Effectiveness of simple approaches in mitigating residual deformations in buildings

Developments in performance‐based seismic design and assessment approaches have emphasized the importance of considering residual deformations. Recent investigations have also led to a proposed direct displacement‐based design (DDBD) approach which includes an explicit consideration of the expected residual deformations as an integral part of the design process. Having estimated the expected residual deformations in a structure, engineers are faced with the problem of reducing them to meet the targeted performance levels under pre‐defined seismic hazard levels. Previous studies have identified the post‐yield stiffness as a primary factor influencing the magnitude of residual deformations in single degree of freedom and multiple degree of freedom structures. In this paper, a series of simple approaches to increase the post‐yield stiffness of traditional framed and braced systems for the purpose of reducing residual deformations are investigated. These methods do not utilize recentring post‐tensioned technology. This contribution addresses the feasibility of altering the lateral post‐yield stiffness of structural systems by: (i) using different reinforcement materials with beneficial features in their stress–strain behaviour; (ii) re‐designing the section geometry and properties of primary seismic‐resisting elements; and (iii) introducing a secondary elastic frame to act in parallel with the primary system. The efficiency of each of these techniques is investigated through monotonic and cyclic moment‐curvature and non‐linear time‐history analyses. Of these approaches the design and introduction of an elastic secondary system was found to be most effective and consistent in reducing residual deformations. A simplified design approach for achieving the desired increase of a system's post‐yield stiffness is also presented. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Velocity structure of the continental upper mantle: evidence from southern Africa

The velocity model for southern Africa of Qiu et al. [Qiu, X., Priestley, K., McKenzie, D., 1996. Average lithospheric structure of southern Africa. Geophys. J. Int. 127, 563–587] is revised so as to satisfy both the regional seismic waveform data and the fundamental mode Rayleigh wave phase velocity data for the region. The revised S-wave model is similar to the original model of Qiu et al. except that the high velocity, upper mantle lid extends to 160 km depth in the revised model rather than to 120 km in the original model. Sensitivity tests of the regional seismic data show that the minimum velocity in the S-wave low velocity zone can be as high as 4.45 km s⁻¹ compared to 4.32 km s⁻¹ in the Qiu et al. model. The vertical S-wave travel time for the revised south African model is compared with the vertical S-wave travel times for the global tomographic models S12WM13 and S16B30, and they are found to be similar.