Centrifuge modelling-based verification of response spectra design methods for some vulnerable structures

Residential RC framed structures suffered heavily during the 2001 Bhuj earthquake in Gujarat, India. These types of structures also saw severe damage in other earthquakes such as the 1999 Kocaeli earthquake in Turkey and 921 Ji-Ji earthquake in Taiwan. In this paper the seismic response of residential structures was investigated using physical modelling. Idealised soft storey and top heavy, two degrees of freedom (2DOF) portal frame structures were developed and tested on saturated and dry sand models at 25 g using the Schofield Centre 10-m Beam Centrifuge. It was possible to recreate observed field behaviour using these models. As observed in many of the recent earthquakes, soft storey structures were found to be particularly vulnerable to seismic loads. Elastic response spectra methods are often used in the design of simple portal frame structures. The seismic risk of these structures can be significantly increased due to modifications such as removal of a column or addition of heavy water tanks on the roof. The experimental data from the dynamic centrifuge tests on such soft storey or top-heavy models was used to evaluate the predictions obtained from the response spectra. Response spectra were able to predict seismic response during small to moderate intensity earthquakes, but became inaccurate during strong earthquakes and when soil structure interaction effects became important. Re-evaluation of seismic risk of such modified structures is required and time domain analyses suggested by building codes such as IBC, UBC or NEHRP may be more appropriate.     

矩形高层建筑扭转动力风荷载解析模型

本文通过研究不同长宽比、高宽比的矩形棱柱体在边界层风洞中典型攻角下的扭矩，提出了矩形高层建筑扭矩功率谱密度、均方根扭矩系数和Strouhal数的经验公式，并对相干函数作了一定的探讨，建立了完整的扭转动力风荷载解析模型。该模型和试验结果吻合较好，证明它是合理有效的，可在此基础上建立高层建筑扭转动力响应频域计算方法。     

两结构高效阻尼控制体系试验研究

本文通过模拟地震动振动台试验，研究了两个相邻结构模型的地震响应，结构模型采用一种高效阻尼装置(High Efficient Damper for Multi—Structure System即HEDMS)连接。非线性时程分析与振动台试验结果都证明了该阻尼装置能高效发挥软钢阻尼器的耗能能力，从而显著减轻两结构模型的地震响应。同时，研究还指出了进行阻尼装置设计时应该注意的一些问题。     

The current ethnic panorama in Bulgaria

Although a constant trickle of outmigrants and several larger waves (mostly to Turkey) are characteristic for the modern history of Bulgaria, its ethnic composition was relatively stable. The ethnic Bulgarians are a clear majority, the largest minority groups being in descending order the Turks, Roma (Gypsies), the Muslim Bulgarians and several much smaller groups. The geographical patterns of distribution have been analysed. Over time, the policies of the Bulgarian state towards the minority groups have been varying between benevolence and restriction measures. The ethnocultural communities have worked out moduses of co-existence preventing the escalation of conflicts at the local level.     

Period formulas of shear wall buildings with flexible bases

The evaluation of the fundamental period of shear wall buildings considering the flexibility of the base is investigated in this paper. This research is motivated by the discrepancy reported between the formulas used in different building codes and the measurement of real buildings. Both experimental and analytical approaches are used to assess the effect of the base flexibility on the fundamental period of shear wall structures. In total, twenty buildings built on different types of soil are tested under ambient vibration. The fundamental period is identified using a non‐parametric linear model in the frequency domain. The results show that fundamental period formulas used by UBC‐97 and NBCC‐95 are inadequate since they do not include the effect of the foundation stiffness. To improve the estimation of the fundamental period of shear wall buildings, an analytical approach is presented. The structure and the foundation are represented by a continuous‐discrete system. The stiffnesses of the base are represented by translational and rotational discrete springs. The rigidities of these springs are evaluated from the elastic uniform compression of the soil mass and the size of the foundation. The analytical predictions improve the estimation of the fundamental period and keep the computation simple. The error between the measured period and the analytical results is, on average, less than 10%. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Studies on wind environment around high buildings in urban areas

High buildings or architectural complex in urban areas remarkably distort the urban surface wind fields. As the air flow approaches,local strong wind may appear around the buildings. The strong wind makes the pedestrians on sidewalks, entrances and terrace very uncomfortable and causes the pedestrian level wind environment problem. In this studies, hot-wire wind measurement, wind scouring in wind tunnel and numerical computation were carried out to evaluate the wind environment of tall buildings in the prevailing flow conditions in Beijing areas. The results obtained by three techniques were compared and mutually verified. The conclusions drawn from three approaches agree with each other. Also the advantages and limitations of each method were analyzed. It is suggested that the combination of different techniques may produce better assessment of wind environment around high buildings.     

Geographies of energy transition: the case of high-performing commercial office space in the central business districts of Sydney and Melbourne,Australia

As a signatory to the Paris Climate Agreement, Australia committed to reduce emissions significantly by 2030. In a country highly urbanised and dependent on fossil fuels as its primary energy source, one key avenue for meeting these commitments is energy transition in the built environment. Australia has emerged as a leader in the design and construction of high-performance buildings in the premium commercial office sector. In this paper, we address a significant gap in understanding the diverse mechanisms through which building energy transition is being constituted in this sector, focusing on Sydney and Melbourne. In the absence of substantive publicly available data, we draw on mixed methods comprising a database developed around high-performing CBD office buildings and qualitative interviews with a range of sectoral stakeholders. We characterise the building stock in each city, and document five trends constituting energy transitions. We demonstrate that building energy transitions are not only shaped purposefully by dominant governance regimes but also by opportunistic responses to specific material and commercial conditions and legacies in each city. Thus the urban built environment affords significant opportunity for energy transitions, but pathways towards such transitions are necessarily multiple and ultimately shaped by material as well as institutional geographies.     

对岛状融区房建冻害的几点认识——以沱沱河兵站楼房为例

座落在岛状融区中的青藏高原沱沱河兵站楼房,由于跨年度施工,楼房各部位季节冻深和融化速度不一,引起不均匀下沉,致使墙体产生严重裂缝。岛状融区是工程地质环境敏感区。在太阳辐射强烈的青藏高原,现行建筑规范中房屋采暖对冻深的影响系数偏小,建议对北外墙中段和角端应比规范规定系数分别增大0.2和0.3。     

Feasibility of pre-earthquake strengthening of buildings based on cost-benefit and life-cycle cost analysis, with the aid of fragility curves

There are two fundamental questions this article aims to deal with. First, whether a pre-earthquake strengthening of a large and heterogeneous building stock (the emphasis here is on building types common in S. Europe), is economically feasible or not, and second what is the optimal retrofit level for mitigating the seismic risk. To this purpose contemporary decision making tools, namely cost-benefit and life-cycle cost analyses, are tailored to the needs of the present study, and implemented with the aid of an ad-hoc developed new software application (COBE06). A method for estimating the reduction in structural vulnerability due to retrofit is proposed, as well as a methodology to determine the optimum retrofit level using the fragility curve approach. Finally, the proposed methodology is used in a pilot application that concerns the city of Thessaloniki, and results are drawn for the feasibility of strengthening the reinforced concrete building stock in this city.     

汶川地震(Ms8.0）地表建筑体变形特征及其构造意义

通过汶川地震震区大量的实地考察已证实沿着早先活动断裂主要发育了两条地表破裂带：一条是沿着映秀－北川断裂产生的逆冲伴随右旋走滑破裂带,长275km,最大垂直位移达11m,水平位移达12m; 另一条纯逆冲性质的破裂带,沿着灌县－安县断裂发育,最大垂直位移达4m。活动断裂之上的地表破裂带是野外工作中确定地震断裂性质的重要现象。另外,在活动断裂相邻区域和远离区域的路面以及建筑体还大量存在变形现象。通常沿活动断裂产生的地表破裂是典型的同震破裂,相邻区域的地表路面及建筑体发育的变形属于次生变形,远离区域发育的变形则属于震后变形。对次生变形和震后变形测量数据的应用容易影响活动断裂特征的确定和性质的判断,因为路面等建筑体上的挤压拱起、叠置以及水平错断等现象多是受到地震过程中通过断裂活动突然释放的巨大能量作用在局部地表建筑体产生的变形。但是,分布广泛的挤压现象暗示了区域上挤压应力场环境,有利于地表同震破裂位置的推测及地震断裂性质的判断。