meters describing bed surface irregularity, namely the relative roughness, the volumetric fraction and relative position of sediment particles within the active layer. Another key feature of the model is that it provides a criterion for estimating the lift and drag coefficients jointly based on the recognition that lift and drag forces acting on sediment particles are interdependent and vary with particle protrusion and packing density. The model was validated using laboratory data of both fine and coarse sediment and was compared with previously published models. The study results show that all the examined models perform adequately for the fine sediment data, where the sediment particles have more uniform gra-dation and relative roughness is not a factor. The proposed model was particularly suited for the coarse sediment data, where the increased bed irregularity was captured by the new parameters introduced in the model formulation. As a result, the proposed model yielded smaller prediction errors and physically acceptable values for the lift coefficient compared to the other models in case of the coarse sediment data.     

高铁轨道中长波不平顺值计算新方法研究

高铁轨道中长波不平顺值是评价轨道几何状态的重要参数,也是指导高速铁路现场轨道精调作业的主要依据,是列车安全高速运行的重要指标之一。本文针对目前高铁轨道矢距差法计算不平顺值,存在计算复杂、计算与检测弦起点的选择有关、结果并不唯一、计算值与实际轨道精调作业调整量方向不一致等问题,提出基于坐标绝对偏差法计算轨道中长波不平顺值的新方法。利用该方法不仅使轨道中长波不平顺值的计算变得简单,而且还与轨道检测弦的起点无关,计算结果唯一,并能满足工程实际需要。     

信息数字化在地震预测中的应用研究

鉴于地震是变化事件而展示信息变化的过程性,本工作对＂5.12＂汶川8.0级地震和2011年3月23日茂县4.0级地震相继按地热的变化信息和＂时序性＂变化信息进行了数字化分析。分析结果表明,应用此方法展示了地震前后信息变化的过程性（演变）的特征（差异性）,为改善地震预测或预防提供了一种方法,同时＂地热＂可以作为地震分析、...     

基于三亚VHF雷达的场向不规则体观测研究：3. 距离扩展流星尾迹回波

距离扩展流星尾迹回波 （RSTE,range spread trail echo）观测通常采用高功率大孔径雷达.本文利用三亚 （18.4°N,109.6°E） VHF雷达观测,分析研究了小功率VHF雷达观测的RSTE特征.结果表明,三亚VHF雷达在相干散射模式观测的RSTE,其发生和演化的主要形态特征类似高功率大孔径雷达的观测结果.通过2011年8月期间,三亚VHF雷达相干散射模式观测的RSTE,与同时的全天空流星模式观测的镜面流星尾迹（SE,specular trail echo）数据,统计分析了RSTE和SE随地方时以及高度的变化,发现短持续时间RSTE（小于等于15 s）与SE具有类似的时间-高度变化特征,而长持续时间RSTE（大于等于15 s）发生的峰值时间,相比SE和短持续时间RSTE向晨侧偏移,且长持续时间RSTE对高度的依赖性比短持续时间RSTE显著.此外,全天空流星模式观测SE 的数量远多于相干散射模式观测的RSTE数量,可能与不同模式下的观测角度、波束宽度等因素相关.     

基于中美抗震设计规范的双向水平地震效应组合方法的有效性评估

在地震来临时,一般假设建筑结构同时受到两个正交水平方向分量与一个竖向分量的地震动作用。双向水平地震效应组合方法用于估计两个正交水平分量地震动同时作用时结构的内力效应。本文主要对我国与美国抗震设计规范中规定使用的平方和开平方根（SRSS）方法与百分比组合方法的有效性进行了评估。首先,对比了我国与美国规范在考虑双向水平地震效应时的适用情况及相关规定上的异同。以一4层中心支撑-框架结构为工程案例,考虑两国规范在适用情况上的规定,设置了三个结构布置方案。对三个结构布置方案建立有限元模型,选取22组地震动,开展了动力时程分析。提出了针对SRSS方法与百分比组合方法的评估指标,基于时程分析结果,发展了双向水平地震效应组合的概率性评估方法。评估结果表明:SRSS方法与百分比组合方法用于平面扭转不规则结构的设计较为保守。在简化组合规则的适用条件上,美国规范对平面扭转不规则结构不进行考虑有一定的合理性。建议我国规范对中心支撑-框架结构中含双向受压柱的设计要求考虑双向水平地震效应组合。     

Shake table tests of stiff,unattached, asymmetric structures

Stiff, unattached structures are highly vulnerable to damage and failure during an earthquake, as evidenced following numerous past events. This class of structures encompasses a wide range of objects and systems such as electrical transformers, radiation shields, office furniture, and marble statues. The vulnerability of these objects is exacerbated when it is highly asymmetric and unattached. Although a number of studies have focused on rigid blocks, few have concentrated on blocks with asymmetric geometries. In an effort to better understand the implications of asymmetries, an extensive shake table testing campaign including more than 150 tests was conducted. These tests incorporate a systematic variation of the mass eccentricities of stiff, unattached structures. The primary modes of rocking, sliding, and twisting as well as interactive modes were recorded for the duration of numerous earthquake motions. The magnitude and direction of response are experimentally correlated with the geometric variations in the various models. These tests indicate that even for symmetric structures with uniaxial shaking, multiple modes and three‐dimensional responses are probable. Furthermore, certain asymmetric geometries exhibited both increased rocking (and overturning) as well as increased sliding when compared with their symmetric counterparts. A final aspect of this study compared the free rocking response of symmetric and asymmetric structures to classical, two‐dimensional rocking analysis. While the theoretical values for the coefficient of restitution yielded a significant overestimation in the simulation (up to ≈90%), reduced coefficients greatly improved the performance of the model. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Towards probabilistic seismic performance of vehicle-bridge interaction systems: From stochastic dynamic model to fragility analysis

This paper aims to assess the seismic fragility of vehicle-bridge-interaction (VBI) systems considering the effects of vehicle types, traffic conditions, and road surface qualities. A stochastic nonlinear mechanical model for the earthquake-VBI system is developed, and the fragility functions for the proposed VBI model are derived by considering the relevant probabilistic seismic demand parameters. On the basis of a typical four-span continuous prestressed concrete highway bridge in China, a complete numerical model for the VBI system is built considering multiple uncertainties from bridge and vehicle parameters, as well as the road surface qualities. A total of 120 real ground motion records with different combinations of magnitude-source-to-site distance (M-R) and earthquake intensity characteristics are selected. Meanwhile, 80 scenarios in terms of different combinations of vehicle types, vehicle speeds, and road surface irregularities are defined. In this context, 96,000 nonlinear time-history analyses are performed, and the developed fragility models are applied to the VBI system at both component and system levels. Results indicate that the fragilities of pier drift, bearing shear strain, and the overall VBI system increase with the increase of the vehicle weight or the decrease of the vehicle speed, while the vertical deck displacement is dominated by the vehicle weight. It is also found that the road surface quality has a negligible effect on both component and system fragilities.     

近断层地震下楼层竖向加速度影响因素分析

现阶段基于性能的抗震设计思想不仅关注结构自身体系的安全,而且保护非结构构件在地震作用下使用功能完好.对于工业建筑结构,生产设备在地震作用下受损会影响震后功能恢复.加速度敏感型非结构构件一般采用楼层加速度指标来量化其地震损伤程度.以三个不同高度的钢抗弯框架规则结构体系为研究对象,采用与竖向目标谱匹配的近断层非脉冲和脉冲地...     

Particle shape: a review and new methods of characterization and classification

Shape is a fundamental property of all objects, including sedimentary particles, but it remains one of the most difficult to characterize and quantify for all but the simplest of shapes. Despite a large literature on the subject, there remains widespread confusion regarding the meaning and relative value of different measures of particle shape. This paper re‐examines the basic concepts of particle shape and suggests a number of new and modified methods which are widely applicable to a range of sedimentological problems; it is shown that the most important aspects of particle form are represented by the I/L ratio (elongation ratio) and S/I ratio (flatness ratio). A combination of these two ratios can be used to classify particles in terms of 25 form classes. A method of obtaining a quantitative measure of particle roundness using simple image analysis software is described, and a new visual roundness comparator is presented. It is recommended that measurements of both roundness and circularity (a proxy measure of sphericity) are made on grain images in three orthogonal orientations and average values calculated for each particle. A further shape property, irregularity, is defined and a classification scheme proposed for use in describing and comparing irregular or branching sedimentary particles such as chert and coral.