<p>The seismic risks to a structure or a set of structures in a region are usually determined by generating fragility curves that provide the probability of a building responding in a certain manner for a given level of ground motion intensity. Developing fragility curves, however, is challenging as it involves the computationally expensive task of obtaining the maximum response of the selected structures to a suite of ground motions representing the seismic hazard of the region selected. </p><p>This study presents a methodology to develop surrogate models for the prediction of the maximum responses of buildings to ground motion excitation. Data-driven surrogate models using simple machine learning techniques and physics-based surrogate models using the space mapping technique to map the low-fidelity responses obtained using a multi-degree of freedom shear building model to the high-fidelity values are developed for the prediction of the maximum roof drift ratio and the maximum story drift ratio of a chosen 15-story steel moment-resisting frame building with varying structural properties in California. The predictions of each of these surrogate models are analyzed to assess and compare the performance, capabilities, and limitations of these models. Best practices for developing surrogate models for the prediction of maximum responses of structures to ground motion are recommended.</p><p>The results from the development of data-driven surrogate models show that the spectral displacement is the best intensity measure to condition the maximum roof drift ratio, and the spectral velocity is the best intensity measure to condition the maximum story drift ratio. Fragility analysis of the structure is thus conducted using maximum story drift as the engineering demand parameter and spectral velocity as the intensity measure. Monte Carlo simulation is conducted using the physics-based surrogate model to estimate the maximum story drifts for ground motions that are incrementally scaled to different intensity levels. Maximum likelihood estimates are used to obtain the parameters for a lognormal distribution and the 95% confidence intervals are obtained using the Wald confidence interval to plot the fragility curves.</p><p>Fragility curves are plotted both with and without variations in the structural properties of the building, and it is found that the effects of variability in ground motions on the fragility are far higher than the effects of the randomness of structural properties. Finally, it is found that about 65 ground motion records are needed for convergence of the parameters of the lognormal distribution for plotting fragility curves by using Monte Carlo simulation.</p>

The objective of this research project involves determining a seismic response modification factor for three-hinge glulam Tudor arches. In an attempt to meet this objective, the methods and procedures outlined in FEMA technical document P-695 were implemented on the provided arch designs. Computational models were created using finite elements within OpenSees to accurately depict the behavior of the arch. Incremental dynamic analyses were conducted on each of the provided designs and collapse margin ratios were determined allowing performance groups to be evaluated for each of seven design R-values within two gravity load cases. With the performance groups evaluated, it was determined that only groups within the low gravity load level designs were successfully able to pass, none of the groups designed for high gravity loads passed the evaluations. Within P-695, all performance groups associated with a given design R-value must pass the evaluations for that R-value to be deemed acceptable for use in designs. Because of the implications of this requirement, a seismic response modification factor could not be determined for this type of structural system within the scope of this project. / Master of Science

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第24897号 / 工博第5177号 / 新制||工||1988(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科都市社会工学専攻 / (主査)教授 五十嵐 晃, 教授 高橋 良和, 教授 後藤 浩之 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

Seismic design of guyed masts, commonly used in the broadcasting and telecommunications industries, has not been fully addressed in the United States. There is no specific design code, and only a limited amount of research has been reported on the subject. This research investigates the behavior of guyed masts incorporating synthetic ropes as guys, with a particular focus on the effect of snap loads on the mast behavior. This is the third phase of a multi-stage project aimed at analyzing the potential for Snapping-Cable Energy Dissipators (SCEDs) to minimize lateral response in structures. A finite element model of a 120-m-tall guyed mast was developed with the commercial program ABAQUS. The three-dimensional behavior of the mast was observed when subjected to two ground motion records: Northridge and El Centro. Three orthogonal earthquake components were input, two horizontal and one vertical. A series of parametric studies was conducted to determine the sensitivity of the response to guy pretension, which is a measure of the potential slackness in the guys during response. Additionally, the studies examined the effects of guy stiffness, mast properties, and directionality of input motion. Deflections, bending moments, guy tensions, and base shears were examined. The results were used to characterize the trends in the structural response of guyed masts. The level of slackness in the guys changed the behavior, and the lessons learned will be used to continue research on the application of SCEDs in structures. / Master of Science

<p>The full-scale base-isolated structure studied in this dissertation is the only base-isolated building in South Island of New Zealand. It sustained hundreds of earthquake ground motions from September 2010 and well into 2012. Several large earthquake responses were recorded in December 2011 by NEES@UCLA and by GeoNet recording station nearby Christchurch Women's Hospital. The primary focus of this dissertation is to advance the state-of-the art of the methods to evaluate performance of seismic-isolated structures and the effects of soil-structure interaction by developing new data processing methodologies to overcome current limitations and by implementing advanced numerical modeling in OpenSees for direct analysis of soil-structure interaction.</p><p>This dissertation presents a novel method for recovering force-displacement relations within the isolators of building structures with unknown nonlinearities from sparse seismic-response measurements of floor accelerations. The method requires only direct matrix calculations (factorizations and multiplications); no iterative trial-and-error methods are required. The method requires a mass matrix, or at least an estimate of the floor masses. A stiffness matrix may be used, but is not necessary. Essentially, the method operates on a matrix of incomplete measurements of floor accelerations. In the special case of complete floor measurements of systems with linear dynamics, real modes, and equal floor masses, the principal components of this matrix are the modal responses. In the more general case of partial measurements and nonlinear dynamics, the method extracts a number of linearly-dependent components from Hankel matrices of measured horizontal response accelerations, assembles these components row-wise and extracts principal components from the singular value decomposition of this large matrix of linearly-dependent components. These principal components are then interpolated between floors in a way that minimizes the curvature energy of the interpolation. This interpolation step can make use of a reduced-order stiffness matrix, a backward difference matrix or a central difference matrix. The measured and interpolated floor acceleration components at all floors are then assembled and multiplied by a mass matrix. The recovered in-service force-displacement relations are then incorporated into the OpenSees soil structure interaction model.</p><p>Numerical simulations of soil-structure interaction involving non-uniform soil behavior are conducted following the development of the complete soil-structure interaction model of Christchurch Women's Hospital in OpenSees. In these 2D OpenSees models, the superstructure is modeled as two-dimensional frames in short span and long span respectively. The lead rubber bearings are modeled as elastomeric bearing (Bouc Wen) elements. The soil underlying the concrete raft foundation is modeled with linear elastic plane strain quadrilateral element. The non-uniformity of the soil profile is incorporated by extraction and interpolation of shear wave velocity profile from the Canterbury Geotechnical Database. The validity of the complete two-dimensional soil-structure interaction OpenSees model for the hospital is checked by comparing the results of peak floor responses and force-displacement relations within the isolation system achieved from OpenSees simulations to the recorded measurements. General explanations and implications, supported by displacement drifts, floor acceleration and displacement responses, force-displacement relations are described to address the effects of soil-structure interaction.</p> / Dissertation

In the period between September 2010 and December 2011, Christchurch was shaken by a series of strong earthquakes including the MW7.1 4 September 2010, Mw 6.2 22 February 2011, MW6.2 13 June 2011 and MW6.0 23 December 2011 earthquakes. These earthquakes produced very strong ground motions throughout the city and surrounding areas that resulted in soil liquefaction and lateral spreading causing substantial damage to buildings, infrastructure and the community. The stopbank network along the Kaiapoi and Avon River suffered extensive damage with repairs projected to take several years to complete. This presented an opportunity to undertake a case-study on a regional scale of the effects of liquefaction on a stopbank system. Ultimately, this information can be used to determine simple performance-based concepts that can be applied in practice to improve the resilience of river protection works. The research presented in this thesis draws from data collected following the 4th September 2010 and 22nd February 2011 earthquakes. The stopbank damage is categorised into seven key deformation modes that were interpreted from aerial photographs, consultant reports, damage photographs and site visits. Each deformation mode provides an assessment of the observed mechanism of failure behind liquefaction-induced stopbank damage and the factors that influence a particular style of deformation. The deformation modes have been used to create a severity classification for the whole stopbank system, being ‘no or low damage’ and ‘major or severe damage’, in order to discriminate the indicators and factors that contribute to ‘major to severe damage’ from the factors that contribute to all levels of damage a number of calculated, land damage, stopbank damage and geomorphological parameters were analysed and compared at 178 locations along the Kaiapoi and Avon River stopbank systems. A critical liquefiable layer was present at every location with relatively consistent geotechnical parameters (cone resistance (qc), soil behaviour type (Ic) and Factor of Safety (FoS)) across the study site. In 95% of the cases the critical layer occurred within two times the Height of the Free Face (HFF,). A statistical analysis of the geotechnical factors relating to the critical layer was undertaken in order to find correlations between specific deformation modes and geotechnical factors. It was found that each individual deformation mode involves a complex interplay of factors that are difficult to represent through correlative analysis. There was, however, sufficient data to derive the key factors that have affected the severity of deformation. It was concluded that stopbank damage is directly related to the presence of liquefaction in the ground materials beneath the stopbanks, but is not critical in determining the type or severity of damage, instead it is merely the triggering mechanism. Once liquefaction is triggered it is the gravity-induced deformation that causes the damage rather than the shaking duration. Lateral spreading and specifically the depositional setting was found to be the key aspect in determining the severity and type of deformation along the stopbank system. The presence or absence of abandoned or old river channels and point bar deposits was found to significantly influence the severity and type of deformation. A review of digital elevation models and old maps along the Kaiapoi River found that all of the ‘major to severe’ damage observed occurred within or directly adjacent to an abandoned river channel. Whilst a review of the geomorphology along the Avon River showed that every location within a point bar deposit suffered some form of damage, due to the depositional environment creating a deposit highly susceptible to liquefaction.

A field experiment was conducted at near Lake Coleridge in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, focusing on the kinematic response of bedrock-dominated mountain edifices to seismic shaking. The role of topographic amplification of seismic waves causing degradation and possible failure of rock masses was examined. To study site effects of topography on seismic ground motion in a field situation, a small, elongated, and bedrock-dominated mountain ridge (Little Red Hill) was chosen and equipped with a seismic array. In total seven EARSS instruments (Mark L-4-3D seismometers) were installed on the crest, the flank and the base of the 210 m high, 500 m wide, and 800 m long mountain edifice from February to July 2006. Seismic records of local and regional earthquakes, as well as seismic signals generated by an explosive source nearby, were recorded and are used to provide information on the modes of vibration as well as amplification and deamplification effects on different parts of the edifice. The ground motion records were analyzed using three different methods:comparisons of peak ground accelerations (PGA), power spectral density analysis (PSD), and standard spectral ratio analysis (SSR). Time and frequency domain analyses show that site amplification is concentrated along the elongated crest of the edifice where amplifications of up to 1100 % were measured relative to the motion at the flat base. Theoretical calculations and frequency analyses of field data indicate a maximum response along the ridge crest of Little Red Hill for frequencies of about 5 Hz, which correlate to wavelengths approximately equal to the half-width or height of the edifice (~240 m). The consequence of amplification effects on the stability and degradation of rock masses can be seen: areas showing high amplification effects overlap with the spatial distribution of seismogenic block fields at Little Red Hill. Additionally, a laboratory-scale (1:1,000) physical model was constructed to investigate the effect of topographic amplification of ground motion across a mountain edifice by simulating the situation of the Little Red Hill field experiment in a smallscale laboratory environment. The laboratory results show the maximum response of the model correlates to the fundamental mode of vibration of Little Red Hill at approximately 2.2 Hz. It is concluded that topography, geometry and distance to the seismic source, play a key role causing amplification effects of seismic ground motion and degradation of rock mass across bedrock-dominated mountain edifices.

The construction of reinforced concrete buildings with unreinforced infill is common practice even in seismically active country such as Bhutan, which is located in high seismic region of Eastern Himalaya. All buildings constructed prior 1998 were constructed without seismic provisions while those constructed after this period adopted seismic codes of neighbouring country, India. However, the codes have limited information on the design of infilled structures besides having differences in architectural requirements which may compound the structural problems. Although the influence of infill on the reinforced concrete framed structures is known, the present seismic codes do not consider it due to the lack of sufficient information. Time history analyses were performed to study the influence of infill on the performance of concrete framed structures. Important parameters were considered and the results presented in a manner that can be used by practitioners. The results show that the influence of infill on the structural performance is significant. The structural responses such as fundamental period, roof displacement, inter-storey drift ratio, stresses in infill wall and structural member forces of beams and column generally reduce, with incorporation of infill wall. The structures designed and constructed with or without seismic provision perform in a similar manner if the infills of high strength are used.

[pt] A indústria de geração elétrica de fonte nuclear baseia-se em princípios de segurança e, nos critérios de projeto, considera-se a hipótese de terremoto. Os sistemas necessários à segurança são projetados para resistir e manter a operabilidade durante e após eventos sísmicos postulados. Propõe-se um roteiro para a produção de espectros de resposta sísmica para projeto de sistemas secundários, SS, incluindo a influência do acoplamento e em base probabilística. O roteiro utiliza a ferramenta SASSI, pode ser utilizado em situações gerais de cálculo e fornece um conjunto de programas para considerar modelos tridimensionais e suas respostas para uma excitação genérica em 3 direções ortogonais; representar os efeitos de acoplamento entre o SS e o sistema principal, SP; incluir a influência dos deslocamentos relativos entre os nós de apoio do sistema secundário no sistema principal; utilizar os fatores de transposição entre espectros elásticos e inelásticos; permitir a análise probabilística e a obtenção de Espectros de Resposta Uniformemente Prováveis, acoplados ou não; incluir interfaces para a utilização de seus resultados com outros programas de utilização geral, como o MS-EXCEL. O elevado grau de automatização permite a produção de espectros de resposta com refinamentos de modelagem, alcançando uma análise mais realista, sem a necessidade de esforços adicionais aos já requeridos pela metodologia convencional. A metodologia proposta enquadra-se no encaminhamento para o contexto atual de análise sísmica de instalações nucleares, com a utilização de espectros de resposta de projeto de ameaça uniforme, específico para o sítio da instalação, e o projeto sísmico de risco consistente. / [en] The electric power reactor industry is based on rigid safety principles. The design criteria include seismic scenario. All safety related systems are designed to resist and to keep the operability during and after a postulated earthquake. It is suggested a procedure for the generation of in-structure seismic response spectra for secondary system design. A probabilistic approach is used and coupling effects between primary and secondary systems are taken into account. The proposed script uses SASSI system and can be used in general situations. A set of computer programs is developed to consider three-dimensional models and their responses for a generic base excitation, acting in 3 orthogonal directions; represent the coupling effect between primary and secondary systems, include the influence, on the response spectra, of the secondary system supports relative displacements; include approximated factors for transposition of elastic into inelastic response spectra; produce Uniformly Probable Response Spectra, including or not coupling effects; consider interfaces with other general programs, as the MS-EXCEL, for pos-processing purpose. The degree of automation, allows the production of response spectra including modeling refinements, reaching a more realistic analysis, without additional efforts beyond those already required by the conventional methodology. The proposed methodology is in the way of a site specific uniform hazard design response spectra, and of a consistent-risk seismic design.

[pt] Apresenta-se uma avaliação numérica estatística de metodologia para obtenção de espectros de resposta uniformemente prováveis, ERUP, Diniz [2], fundamentada na determinação da distribuição de probabilidade dos valores extremos da resposta de um sistema com um grau de liberdade, submetido a movimentos de terreno oriundos de terremotos. Tais movimentos são caracterizados por funções de densidade de espectro de potência, cada uma das quais representando uma família de sismos. Para tal, utiliza-se uma função densidade de espectro de potência, FDEP, como base à avaliação. A partir da FDEP, são gerados acelerogramas artificiais utilizando o programa SISMOSINV, desenvolvido internamente ao trabalho. Empregam-se estes acelerogramas para obterem-se espectros de resposta, utilizando o programa SAP2000. Os ERUP são então calculados, utilizando as distribuições de probabilidade acumulada dos valores espectrais obtidas por técnicas adequadas de estatística, implementadas especialmente para o caso. Efetua-se a comparação entre os ERUP obtidos estatisticamente e os produzidos pela metodologia probabilística e são formuladas conclusões e recomendações sobre os limites de emprego desta última. Comparam-se, ainda, os ERUP obtidos pelo procedimento estatístico com o espectro de resposta de projeto recomendado pela USNRC [13] para avaliar o compromisso entre estes espectro e a FDEPo da USNRC [1]. / [en] One presents a statistic evaluation of Diniz metodology [2], to obtain uniformly probable response espectra, UPRS, based on the determination of the probability distribuition of the response extreme values of a single- degree of freedom structure, under a ground movement caused by an earthquake. Such movements are characterized by power spectrum density functions, each one of them representing a family of seismic events. On this way, one considers a power spectral density function, PSD, as a basis for the evaluation. Using the PSD, one generates artificial ground acceleration functions with the program SISMOSINV, developed within this work. From these artificial ground acceleration functions one obtains the response spectra with the SAP2000 program. Then, the UPRS are calculated, using the spectral value distributions, by adequate statistical techniques, implemented for the case. One then compares the UPRS obtained statiscally with those obtained by the probabilistic methodology and conclusions and recommendations are formulated concerning the applicability limits of this methodology One still compares the statiscally obtained UPRS with the design response spectrum prescribed by the USNRC [13] to evaluate the compromise between this spectrum and the target power spectral density function, TPSD, prescribed by the USNRC [1].