Evaluation of out‐of‐plane seismic performance of column‐to‐column precast concrete cladding panels in one‐storey industrial buildings

Recent earthquakes in Italy (L'Aquila 2009 and Emilia 2012) highlighted the vulnerability of precast cladding panels, typically associated with a connection system not designed to account for displacement and rotation compatibility between the panels and the supporting structure. Experimental investigations were performed in the past to investigate the in‐plane performance of cladding panels and design recommendations have been made accordingly; however, in the case of out‐of‐plane seismic loads, the load demand is commonly evaluated in the design practice by means of formulations for nonstructural components. This paper summarizes the results obtained from parametric analyses conducted to estimate the out‐of‐plane load demand in column‐to‐column cladding panels typical of one‐storey commercial and industrial buildings. Empirical equations suitable for both new and existing panels are proposed and compared with the design equations given in Eurocode 8 and ASCE 7. The paper also considers the effects of the development of plastic hinges at the column base and of the roof flexibility on the load demand in panel‐to‐column connections. The roof flexibility may generate the torsion of the panels; consequently, an analytical procedure to account for such effects is proposed. Finally, general design recommendations are made.     

A Model Output Machine Learning Method for Grid Temperature Forecasts in the Beijing Area

In this paper, the model output machine learning (MOML) method is proposed for simulating weather consultation, which can improve the forecast results of numerical weather prediction (NWP). During weather consultation, the forecasters obtain the final results by combining the observations with the NWP results and giving opinions based on their experience. It is obvious that using a suitable post-processing algorithm for simulating weather consultation is an interesting and important topic. MOML is a post-processing method based on machine learning, which matches NWP forecasts against observations through a regression function. By adopting different feature engineering of datasets and training periods, the observational and model data can be processed into the corresponding training set and test set. The MOML regression function uses an existing machine learning algorithm with the processed dataset to revise the output of NWP models combined with the observations, so as to improve the results of weather forecasts. To test the new approach for grid temperature forecasts, the 2-m surface air temperature in the Beijing area from the ECMWF model is used. MOML with different feature engineering is compared against the ECMWF model and modified model output statistics (MOS) method. MOML shows a better numerical performance than the ECMWF model and MOS, especially for winter. The results of MOML with a linear algorithm, running training period, and dataset using spatial interpolation ideas, are better than others when the forecast time is within a few days. The results of MOML with the Random Forest algorithm, year-round training period, and dataset containing surrounding gridpoint information, are better when the forecast time is longer.     

Seismic stability and the force reduction factor of code-designed one-storey asymmetric structures

This paper evaluates the stability bounds of the force reduction factor R of unidirectionally loaded UBC designed asymmetric one-storey systems having different mass and stiffness distributions. It is shown that whereas the instability effects due to torsional response are neutralized by the asymmetry-related over strength, instability bounds may still be lower than the R-values prescribed by the code. Results of a limited study indicate that bidirectional ground motion tends to reduce further the safety margin against dynamic instability. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The discovery of Neoproterozoic extensional structures and its significance for gas exploration in the Central Sichuan Block,Sichuan Basin,South China

The Central Sichuan Block(CSB) is the hardest block between the deep faults of Pujiang-Bazhong and Huaying Mountain in the central part of Sichuan Basin, which lies in the northwestern part of the upper Yangtze Craton. The CSB has long been considered as the oldest and most stable core area of Yangtze Craton, with the uniform basement and high level of hardening. Here we present a detailed interpretation of deep structures in the CSB by integrating high-resolution seismic data(approx. 50000 km2) with large-scale aeromagnetic data. Results show that eight Neoproterozoic extensional structures of different scales are nearly EW-, NEE-, and NW-trending in the CSB. Discovery of these extensional structures changes previous understanding of the CSB as a unified block. The extensional structures experienced one or two stages of extension in the longitudinal section, and filled with 3000–5000-m-thick weakly magnetic materials. Development of basal A-type granite in Weiyuan, Sichuan Basin and bimodal volcanic rocks of the Suxiong Formation, Western Sichuan confirms the CSB's Neoproterozoic extensional tectonic setting. The newly discovered Neoproterozoic extensional structures are of great significance for source rock and favorable sedimentary facies distribution, reservoir development, and gas accumulation.     

Principal axes of M-DOF structures part I: Static loading

This paper is the first in a two-part series that discusses the principal axes of M-DOF structures subjected to static and dynamic loads. The primary purpose of this series is to understand the magnitude of the dynamic response of structures to enable better design of structures and control modification devices/systems. Under idealized design conditions, the structural responses are obtained by using single direction input ground motions in the direction of the intended control devices/systems, and by assuming that the responses of the structure is decoupleable in three mutually perpendicular directions. This standard practice has been applied to both new and retrofitted structures using various seismic protective systems. Very limited information is available on the effects of neglecting the impact of directional couplings (cross effects - of which torsion is a component) of the dynamic response of structures. In order to quantify such effects, it is necessary to examine the principal axes of structures under both static and dynamic loading. This first paper deals with quantitative definitions of principal axes and “cross effects” of three-dimensional structures under static load by using linear algebra. It shows theoretically that, for three-dimensional structures, such principal axes rarely exist. Under static loading conditions, the cross effect is typically small and negligible from the viewpoint of engineering applications. However, it provides the theoretical base for subsequent quantification of the response couplings under dynamic loads, which is reported in part II of this series.     

A preliminary prediction of seismic damage‐based degradation in RC structures

Estimation of structural damage from a known increase in the fundamental period of a structure after an earthquake or prediction of degradation of stiffness and strength for a known damage requires reliable correlations between these response functionals. This study proposes a modified Clough–Johnston single‐degree‐of‐freedom oscillator to establish these correlations in the case of a simple elasto‐plastic oscillator. It is assumed that the proposed oscillator closely models the response of a given multi‐degree‐of‐freedom system in its fundamental mode throughout the duration of the excitation. The proposed model considers the yield displacement level and ductility supply ratio‐related parameter as two input parameters which must be estimated over a narrow range of ductility supply ratio from a frequency degradation curve. This curve is to be identified from a set of recorded excitation and response time‐histories. Useful correlations of strength and stiffness degradation with damage have been obtained wherein a simple damage index based on maximum and yield displacements and ductility supply ratio has been considered. As an application, the proposed model has been used to demonstrate that ignoring the effects of aftershocks in the case of impulsive ground motions may lead to unsafe designs. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On‐line identification of non‐linear hysteretic structural systems using a variable trace approach

In this paper, an adaptive on‐line parametric identification algorithm based on the variable trace approach is presented for the identification of non‐linear hysteretic structures. At each time step, this recursive least‐square‐based algorithm upgrades the diagonal elements of the adaptation gain matrix by comparing the values of estimated parameters between two consecutive time steps. Such an approach will enforce a smooth convergence of the parameter values, a fast tracking of the parameter changes and will remain adaptive as time progresses. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm is shown by considering the effects of excitation amplitude, of the measurement units, of larger sampling time interval and of measurement noise. The cases of exact‐, under‐, over‐parameterization of the structural model have been analysed. The proposed algorithm is also quite effective in identifying time‐varying structural parameters to simulate cumulative damage in structural systems. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

随机结构分析的扩阶系统方法(Ⅰ)——扩阶系统方程

本文提出了一类新的随机结构分析方法——扩阶系统方法。文中首先论述了随机函数空间中的正交展开与次序正交展开概念。利用随机函数空间中的正交分解原理,证明了扩阶系统方程的正确性。     

On estimating a relative safety loading for structures

This paper considers the reliability of a structure for earthquake load assuming that the number of earthquakes over a period [0, T] follows a truncated non-homogeneous Poisson process. It models the damage distribution along the line of a mixture of two distributions and derives an expression for the failure probability. It also estimates the value of a ‘relative safety loading’ that makes the failure probability as zero and investigates its asymptotic properties both theoretically and numerically.