Characteristics of Tectonic Deformation and Mechanisms for the Active Maxianshan-Xinglongshan Fault System in the Lanzhou Area

A detailed investigation permitted us to obtain quantitative data concerning fine geometric structures of 4 faults of the active Maxianshan-Xinglongshan fault system and the latest movement along them. Of them the northern Maxianshan border fault is a large-scale, strongly active Holocene reverse sinistral strike-slip fault, the other 3 faults, the southern Maxianshan border fault and the southern Xinglongshan border and the northern Xinglongshan border faults are the accompanying active late-Pleistocene thrust faults, which are incorporated into the main strike-slip fault, the northern Maxianshan border fault at depth. It is the most important earthquake-controlling fault in the Lanzhou area, the fault influences and constrains the seismic activity in the area.     

Optimum multiple tuned mass dampers for structures under the ground acceleration based on the uniform distribution of system parameters

The five MTMD models, with natural frequencies being uniformly distributed around their mean frequency, have been recently presented by the first author. They are shown to have the near‐zero optimum average damping ratio (more precisely, for a given mass ratio there is an upper limit on the total number, beyond which the near‐zero optimum average damping ratio occurs). In this paper, the eight new MTMD models (i.e. the UM‐MTMD1～UM‐MTMD3, US‐MTMD1～US‐MTMD3, UD‐MTMD1 and UD‐MTMD2), with the system parameters (mass, stiffness and damping coefficient) being, respectively, uniformly distributed around their average values, have been, for the first time here, proposed to seek for the MTMD models without the near‐zero optimum average damping ratio. The structure is represented by the mode‐generalized system corresponding to the specific vibration mode that needs to be controlled. Through minimization of the minimum values of the maximum dynamic magnification factors (DMF) of the structure with the eight MTMD models (i.e. through the implementation of Min.Min.Max.DMF), the optimum parameters and values of Min.Min.Max.DMF for these eight MTMD models are investigated to evaluate and compare their control performance. The optimum parameters include the optimum mass spacing, stiffness spacing, damping coefficient spacing, frequency spacing, average damping ratio and tuning frequency ratio. The six MTMD models without the near‐zero optimum average damping ratio (i.e. the UM‐MTMD1～UM‐MTMD3, US‐MTMD1, US‐MTMD2 and UD‐MTMD2) are found through extensive numerical analyses. Likewise, the optimum UM‐MTMD3 offers the higher effectiveness and robustness and requires the smaller damping with respect to the rest of the MTMD models in reducing the responses of structures subjected to earthquakes. Additionally, it is interesting to note, by comparing the optimum UM‐MTMD3 with the optimum MTMD‐1 recently investigated by the first author, that the effectiveness and robustness for the optimum UM‐MTMD3 is almost identical to that for the optimum MTMD‐1 (without inclusion of the optimum MTMD‐1 with the near‐zero optimum average damping ratio). Recognizing these performance benefits, it is preferable to employ the optimum UM‐MTMD3 or the optimum MTMD‐1 without the near‐zero optimum average damping ratio, when installing the MTMD for the suppression of undesirable oscillations of structures under earthquakes. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of soil degradation during earthquake excitations by Bayesian inference

A Bayesian inference approach is introduced to identify soil degradation behaviours at four downhole array sites. The approach of inference is based on a parametric time‐varying infinite impulse response filter model. The approach is shown to be adaptive to the changes of filter parameters and noise amplitudes. Four sites, including the Lotung (Taiwan), Chiba (Japan), Garner Valley (California), and Treasure Island (California) sites with downhole seismic arrays are analysed. Our results show two major types of soil degradation behaviour: the well‐known strain‐dependent softening, and reduction in stiffness that is not instantaneously recoverable. It is also found that both types of soil degradation are more pronounced in sandy soils than in clayey soils. The mechanism for the second type of soil degradation is not yet clear to the authors and suggested to be further studied. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

System identification of instrumented bridge systems

Several recorded motions for seven bridge systems in California during recent earthquakes were analysed using parametric and non‐parametric system identification (SI) methods. The bridges were selected considering the availability of an adequate array of accelerometers and accounting for different structural systems, materials, geometry and soil types. The results of the application of SI methods included identification of modal frequencies and damping ratios. Excellent fits of the recorded motion in the time domain were obtained using parametric methods. The multi‐input/single‐output SI method was a suitable approach considering the instrumentation layout for these bridges. Use of the constructed linear filters for prediction purposes was also demonstrated for three bridge systems. Reasonable prediction results were obtained considering the various limitations of the procedure. Finally, the study was concluded by identifying the change of the modal frequencies and damping of a particular bridge system in time using recursive filters. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

System identification of linear structures based on Hilbert–Huang spectral analysis. Part 2: Complex modes

A method, based on the Hilbert–Huang spectral analysis, has been proposed by the authors to identify linear structures in which normal modes exist (i.e., real eigenvalues and eigenvectors). Frequently, all the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of linear structures are complex. In this paper, the method is extended further to identify general linear structures with complex modes using the free vibration response data polluted by noise. Measured response signals are first decomposed into modal responses using the method of Empirical Mode Decomposition with intermittency criteria. Each modal response contains the contribution of a complex conjugate pair of modes with a unique frequency and a damping ratio. Then, each modal response is decomposed in the frequency–time domain to yield instantaneous phase angle and amplitude using the Hilbert transform. Based on a single measurement of the impulse response time history at one appropriate location, the complex eigenvalues of the linear structure can be identified using a simple analysis procedure. When the response time histories are measured at all locations, the proposed methodology is capable of identifying the complex mode shapes as well as the mass, damping and stiffness matrices of the structure. The effectiveness and accuracy of the method presented are illustrated through numerical simulations. It is demonstrated that dynamic characteristics of linear structures with complex modes can be identified effectively using the proposed method. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

地下水及溶质运移数值模拟系统

介绍了地下水及溶质运移数值模拟的研究进展、数值模型的分类和数值模拟的步骤。根据数值模拟中涉及到的地质信息资源的特点，提出了基于地理信息系统(GIS)技术的地下水及溶质运移数值模拟系统的设计思路。该系统能够对模拟区域的基础地质资料、水文地质勘探资料以及数值模型的输入、输出资料进行动态管理，而且随着勘探、科研和生产的不断进行，通过对数据库的及时更新以及对数值模型的不断校正，可为不同的科研和生产方案的预测与评价提供信息资源。     

论层序地层学与含油气系统在油气勘探中的联系——以鄂尔多斯中生代盆地为例

虽然层序地层学与含油气系统理论的各自研究对象和研究方法不同，但由于层序地层学研究对象(沉积岩)是含油气系统研究对象(油气)的载体，二者可以由含油气盆地分析有机的结合起来。层序地层分析包含了对含油气系统的地质要素及成藏作用载体的分析，因而沉积层序的组成单元与含油气系统的地质要素有必然的联系：在一个沉积盆地的数个沉积层序中，成熟烃源岩往往是地史中具一定埋深、分布广、厚度大、有机质含量高的凝缩层，这个凝缩层往往是一个构造超层序的最大海(湖)泛面；储集岩往往是成熟烃源岩之上层序的低水位体系域或紧邻成熟烃源岩的高水位体系域；有效盖层为储集岩之上层序的水进体系域及凝缩层；成熟烃源岩之上的沉积层序为上覆岩层；低水位体系域储集岩有可能沿上倾方向尖灭，被层序界面及其上层序的水进体系域岩性圈闭；除构造裂缝外，低水位体系域下切谷可作为油气向上运移通道；一个含油气系统往往跨越不同的沉积层序甚至构造超层序。     

A neural network approach for structural identification and diagnosis of a building from seismic response data

This work presents a novel procedure for identifying the dynamic characteristics of a building and diagnosing whether the building has been damaged by earthquakes, using a back‐propagation neural network approach. The dynamic characteristics are directly evaluated from the weighting matrices of the neural network trained by observed acceleration responses and input base excitations. Whether the building is damaged under a large earthquake is assessed by comparing the modal parameters and responses for this large earthquake with those for a small earthquake that has not caused this building any damage. The feasibility of the approach is demonstrated through processing the dynamic responses of a five‐storey steel frame, subjected to different strengths of the Kobe earthquake, in shaking table tests. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A procedure for evaluating seismic energy demand of framed structures

Energy serves as an alternative index to response quantities like force or displacement to include the duration‐related seismic damage effect. A procedure to evaluate the absorbed energy in a multistorey frame from energy spectra was developed. For low‐ to medium‐rise frames, it required a static pushover analysis of the structure to determine the modal yield force and ductility factor of an equivalent single‐degree‐of‐freedom system for the first two modes. The energy spectra were then used to determine the energy contribution of each mode. A procedure was also developed to distribute the energy along the frame height based on energy shapes. This study showed that the second‐mode response in some cases needs to be considered to reflect the energy (or damage) concentration in the upper floors. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

System identification of the Vincent Thomas suspension bridge using earthquake records

The Vincent Thomas Bridge in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, is a critical artery for commercial traffic flow in and out of the Los Angeles Harbor, and is at risk in the seismically active Southern California region, particularly because it straddles the Palos Verdes fault zone. A combination of linear and non‐linear system identification techniques is employed to obtain a complete reduced‐order, multi‐input–multi‐output (MIMO) dynamic model of the Vincent Thomas Bridge based on the dynamic response of the structure to the 1987 Whittier and 1994 Northridge earthquakes. Starting with the available acceleration measurements (which consists of 15 accelerometers on the bridge structure and 10 accelerometers at various locations on its base), an efficient least‐squares‐based time‐domain identification procedure is applied to the data set to develop a reduced‐order, equivalent linear, multi‐degree‐of‐freedom model. Although not the main focus of this study, the linear system identification method is also combined with a non‐parametric identification technique, to generate a reduced‐order non‐linear mathematical model suitable for use in subsequent studies to predict, with good fidelity, the total response of the bridge under arbitrary dynamic environments. Results of this study yield measurements of the equivalent linear modal properties (frequencies, mode shapes and non‐proportional damping) as well as quantitative measures of the extent and nature of non‐linear interaction forces arising from strong ground shaking. It is shown that, for the particular subset of observations used in the identification procedure, the apparent non‐linearities in the system restoring forces are quite significant, and they contribute substantially to the improved fidelity of the model. Also shown is the potential of the identification technique under discussion to detect slight changes in the structure's influence coefficients, which may be indicators of damage and degradation in the structure being monitored. Difficulties associated with accurately estimating damping for lightly damped long‐span structures from their earthquake response are discussed. The technical issues raised in this paper indicate the need for added spatial resolution in sensor instrumentation to obtain identified mathematical models of structural systems with the broadest range of validity. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.