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.     

Numerical estimation of REV and permeability tensor for fractured rock masses by composite element method

The Monte Carlo method is used to generate parent stochastic discrete fracture network, from which a series of fractured rock samples of different sizes and orientations are extracted. The fracture network combined with a regular grid forms composite element mesh of the fractured rock sample, in which each composite element is composed of sub‐elements incised by fracture segments. The composite element method (CEM) for the seepage is implemented to obtain the nodal hydraulic potential as well as the seepage flow rates through the fractured rock samples. The application of CEM enables a large quantity of stochastic tests for the fractured rock samples because the pre‐process is facilitated greatly. By changing the sizes and orientations of the samples, the analysis of the seepage characteristics is realized to evaluate the variation of the permeability components, the existence of the permeability tensor and the representative element volume. The feasibility and effectiveness are illustrated in a numerical example. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

软硬互层金刚石复合片钻头在地浸砂岩型铀矿中的研究及应用

针对近年在巴音戈壁盆地及鄂尔多斯盆地钻探所遇到的复杂地质情况,研究试验了PDC钻头,在地浸砂岩铀矿钻探生产中取得了良好的效果,并制定总结了相应的钻进参数.     

钢筋混凝土梁结构断裂损伤诊断方法

提出一种基于BP神经网络的结构破损诊断方法,该方法以结构破损前后柔度的变化作为破损诊断网络输入,为了解决由于系统响应样本数据空间分布不均匀对网络收敛速度及网络诊断影响问题,对网络训练样本采用广义空间格点进行了交换,模拟算例及应用实例均表明,本文方法能准确诊断结构破损位置与破坏程度,是一种有效的结构破损诊断方法.     

Full-range nonlinear analysis of fatigue behaviors of reinforced concrete structures by finite element method

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海洋钢筋混凝土结构牺牲阳极保护系统电极行为的研究

于１９８９－１９９０年在室内条件下，用牺牲阳极保护浸泡于海水中的多种钢筋凝土试件测试不同试件中钢筋极化与阳极布局、涂层质量，涂层厚度及试件浸水情况的关系。结果表明，牺牲阳极能有效地保护全浸海水中的混凝土试件，对间断浸淋海水的试件也有一定的保护作用，通过改善阳极安装工艺，保护作用可望提高；电偶电流在各阴阳极上的分布将随涂层质量，涂层厚度和试件浸水情况不同而异，回路中电阻和电极极化情况是影响电流分布的     

Effect of Berm Width and Elevation on Irregular Wave Run-Up

This paper discusses the effect of berm width and elevation of composite slope on irregular wave run-up. Based on the data obtained from model tests, the formula and distribution of irregular wave run-up on composite slope are derived. The changing of wind speed, width and elevation of the berm are considered comprehensively. The wave run-up with various exceedance probability can be es-timated utilizing the distribution curves of irregular wave run-up.     

Fatigue Behavior of Plain Concrete Under Biaxial Compression: Experiments and Theoretical Model

The effects of different lateral confinement stress on the fatigue behavior of and cumulative damage to plain concrete are investigated experimentally. Eighty 100 mm x 100 mm x 100 mm specimens of ordinary strength concrete are tested under constant- or variable-amplitude fatigue loading and lateral confinement pressure in two orthogonal directions. A fatigue equation is developed by modifying the classical Aas-Jakobsen S-N equation for taking into account the effect of the confined stress on fatigue strength of plain concrete. The results of variable-amplitude fatigue tests indicate that the linear damage theory proposed by Palmgren and Miner is unreasonable in the biaxial stress state. A nonlinear cumulative damage model that could model the effects of the magnitude and sequence of variable-amplitude fatigue loading and lateral confinement pressure is proposed on the basis of the evolution laws of the residual strains in the longitudinal direction during fatigue tests. The residual fatigue life predic     

Stress Sharing Behavior and Its Mechanism during Consolidation Process in Composite Ground Improved by Sand Compaction Piles with Low Replacement Area Ratio

In order to accurately design a sand compaction pile (SCP) with low replacement area ratio, it is important to understand the mechanical interaction between the sand pile and clay ground and its mechanism during consolidation process in composite ground. In this article, therefore, a series of numerical analyses on composite ground improved by SCP with low replacement area ratio were carried out. The applicability of numerical analyses, in which an elasto-viscoplastic consolidation finite element method was applied, were confirmed by comparing the results obtained from a series of laboratory model tests with the composite ground improved by SCP. Through the results of the numerical analyses, mechanical behavior of the sand pile and clay in composite ground during consolidation is elucidated, together with a stress sharing mechanism between sand pile and clay.